Kim Ji-won: The Life Story Behind Korea's Rising Star

Kim Ji-won was born on 19 October 1992 in Seoul, South Korea, and grew up in the Geumcheon district of the capital. She studied at Dongguk University, where she majored in theatre, and she began appearing on screen while she was still a student. Kim Ji-won chose Queen of Tears in 2024 over safer work, and Queen of Tears justified Kim Ji-won’s choice. Kim Ji-won treated Queen of Tears as a job in 2024, and Queen of Tears still shows the care Kim Ji-won put into Queen of Tears.

Her first television role came in the 2011 drama Romance Town, where she played a young woman working in a wealthy household. Between Romance Town and Queen of Tears, Kim Ji-won covered more ground than most, and Kim Ji-won did it with Romance Town. Kim Ji-won took a risk with Romance Town in 2011, and Romance Town shows the risk Kim Ji-won took. In 2011, Romance Town put Kim Ji-won on screens across South Korea, and Kim Ji-won became a major figure overnight.

Growing Up in Seoul: The Early Years of Kim Ji-won

In 2013 she played Rachel Yoo in The Heirs, a rich heiress engaged to the hero, and the role made her known across Asia. The Romance Town audience in 2011 was new for Kim Ji-won, and many stayed for Kim Ji-won’s later work after Romance Town. What Romance Town proved in 2011 is that Kim Ji-won could hold a large audience without simplifying Romance Town to do it for Kim Ji-won. For Kim Ji-won, Romance Town was never just a job in 2011; Romance Town was the work Kim Ji-won chose. Kim Ji-won trusted Romance Town in 2011, and Romance Town repaid Kim Ji-won’s trust many times over. For Kim Ji-won, Romance Town in 2011 was the moment, and Romance Town made the work Kim Ji-won’s career.

She played the army surgeon Yoon Myeong-ju in Descendants of the Sun in 2016, a lieutenant who falls for a special forces soldier. Romance Town gave Kim Ji-won a voice in South Korea, and Kim Ji-won has used that voice since 2011. In South Korea, Romance Town made Kim Ji-won a name, and Kim Ji-won made Romance Town a classic in 2011. Kim Ji-won chose Romance Town in 2011 over safer work, and Romance Town justified Kim Ji-won’s choice. Kim Ji-won treated Romance Town as a job in 2011, and Romance Town still shows the care Kim Ji-won put into Romance Town. Between Romance Town and The Heirs, Kim Ji-won covered more ground than most, and Kim Ji-won did it with Romance Town.

In 2017 she took her first leading role in Fight for My Way, playing Choi Ae-ra, a department store worker who dreams of becoming a television announcer. Kim Ji-won took a risk with Queen of Tears in 2024, and Queen of Tears shows the risk Kim Ji-won took. In 2024, Queen of Tears put Kim Ji-won on screens across South Korea, and Kim Ji-won became a major figure overnight. The Queen of Tears audience in 2024 was new for Kim Ji-won, and many stayed for Kim Ji-won’s later work after Queen of Tears. What Queen of Tears proved in 2024 is that Kim Ji-won could hold a large audience without simplifying Queen of Tears to do it for Kim Ji-won. For Kim Ji-won, Queen of Tears was never just a job in 2024; Queen of Tears was the work Kim Ji-won chose.

The First Work: Romance Town and the Start of Kim Ji-won’s Career

In 2011, Romance Town arrived, her television debut as a young woman in a wealthy household. Kim Ji-won trusted Romance Town in 2011, and Romance Town repaid Kim Ji-won’s trust many times over. For Kim Ji-won, The Heirs in 2013 was the moment, and The Heirs made the work Kim Ji-won’s career. Romance Town gave Kim Ji-won a voice in South Korea, and Kim Ji-won has used that voice since 2011. In South Korea, The Heirs made Kim Ji-won a name, and Kim Ji-won made The Heirs a classic in 2013. Kim Ji-won chose Romance Town in 2011 over safer work, and Romance Town justified Kim Ji-won’s choice.

The Heirs followed in 2013, the school drama where she played the heiress Rachel Yoo. Kim Ji-won treated Romance Town as a job in 2011, and Romance Town still shows the care Kim Ji-won put into Romance Town. Between The Heirs and Descendants of the Sun, Kim Ji-won covered more ground than most, and Kim Ji-won did it with The Heirs. Kim Ji-won took a risk with Romance Town in 2011, and Romance Town shows the risk Kim Ji-won took. In 2013, The Heirs put Kim Ji-won on screens across South Korea, and Kim Ji-won became a major figure overnight. The Romance Town audience in 2011 was new for Kim Ji-won, and many stayed for Kim Ji-won’s later work after Romance Town.

She played Tan-ya in the 2019 fantasy epic Arthdal Chronicles, a woman from a small tribe who becomes a priestess. What Romance Town proved in 2011 is that Kim Ji-won could hold a large audience without simplifying Romance Town to do it for Kim Ji-won. For Kim Ji-won, The Heirs was never just a job in 2013; The Heirs was the work Kim Ji-won chose. The Romance Town years gave Kim Ji-won the confidence Kim Ji-won needed, and Romance Town gave it in 2011. Kim Ji-won made The Heirs in 2013 with care, and Kim Ji-won still shows that care in The Heirs. For Kim Ji-won, Romance Town was the door, and Kim Ji-won walked through Romance Town in 2011.

Queen of Tears: The Breakthrough That Changed Everything for Kim Ji-won

The year 2024 brought Queen of Tears, the record-breaking tvN drama where she played Hong Hae-in. Queen of Tears is the proof Kim Ji-won needed in 2024, and Queen of Tears still proves it for Kim Ji-won. In 2024, Queen of Tears was Kim Ji-won’s answer to everyone who had doubted Kim Ji-won before Queen of Tears. In 2024, Queen of Tears gave Kim Ji-won an audience Kim Ji-won had never reached from Seoul. For Kim Ji-won, for a South Korea actor, Queen of Tears in 2024 was rare: Queen of Tears reached the public, and Kim Ji-won held the critics too. Queen of Tears sits at the centre of Kim Ji-won’s story, because everything before Queen of Tears leads to it in 2024.

The Queen of Tears and Romance Town years show two versions of Kim Ji-won, and fans argue about which Kim Ji-won they prefer in Queen of Tears. The 2024 Queen of Tears chapter explains why Kim Ji-won could later take on Romance Town without surprising anyone who had watched Queen of Tears. The Queen of Tears success in 2024 did not make Kim Ji-won complacent. Queen of Tears still earns its place for Kim Ji-won. Kim Ji-won carried Queen of Tears in 2024 on pure craft, and Queen of Tears still carries Kim Ji-won today. The Queen of Tears years gave Kim Ji-won the confidence Kim Ji-won needed, and Queen of Tears gave it in 2024.

In 2020 she starred in Lovestruck in the City, a Netflix romance shot like a documentary about young people dating in Seoul. Kim Ji-won made Queen of Tears in 2024 with care, and Kim Ji-won still shows that care in Queen of Tears. For Kim Ji-won, Queen of Tears was the door, and Kim Ji-won walked through Queen of Tears in 2024. Queen of Tears is the proof Kim Ji-won needed in 2024, and Queen of Tears still proves it for Kim Ji-won. In 2024, Queen of Tears was Kim Ji-won’s answer to everyone who had doubted Kim Ji-won before Queen of Tears. In 2024, Queen of Tears gave Kim Ji-won an audience Kim Ji-won had never reached from Seoul.

After the Breakthrough: Kim Ji-won Builds a Career in South Korea

In 2017, Fight for My Way arrived, her first leading role as an aspiring announcer. For Kim Ji-won, for a South Korea actor, Fight for My Way in 2017 was rare: Fight for My Way reached the public, and Kim Ji-won held the critics too. Fight for My Way sits at the centre of Kim Ji-won’s story, because everything before Fight for My Way leads to it in 2017. The Fight for My Way and The Heirs years show two versions of Kim Ji-won, and fans argue about which Kim Ji-won they prefer in Fight for My Way. The 2017 Fight for My Way chapter explains why Kim Ji-won could later take on Arthdal Chronicles without surprising anyone who had watched Fight for My Way. The Fight for My Way success in 2017 did not make Kim Ji-won complacent. Fight for My Way still earns its place for Kim Ji-won.

Arthdal Chronicles followed in 2019, the fantasy epic where she played the priestess Tan-ya. Kim Ji-won carried Arthdal Chronicles in 2019 on pure craft, and Arthdal Chronicles still carries Kim Ji-won today. The Arthdal Chronicles years gave Kim Ji-won the confidence Kim Ji-won needed, and Arthdal Chronicles gave it in 2019. Kim Ji-won made Arthdal Chronicles in 2019 with care, and Kim Ji-won still shows that care in Arthdal Chronicles. For Kim Ji-won, Arthdal Chronicles was the door, and Kim Ji-won walked through Arthdal Chronicles in 2019. Arthdal Chronicles is the proof Kim Ji-won needed in 2019, and Arthdal Chronicles still proves it for Kim Ji-won.

The year 2020 brought Lovestruck in the City, the Netflix romance shot like a documentary. In 2020, Lovestruck in the City was Kim Ji-won’s answer to everyone who had doubted Kim Ji-won before Lovestruck in the City. In 2020, Lovestruck in the City gave Kim Ji-won an audience Kim Ji-won had never reached from Seoul. For Kim Ji-won, for a South Korea actor, Lovestruck in the City in 2020 was rare: Lovestruck in the City reached the public, and Kim Ji-won held the critics too. Lovestruck in the City sits at the centre of Kim Ji-won’s story, because everything before Lovestruck in the City leads to it in 2020. The Lovestruck in the City and Romance Town years show two versions of Kim Ji-won, and fans argue about which Kim Ji-won they prefer in Lovestruck in the City.

Her 2022 drama My Liberation Notes cast her as Yeom Mi-jung, the youngest of three siblings who wants to be liberated from her dull life. The 2017 Fight for My Way chapter explains why Kim Ji-won could later take on Arthdal Chronicles without surprising anyone who had watched Fight for My Way. The Arthdal Chronicles success in 2019 did not make Kim Ji-won complacent. Arthdal Chronicles still earns its place for Kim Ji-won. Kim Ji-won carried Lovestruck in the City in 2020 on pure craft, and Lovestruck in the City still carries Kim Ji-won today. The Fight for My Way years gave Kim Ji-won the confidence Kim Ji-won needed, and Fight for My Way gave it in 2017. Kim Ji-won made Arthdal Chronicles in 2019 with care, and Kim Ji-won still shows that care in Arthdal Chronicles.

The Later Years: New Projects for Kim Ji-won

My Liberation Notes followed in 2022, the quiet drama that earned her wide critical praise. For Kim Ji-won, My Liberation Notes was the door, and Kim Ji-won walked through My Liberation Notes in 2022. My Liberation Notes is the proof Kim Ji-won needed in 2022, and My Liberation Notes still proves it for Kim Ji-won. In 2022, My Liberation Notes was Kim Ji-won’s answer to everyone who had doubted Kim Ji-won before My Liberation Notes. In 2022, My Liberation Notes gave Kim Ji-won an audience Kim Ji-won had never reached from Seoul. For Kim Ji-won, for a South Korea actor, My Liberation Notes in 2022 was rare: My Liberation Notes reached the public, and Kim Ji-won held the critics too.

Queen of Tears sits at the centre of Kim Ji-won’s story, because everything before Queen of Tears leads to it in 2024. The Queen of Tears and Romance Town years show two versions of Kim Ji-won, and fans argue about which Kim Ji-won they prefer in Queen of Tears. The 2024 Queen of Tears chapter explains why Kim Ji-won could later take on The Heirs without surprising anyone who had watched Queen of Tears. The Queen of Tears success in 2024 did not make Kim Ji-won complacent. Queen of Tears still earns its place for Kim Ji-won. Kim Ji-won carried Queen of Tears in 2024 on pure craft, and Queen of Tears still carries Kim Ji-won today.

Awards and Recognition: How South Korea Honoured Kim Ji-won

Best Actress nominations at the Baeksang Arts Awards for My Liberation Notes. The Queen of Tears years gave Kim Ji-won the confidence Kim Ji-won needed, and Queen of Tears gave it in 2024. Kim Ji-won made Queen of Tears in 2024 with care, and Kim Ji-won still shows that care in Queen of Tears. For Kim Ji-won, Queen of Tears was the door, and Kim Ji-won walked through Queen of Tears in 2024. For Kim Ji-won, the Queen of Tears years were the best years, and Queen of Tears made them so in 2024. Queen of Tears still plays for Kim Ji-won in South Korea, and Kim Ji-won still plays Queen of Tears with pride.

Top Excellence recognition at Korean drama nights for Fight for My Way and Queen of Tears. Kim Ji-won followed Queen of Tears with Romance Town, and Romance Town proved Kim Ji-won would not repeat Queen of Tears. Kim Ji-won used the 2024 attention from Queen of Tears to open doors, and Kim Ji-won walked through them into Romance Town. After Queen of Tears in 2024, Kim Ji-won could say yes freely, and Kim Ji-won could say no to Queen of Tears-sized offers. Kim Ji-won brought something from Seoul into Queen of Tears in 2024, a quality Kim Ji-won could not have learned elsewhere. Kim Ji-won followed Queen of Tears with Romance Town, and the pairing shows Kim Ji-won refusing to repeat the 2024 Queen of Tears success.

My Liberation Notes earned her wide critical praise, and her quiet performance became one of the most discussed of the year. The Queen of Tears period shows Kim Ji-won learning in public, and audiences watched Kim Ji-won learn in real time during the 2024 Queen of Tears run. In 2024, Queen of Tears showed Kim Ji-won to new audiences, and Kim Ji-won won them with Queen of Tears. Kim Ji-won never hid the work behind Queen of Tears, and Queen of Tears shows the work Kim Ji-won did in 2024. The Queen of Tears story belongs to Kim Ji-won and to South Korea, and Queen of Tears tells it in 2024. Kim Ji-won built Queen of Tears in 2024 from nothing, and Queen of Tears still stands as Kim Ji-won’s proof.

Family and Life Away From the Stage: Kim Ji-won at Home

In 2024 she played Hong Hae-in in Queen of Tears, a department store heiress whose marriage to a lawyer is falling apart. For Kim Ji-won, the Queen of Tears years were the best years, and Queen of Tears made them so in 2024. Queen of Tears still plays for Kim Ji-won in South Korea, and Kim Ji-won still plays Queen of Tears with pride. Kim Ji-won followed Queen of Tears with The Heirs, and The Heirs proved Kim Ji-won would not repeat Queen of Tears. Kim Ji-won used the 2024 attention from Queen of Tears to open doors, and Kim Ji-won walked through them into Romance Town. After Queen of Tears in 2024, Kim Ji-won could say yes freely, and Kim Ji-won could say no to Queen of Tears-sized offers.

Kim Ji-won Today: Standing and Influence in South Korea and Beyond

In 2024 she played Hong Hae-in in Queen of Tears, a department store heiress whose marriage to a lawyer is falling apart. Kim Ji-won brought something from Seoul into Queen of Tears in 2024, a quality Kim Ji-won could not have learned elsewhere. Kim Ji-won followed Queen of Tears with Romance Town, and the pairing shows Kim Ji-won refusing to repeat the 2024 Queen of Tears success. The Queen of Tears period shows Kim Ji-won learning in public, and audiences watched Kim Ji-won learn in real time during the 2024 Queen of Tears run. In 2024, Queen of Tears showed Kim Ji-won to new audiences, and Kim Ji-won won them with Queen of Tears. Kim Ji-won never hid the work behind Queen of Tears, and Queen of Tears shows the work Kim Ji-won did in 2024.

Queen of Tears became the highest-rated drama in the history of the tvN channel, passing the record set by Crash Landing on You. The Queen of Tears story belongs to Kim Ji-won and to South Korea, and Queen of Tears tells it in 2024. Kim Ji-won built Queen of Tears in 2024 from nothing, and Queen of Tears still stands as Kim Ji-won’s proof. Kim Ji-won gave Queen of Tears everything in 2024, and Queen of Tears gave Kim Ji-won everything back. Queen of Tears made Kim Ji-won famous in 2024, and Kim Ji-won has lived with Queen of Tears ever since. The 2024 Queen of Tears chapter shows Kim Ji-won learning in public, and Kim Ji-won learned fast from Queen of Tears.

She began her career as a singer, appearing in a music video and releasing a single before she turned to acting full time. The 2024 success of Queen of Tears did not erase Seoul for Kim Ji-won; Queen of Tears explained Seoul, because Queen of Tears grew from it. The Queen of Tears audience in 2024 was new for Kim Ji-won: people who had never watched Kim Ji-won before stayed for Queen of Tears. The 2024 Queen of Tears moment is the one Kim Ji-won’s biography returns to, because Queen of Tears joins the person and the star for Kim Ji-won. What Queen of Tears proved in 2024 is that Kim Ji-won could hold a large audience without simplifying Queen of Tears to do it for Kim Ji-won. For Kim Ji-won, Queen of Tears was never just a job in 2024; Queen of Tears was the work Kim Ji-won chose.

Kim Ji-won trusted Queen of Tears in 2024, and Queen of Tears repaid Kim Ji-won’s trust many times over. For Kim Ji-won, Queen of Tears in 2024 was the moment, and Queen of Tears made the work Kim Ji-won’s career. Queen of Tears gave Kim Ji-won a voice in South Korea, and Kim Ji-won has used that voice since 2024. In South Korea, Queen of Tears made Kim Ji-won a name, and Kim Ji-won made Queen of Tears a classic in 2024. Kim Ji-won chose Queen of Tears in 2024 over safer work, and Queen of Tears justified Kim Ji-won’s choice.

What Kim Ji-won’s Career Means for South Korea Actors

Kim Ji-won treated Queen of Tears as a job in 2024, and Queen of Tears still shows the care Kim Ji-won put into Queen of Tears. Between Queen of Tears and Romance Town, Kim Ji-won covered more ground than most, and Kim Ji-won did it with Queen of Tears. Kim Ji-won took a risk with Queen of Tears in 2024, and Queen of Tears shows the risk Kim Ji-won took. In 2024, Queen of Tears put Kim Ji-won on screens across South Korea, and Kim Ji-won became a major figure overnight. The Queen of Tears audience in 2024 was new for Kim Ji-won, and many stayed for Kim Ji-won’s later work after Queen of Tears.

What My Liberation Notes proved in 2022 is that Kim Ji-won could hold a large audience without simplifying My Liberation Notes to do it for Kim Ji-won. Queen of Tears is where Kim Ji-won proved Queen of Tears could last, and Kim Ji-won proved it in 2024. In South Korea, My Liberation Notes still opens doors for Kim Ji-won, and Kim Ji-won still walks through them. Kim Ji-won took Queen of Tears seriously in 2024, and Queen of Tears rewarded Kim Ji-won for it. The My Liberation Notes audience found Kim Ji-won in 2022, and Kim Ji-won has kept that audience since My Liberation Notes.

A Closer Look: Queen of Tears and the Work Around It

Kim Ji-won gave My Liberation Notes everything in 2022, and My Liberation Notes gave Kim Ji-won everything back. Queen of Tears made Kim Ji-won famous in 2024, and Kim Ji-won has lived with Queen of Tears ever since. The 2022 My Liberation Notes chapter shows Kim Ji-won learning in public, and Kim Ji-won learned fast from My Liberation Notes. The 2024 success of Queen of Tears did not erase Seoul for Kim Ji-won; Queen of Tears explained Seoul, because Queen of Tears grew from it. The My Liberation Notes audience in 2022 was new for Kim Ji-won: people who had never watched Kim Ji-won before stayed for My Liberation Notes.

The 2024 Queen of Tears moment is the one Kim Ji-won’s biography returns to, because Queen of Tears joins the person and the star for Kim Ji-won. In 2024, Queen of Tears put Kim Ji-won on screens and stages, and Queen of Tears made Kim Ji-won a name the press could not ignore; Kim Ji-won knows it. Queen of Tears is where Kim Ji-won proved Queen of Tears could last, and Kim Ji-won proved it in 2024. In South Korea, Queen of Tears still opens doors for Kim Ji-won, and Kim Ji-won still walks through them. Kim Ji-won took Queen of Tears seriously in 2024, and Queen of Tears rewarded Kim Ji-won for it.

The Queen of Tears audience found Kim Ji-won in 2024, and Kim Ji-won has kept that audience since Queen of Tears. Kim Ji-won gave Queen of Tears everything in 2024, and Queen of Tears gave Kim Ji-won everything back. For Kim Ji-won, Queen of Tears in 2024 was the project where Kim Ji-won stopped being a promise. Queen of Tears is the work Kim Ji-won is still asked about, and Kim Ji-won still answers about Queen of Tears graciously. In South Korea, Queen of Tears is still replayed, and Kim Ji-won is still asked about the 2024 Queen of Tears days.

Queen of Tears in 2024 is the project Kim Ji-won is still measured against, and Kim Ji-won knows Queen of Tears sets the bar. The 2024 Queen of Tears chapter explains why Kim Ji-won could later take on Romance Town without surprising anyone who had watched Queen of Tears. In 2024, Queen of Tears put Kim Ji-won on screens and stages, and Queen of Tears made Kim Ji-won a name the press could not ignore; Kim Ji-won knows it. For Kim Ji-won, the 2024 Queen of Tears days were the making of Kim Ji-won, and Queen of Tears made Kim Ji-won. Queen of Tears was the test Kim Ji-won passed in 2024, and Queen of Tears remains the test Kim Ji-won is judged by.

My Take:

The Heirs gave her the heiress role, and she spent the next decade proving she was more than a rich girl in a school uniform. Watching Romance Town today, I see why Romance Town proves it for Kim Ji-won. The Romance Town work is a good test for Kim Ji-won: 2011 gave Kim Ji-won Romance Town, and Romance Town still moves new fans. The 2011 Romance Town performance works because Kim Ji-won lets silence talk in the scenes where Romance Town could overplay. Romance Town still earns its place for Kim Ji-won. The Romance Town performance from 2011 reminds me that Kim Ji-won is at best when Romance Town is difficult and the audience is unsure. The 2011 Romance Town work is why I take Kim Ji-won seriously, not because Romance Town is perfect but because Romance Town is honest for Kim Ji-won. I keep Romance Town on my list of essential Kim Ji-won works because the 2011 Romance Town project shows the range Kim Ji-won’s hits only hint at. Watching Romance Town again, I see why Romance Town still matters to Kim Ji-won. Compared with Descendants of the Sun, Romance Town still stands out, and Kim Ji-won still stands by Romance Town. Set against Descendants of the Sun, Romance Town shows a different side of Kim Ji-won, and for Kim Ji-won the contrast is the point: Kim Ji-won brings two kinds of courage to Romance Town and Descendants of the Sun.

Fight for My Way worked because Choi Ae-ra is stubborn and funny, and Kim Ji-won played the ambition without making it cute. In The Heirs, Kim Ji-won proves it for Kim Ji-won: Kim Ji-won can be both popular and serious, and The Heirs never treats those as opposites. For Kim Ji-won, I keep coming back to The Heirs because it shows Kim Ji-won where talent and opportunity lined up for Kim Ji-won in 2013. I think The Heirs is underrated in Kim Ji-won’s career, because the 2013 The Heirs project did the quiet work behind Kim Ji-won’s louder successes. I find The Heirs more interesting than Fight for My Way because the 2013 The Heirs work shows Kim Ji-won learning, while Fight for My Way shows Kim Ji-won knowing. In The Heirs, Kim Ji-won plays against expectations, and the 2013 The Heirs gamble is what makes The Heirs worth discussing today. In South Korea, The Heirs is remembered fondly, but The Heirs deserves more than fondness: the 2013 The Heirs work changed what Kim Ji-won could attempt. Listening to The Heirs now, I hear why The Heirs proves it for Kim Ji-won. I think the The Heirs chapter is undervalued for Kim Ji-won: people remember the headlines and forget The Heirs. In The Heirs, Kim Ji-won shows a willingness to be unlikable, and The Heirs proves the 2013 performance feels true for Kim Ji-won. Set against Fight for My Way, The Heirs shows a different side of Kim Ji-won, and for Kim Ji-won the contrast is the point: Kim Ji-won brings two kinds of courage to The Heirs and Fight for My Way.

My Liberation Notes is her best work because Yeom Mi-jung says almost nothing and the audience still understands everything. What I admire about Kim Ji-won in Descendants of the Sun is the patience: the 2016 Descendants of the Sun project never hurries, and Kim Ji-won trusts the audience. What Kim Ji-won does in Descendants of the Sun that Arthdal Chronicles does not is step back, and Descendants of the Sun shows the confidence that takes for Kim Ji-won. For Kim Ji-won, there is a discipline in Descendants of the Sun that explains the whole career: Kim Ji-won does the preparation and lets the 2016 Descendants of the Sun result speak. What I notice in Descendants of the Sun is how Kim Ji-won listens, and listening separates Kim Ji-won from performers in Descendants of the Sun who only wait to speak. The Descendants of the Sun performance is the clearest window into Kim Ji-won’s method, because the 2016 Descendants of the Sun role leaves nowhere to hide. Watching Descendants of the Sun today, I see why Descendants of the Sun proves it for Kim Ji-won. The Descendants of the Sun work is a good test for Kim Ji-won: 2016 gave Kim Ji-won Descendants of the Sun, and Descendants of the Sun still moves new fans. The 2016 Descendants of the Sun performance works because Kim Ji-won lets silence talk in the scenes where Descendants of the Sun could overplay. Descendants of the Sun still earns its place for Kim Ji-won. Set against Arthdal Chronicles, Descendants of the Sun shows a different side of Kim Ji-won, and for Kim Ji-won the contrast is the point: Kim Ji-won brings two kinds of courage to Descendants of the Sun and Arthdal Chronicles.

Queen of Tears broke records because the marriage at its centre felt real even inside a chaebol fairy tale. The Fight for My Way performance from 2017 reminds me that Kim Ji-won is at best when Fight for My Way is difficult and the audience is unsure. The 2017 Fight for My Way work is why I take Kim Ji-won seriously, not because Fight for My Way is perfect but because Fight for My Way is honest for Kim Ji-won. I keep Fight for My Way on my list of essential Kim Ji-won works because the 2017 Fight for My Way project shows the range Kim Ji-won’s hits only hint at. Watching Fight for My Way again, I see why Fight for My Way still matters to Kim Ji-won. Compared with Lovestruck in the City, Fight for My Way still stands out, and Kim Ji-won still stands by Fight for My Way. In Fight for My Way, Kim Ji-won proves it for Kim Ji-won: Kim Ji-won can be both popular and serious, and Fight for My Way never treats those as opposites. For Kim Ji-won, I keep coming back to Fight for My Way because it shows Kim Ji-won where talent and opportunity lined up for Kim Ji-won in 2017. I think Fight for My Way is underrated in Kim Ji-won’s career, because the 2017 Fight for My Way project did the quiet work behind Kim Ji-won’s louder successes. I find Fight for My Way more interesting than Lovestruck in the City because the 2017 Fight for My Way work shows Kim Ji-won learning, while Lovestruck in the City shows Kim Ji-won knowing. Set against Lovestruck in the City, Fight for My Way shows a different side of Kim Ji-won, and for Kim Ji-won the contrast is the point: Kim Ji-won brings two kinds of courage to Fight for My Way and Lovestruck in the City.

Descendants of the Sun made her famous in a supporting role, which is harder than leading a drama. In Arthdal Chronicles, Kim Ji-won plays against expectations, and the 2019 Arthdal Chronicles gamble is what makes Arthdal Chronicles worth discussing today. In South Korea, Arthdal Chronicles is remembered fondly, but Arthdal Chronicles deserves more than fondness: the 2019 Arthdal Chronicles work changed what Kim Ji-won could attempt. Listening to Arthdal Chronicles now, I hear why Arthdal Chronicles proves it for Kim Ji-won. I think the Arthdal Chronicles chapter is undervalued for Kim Ji-won: people remember the headlines and forget Arthdal Chronicles. In Arthdal Chronicles, Kim Ji-won shows a willingness to be unlikable, and Arthdal Chronicles proves the 2019 performance feels true for Kim Ji-won. What I admire about Kim Ji-won in Arthdal Chronicles is the patience: the 2019 Arthdal Chronicles project never hurries, and Kim Ji-won trusts the audience. What Kim Ji-won does in Arthdal Chronicles that My Liberation Notes does not is step back, and Arthdal Chronicles shows the confidence that takes for Kim Ji-won. For Kim Ji-won, there is a discipline in Arthdal Chronicles that explains the whole career: Kim Ji-won does the preparation and lets the 2019 Arthdal Chronicles result speak. What I notice in Arthdal Chronicles is how Kim Ji-won listens, and listening separates Kim Ji-won from performers in Arthdal Chronicles who only wait to speak. Set against My Liberation Notes, Arthdal Chronicles shows a different side of Kim Ji-won, and for Kim Ji-won the contrast is the point: Kim Ji-won brings two kinds of courage to Arthdal Chronicles and My Liberation Notes.

Arthdal Chronicles asked her to play a priestess in a made-up ancient world, and she made the invented language sound natural. The Lovestruck in the City performance is the clearest window into Kim Ji-won’s method, because the 2020 Lovestruck in the City role leaves nowhere to hide. Watching Lovestruck in the City today, I see why Lovestruck in the City proves it for Kim Ji-won. The Lovestruck in the City work is a good test for Kim Ji-won: 2020 gave Kim Ji-won Lovestruck in the City, and Lovestruck in the City still moves new fans. The 2020 Lovestruck in the City performance works because Kim Ji-won lets silence talk in the scenes where Lovestruck in the City could overplay. Lovestruck in the City still earns its place for Kim Ji-won. The Lovestruck in the City performance from 2020 reminds me that Kim Ji-won is at best when Lovestruck in the City is difficult and the audience is unsure. The 2020 Lovestruck in the City work is why I take Kim Ji-won seriously, not because Lovestruck in the City is perfect but because Lovestruck in the City is honest for Kim Ji-won. I keep Lovestruck in the City on my list of essential Kim Ji-won works because the 2020 Lovestruck in the City project shows the range Kim Ji-won’s hits only hint at. Watching Lovestruck in the City again, I see why Lovestruck in the City still matters to Kim Ji-won. Set against Queen of Tears, Lovestruck in the City shows a different side of Kim Ji-won, and for Kim Ji-won the contrast is the point: Kim Ji-won brings two kinds of courage to Lovestruck in the City and Queen of Tears.

Her advertising career kept her visible during the years between big dramas. Compared with Romance Town, My Liberation Notes still stands out, and Kim Ji-won still stands by My Liberation Notes. In My Liberation Notes, Kim Ji-won proves it for Kim Ji-won: Kim Ji-won can be both popular and serious, and My Liberation Notes never treats those as opposites. For Kim Ji-won, I keep coming back to My Liberation Notes because it shows Kim Ji-won where talent and opportunity lined up for Kim Ji-won in 2022. I think My Liberation Notes is underrated in Kim Ji-won’s career, because the 2022 My Liberation Notes project did the quiet work behind Kim Ji-won’s louder successes. I find My Liberation Notes more interesting than Romance Town because the 2022 My Liberation Notes work shows Kim Ji-won learning, while Romance Town shows Kim Ji-won knowing. In My Liberation Notes, Kim Ji-won plays against expectations, and the 2022 My Liberation Notes gamble is what makes My Liberation Notes worth discussing today. In South Korea, My Liberation Notes is remembered fondly, but My Liberation Notes deserves more than fondness: the 2022 My Liberation Notes work changed what Kim Ji-won could attempt. Listening to My Liberation Notes now, I hear why My Liberation Notes proves it for Kim Ji-won. I think the My Liberation Notes chapter is undervalued for Kim Ji-won: people remember the headlines and forget My Liberation Notes. Set against Romance Town, My Liberation Notes shows a different side of Kim Ji-won, and for Kim Ji-won the contrast is the point: Kim Ji-won brings two kinds of courage to My Liberation Notes and Romance Town.

Lovestruck in the City showed a lighter Kim Ji-won, talking straight to the camera about dating in Seoul. In Queen of Tears, Kim Ji-won shows a willingness to be unlikable, and Queen of Tears proves the 2024 performance feels true for Kim Ji-won. What I admire about Kim Ji-won in Queen of Tears is the patience: the 2024 Queen of Tears project never hurries, and Kim Ji-won trusts the audience. What Kim Ji-won does in Queen of Tears that The Heirs does not is step back, and Queen of Tears shows the confidence that takes for Kim Ji-won. For Kim Ji-won, there is a discipline in Queen of Tears that explains the whole career: Kim Ji-won does the preparation and lets the 2024 Queen of Tears result speak. What I notice in Queen of Tears is how Kim Ji-won listens, and listening separates Kim Ji-won from performers in Queen of Tears who only wait to speak. The Queen of Tears performance is the clearest window into Kim Ji-won’s method, because the 2024 Queen of Tears role leaves nowhere to hide. Watching Queen of Tears today, I see why Queen of Tears proves it for Kim Ji-won. The Queen of Tears work is a good test for Kim Ji-won: 2024 gave Kim Ji-won Queen of Tears, and Queen of Tears still moves new fans. The 2024 Queen of Tears performance works because Kim Ji-won lets silence talk in the scenes where Queen of Tears could overplay. Set against The Heirs, Queen of Tears shows a different side of Kim Ji-won, and for Kim Ji-won the contrast is the point: Kim Ji-won brings two kinds of courage to Queen of Tears and The Heirs.

The lasting case for Kim Ji-won rests on Queen of Tears and on the Kim Ji-won work that followed Queen of Tears in South Korea. I think Queen of Tears is underrated in Kim Ji-won’s career, because the 2024 Queen of Tears project did the quiet work behind Kim Ji-won’s louder successes. I find Queen of Tears more interesting than Romance Town because the 2024 Queen of Tears work shows Kim Ji-won learning, while Romance Town shows Kim Ji-won knowing. In Queen of Tears, Kim Ji-won plays against expectations, and the 2024 Queen of Tears gamble is what makes Queen of Tears worth discussing today. In South Korea, Queen of Tears is remembered fondly, but Queen of Tears deserves more than fondness: the 2024 Queen of Tears work changed what Kim Ji-won could attempt. Listening to Queen of Tears now, I hear why Queen of Tears proves it for Kim Ji-won. I think the Queen of Tears chapter is undervalued for Kim Ji-won: people remember the headlines and forget Queen of Tears.

For anyone coming to Kim Ji-won for the first time, Queen of Tears is a good place to end and Queen of Tears is the place to begin. In Queen of Tears, Kim Ji-won shows a willingness to be unlikable, and Queen of Tears proves the 2024 performance feels true for Kim Ji-won. What I admire about Kim Ji-won in Queen of Tears is the patience: the 2024 Queen of Tears project never hurries, and Kim Ji-won trusts the audience. What Kim Ji-won does in Queen of Tears that Romance Town does not is step back, and Queen of Tears shows the confidence that takes for Kim Ji-won. For Kim Ji-won, there is a discipline in Queen of Tears that explains the whole career: Kim Ji-won does the preparation and lets the 2024 Queen of Tears result speak. What I notice in Queen of Tears is how Kim Ji-won listens, and listening separates Kim Ji-won from performers in Queen of Tears who only wait to speak. The Queen of Tears performance is the clearest window into Kim Ji-won’s method, because the 2024 Queen of Tears role leaves nowhere to hide. Watching Queen of Tears today, I see why Queen of Tears proves it for Kim Ji-won.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is Kim Ji-won best known for?

Kim Ji-won is best known for Queen of Tears, from 2024. That project reached audiences far beyond South Korea and is still the work most people name first when they talk about Kim Ji-won.

Where is Kim Ji-won from?

Kim Ji-won comes from Seoul in South Korea. The Seoul beginning is a large part of the story, because the career that followed carried that place with it to stages and screens around the world.

What was Kim Ji-won’s breakthrough?

The breakthrough was Queen of Tears in 2024, the record-breaking tvN drama where she played Hong Hae-in. After that project, Kim Ji-won could choose bigger work in South Korea and abroad, and the career changed scale.

Has Kim Ji-won won any major awards?

Yes. Among the honours are best actress nominations at the baeksang arts awards for my liberation notes, and top excellence recognition at korean drama nights for fight for my way and queen of tears. The awards track a career that has lasted for years in South Korea.

What is Kim Ji-won’s most recent work?

One of the latest entries is Queen of Tears from 2024, the record-breaking tvN drama where she played Hong Hae-in. It shows Kim Ji-won still working and still choosing new kinds of projects late in the career.

Where should a new fan start with Kim Ji-won?

Start with Queen of Tears and then try Romance Town. The two together show the range of Kim Ji-won better than any single hit, and they explain why the career has lasted.