Kim Ji-won

South Korean actress (born 1992) From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Kim Ji-won (Korean: 김지원; born October 19, 1992) is a South Korean actress. She gained recognition through her roles in the television series The Heirs (2013) and Descendants of the Sun (2016), both written by Kim Eun-sook. She later established herself in leading roles in Fight for My Way (2017), Arthdal Chronicles (2019), My Liberation Notes (2022), and Queen of Tears (2024), the latter of which became tvN's highest-rated series at the time.^[2] These roles contributed to her prominence as a hallyu figure.^[3]^[4]

BornOctober 19, 1992 (age 33)

Seoul, South Korea^[1]

EducationDongguk University (B.A. in Theatre Studies)

OccupationActress

Yearsactive2010–present

Quick facts Born, Education ...

Kim Ji-won
Kim in May 2026
Born	(1992-10-19) October 19, 1992 (age 33) Seoul, South Korea^[1]
Education	Dongguk University (B.A. in Theatre Studies)
Occupation	Actress
Years active	2010 (2010)–present
Agent	HighZium Studio

Korean name
Hangul	김지원
RR	Gim Jiwon
MR	Kim Chiwŏn

Website	highziumstudio.com
Signature

Early life and education

Kim Ji-won was born on October 19, 1992, in Geumcheon District, Seoul, South Korea, as the younger of two daughters. She developed an interest in acting during elementary school and participated in school plays.^[5] During middle school, she played the piano at church and participated in Christmas performances. She has stated that she is a Christian.^[6]

During her first year of middle school, Kim spent nearly a year in Chicago, Illinois, United States, living with maternal relatives.^[7] After returning to South Korea, she was required to repeat a school year before re-enrolling. She later left formal education and passed the General Educational Development (GED) examination before entering high school.^[5]

In 2007, Kim was scouted on the street and signed with Lion Media, where she trained for three years in singing, dancing, and acting.^[5]^[8] In 2008, while still a trainee, she worked as a keyboardist and backing vocalist for Younha and appeared in the music video for the song "Gossip Boy".^[9] She was initially set to debut as a singer under the stage name "JessicaK", but ultimately chose acting instead.^[8]

Following her 2010 debut, she enrolled in the Department of Theatre at Dongguk University in 2011, majoring in acting.^[5]

Career

2010–2012: Early career

Kim Ji-won made her acting debut in the 2011 romance omnibus film Romantic Heaven.^[8] She gained attention for her role in the sitcom High Kick: Revenge of the Short Legged.^[10] She later appeared in the musical drama What's Up.^[11] In 2012, Kim starred in the high school series To the Beautiful You,^[12] and portrayed a kidnapped student in the horror anthology film Horror Stories.^[13]

2013–2016: Breakthrough

In 2013, Kim appeared in the KBS Drama Special Waiting for Love.^[14] She also starred in Horror Stories 2, portraying a student involved in black magic.^[15] That year, she played an heiress in the teen drama The Heirs, written by Kim Eun-sook.^[16] The series achieved over one billion views on Youku, contributing to increased recognition for her role.^[17] Kim received the New Star Award at the 2013 SBS Drama Awards for her performance.^[18]

In 2014, Kim portrayed a high school student and webtoon artist in the crime thriller Gap-dong.^[19] She also appeared in a supporting role in the KBS Drama Special The Reason I'm Getting Married.^[20] In December, she signed a contract with King Kong Entertainment.^[21]

In 2015, Kim starred in the romance web series One Sunny Day, portraying a woman who meets a stranger while traveling to Jeju Island.^[22] Later that year, she made a cameo appearance in the tvN drama Hidden Identity as the girlfriend of Kim Bum's character.^[23]

In 2016, Kim reunited with writer Kim Eun-sook in the KBS2 military romance drama Descendants of the Sun, playing an army surgeon.^[24] She won the Excellence Award at the 2016 KBS Drama Awards and the Best Supporting Actress award at the 5th APAN Star Awards for her performance.^[25]^[26] The series recorded peak viewership ratings of 38.8% and won the Grand Prize – Television at the 52nd Baeksang Arts Awards.^[27]^[28] Its international popularity increased Kim's overseas visibility.^[29]^[30] That year, she co-hosted the 2016 KBS Drama Awards with Park Bo-gum and Jun Hyun-moo.^[31]

2017–2023: Leading roles

In 2017, Kim starred in her first leading role in KBS2's romantic comedy drama Fight for My Way, portraying Choi Ae-ra, a department store information desk employee aspiring to become an announcer, alongside Park Seo-joon.^[32] The series was noted for its portrayal of young adults facing career challenges and concluded with ratings of 13.8%.^[33] Kim won the Excellence Award at the 2017 KBS Drama Awards for her performance.^[34]

In 2018, Kim appeared in the period comedy-mystery film Detective K: Secret of the Living Dead, playing a woman with memory loss involved in an investigation.^[35] That same year, Kim and her Descendants of the Sun co-star Jin Goo made cameo appearances in the historical drama Mr. Sunshine.^[36]

In 2019, Kim starred in the historical fantasy drama Arthdal Chronicles as Tanya, the spiritual leader and successor of the Wahan tribe's priesthood.^[37] The drama served as a reunion with Song Joong-ki, following their appearance in the 2016 series Descendants of the Sun.^[38] In December, Kim's contract with King Kong Entertainment expired, and she chose not to renew it.^[39]

In February 2020, Kim signed with Salt Entertainment.^[40] Later that year, she starred in the romance web series Lovestruck in the City, portraying Lee Eun-oh, a woman living under a false identity who becomes involved in a complex urban romance.^[41] For the role, Kim underwent surfing training and overcame her childhood aquaphobia.^[42]^[43]

In 2022, Kim starred in the slice-of-life drama My Liberation Notes, portraying Yeom Mi-jeong, an introverted office worker struggling to escape her monotonous life.^[44]^[45] She was nominated for Best Actress – Television at the 59th Baeksang Arts Awards for her performance in the series.^[46] In June, Kim's contract with Salt Entertainment expired, and she chose not to renew it.^[47] In September, she signed with HighZium Studio.^[48]

2024–present: Continued success

In 2024, Kim starred in the tvN drama Queen of Tears as Hong Hae-in, a chaebol heiress.^[49] The series became the highest-rated tvN drama with a nationwide viewership of 24.9% for its finale.^[50] It also remained in Netflix's Global Top 10 Non-English TV series rankings for 15 consecutive weeks.^[51] Kim received the Prime Minister's Commendation at the Korean Popular Culture and Arts Awards,^[52] and ranked third in Gallup Korea's Television Actor of the Year survey.^[53]

Public image

Korean media highlighted Kim's clear diction and pronunciation, earning her the nickname "Diction Fairy".^[54] Her aegyo scene in Fight for My Way gained attention on social media and inspired a dubbing challenge.^[55]^[56] Following her performance in Queen of Tears, several media outlets referred to her as "Queen of Romantic Comedy".^[57]^[58]^[59] Korean media have also described Kim as a prominent figure in the Korean Wave.^[60]^[61]^[62] Kim ranked third in Gallup Korea's Television Actor of the Year in both 2024 and 2025.^[53]^[63]

Kim maintains a private life and has a limited presence on social media. In an interview with Cosmopolitan, she stated, "I tend to separate my work and private life. When people watch the dramas I appear in, I want them to focus solely on the character."^[64]

Other ventures

Ambassadorship

On February 8, 2025, Kim was selected as the ambassador for Orange Run 2025, a charity marathon festival held in collaboration with the Korea Welfare Service and Hanwha General Insurance to celebrate International Women's Day.^[65]

Endorsements

Kim began her advertising career in 2010 as an endorser for LG Electronics' Cyon Lollipop 2 alongside Bigbang.^[66] From 2014 to 2017, she served as a brand ambassador for the skincare brand Dr.G.^[67] In 2016, following her appearance in Descendants of the Sun, she was referred to by media outlets as the "CF Queen" after securing endorsement deals with more than ten brands.^[68] From 2017 to 2021, she served as a global ambassador for the skincare brand Mediheal.^[69]

In 2024, she became a brand ambassador for Bulgari, becoming its first Korean ambassador for jewelry, watches, and fragrance.^[70] She also served as a global ambassador for LG H&H's luxury cosmetics brand The Whoo, and was appointed brand ambassador for the jewelry brand Stonehenge and the Italian luxury outerwear brand Duvetica.^[71]^[72]^[73]

Philanthropy

In February 2014, Kim participated in Vogue Girl's "Pink Wings" campaign, with proceeds donated to support low-income families.^[74] On November 29, 2016, she joined the Korean Committee for UNICEF's "We Action" child protection campaign.^[75] During the COVID-19 pandemic, Kim donated ₩20 million to World Share in February 2020 to support medical staff and patients at Keimyung University Dongsan Hospital in Daegu.^[76] The following month, she served as a voice donor for MBC Radio's "Citizen Support Project" for people affected by the pandemic.^[77]

In June 2022, Kim volunteered for Big Issue, a magazine that supports people experiencing homelessness.^[78] In October 2024, she took part in W Korea's "Love Your W" breast cancer awareness campaign.^[79] On March 27, 2025, Kim donated ₩50 million to the Hope Bridge National Disaster Relief Association to aid victims of the 2025 South Korea wildfires.^[80]