In an interview with Korean media, she credits her role in the 2005 film All for Love for sparking her lifelong passion for acting. She received a best new actress nomination at the Grand Bell Awards for her performance – the first of many award nominations and wins she’s received throughout her career.

She began taking on lead roles in 2015, tackling more serious themes of bullying and school violence in the series Angry Mom, and murder thriller Circle of Atonement in the same year.

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International fans who watch Netflix are likely familiar with Kim’s roles in films The 8th Night and 20th Century Girl.

Over her two-decade career, Kim has been nominated for at least 40 awards, winning over 20. These have included Most Popular TV Actress at the 2017 Baeksang Arts Awards for her role in Love in the Moonlight.

That same year, she landed the No 8 spot on Forbes’ Korea Power Celebrity 40 list, in a top 10 that also included K-pop groups BTS, Exo and Twice. Most recently, Kim earned the Face of Asia gong at the 2022 Asia Star Awards.

Her passion for acting extends beyond the silver screen – earlier this year, she made her first foray into theatre, starring in Shakespeare in Love, a South Korean adaptation of the 1998 film of the same name. Her stellar performance further confirmed her talent.

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With more than eight million followers on Instagram, Kim often takes to the social media platform to share titbits of her life with fans.

When she’s not working, the actress appears to prefer donating her time to various charitable causes, with those related to the well-being of children seeming especially dear to her heart. She has lent her fame to a number of philanthropic organisations and donated millions of won towards building care facilities, including giving 30 million won (US$22,800) in 2021 to the Green Umbrella Children’s Foundation, which helps children and families in need.

To relax, Kim expresses herself through art. On her Instagram profile, she occasionally shares photos of her paintings with fans, who praise her for her artistic talent.