Introduction
Kim Ji-won (Hangul: 김지원; Hanja: 金智媛; born October 19, 1992) is a South Korean actress. She gained attention through her roles in television series The Heirs (2013) and Descendants of the Sun (2016).
Career
2008-2011: Beginnings
Kim first entered the entertainment industry in 2008 by appearing in commercials. She made her acting debut in the drama Mrs. Saigon.
Kim gained attention after starring in the 2011 sitcom High Kick: Revenge of the Short Legged. She then played her first major television role in the musical drama What's Up. The same year, she made her film debut in the omnibus film Romantic Heaven.
2012-2015: Rising popularity
In 2012, she starred in the high school drama To the Beautiful You and headlined the horror film Horror Stories. In 2013, Kim featured in The Heirs, wherein she played a chic and haughty heiress. The drama's popularity raised Kim's profile and won her the "New Star Award" at the SBS Drama Awards.
In 2014, she starred in the crime thriller Gap-dong. In December 2014, Kim signed an exclusive contract with King Kong Entertainment. She also starred alongside So Ji-sub in the web drama One Sunny Day.
2016-present: Breakthrough
In 2016, Kim starred in KBS2's pan-Asia hit drama Descendants of the Sun, playing an army surgeon. The drama's success brought Kim further recognition outside Korea.
Filmography
Television series
| Year | Title | Role | Notes | Network | Ref |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2008 | Mrs. Saigon | Hye-ryeon | KNN | ||
| 2011 | High Kick: Revenge of the Short Legged | Kim Ji-won | MBC | ||
| What's Up | Park Tae-yi | MBN | |||
| 2012 | To the Beautiful You | Seol Han-na | SBS | ||
| 2013 | The Heirs | Rachel Yoo | |||
| Waiting for Love | Choi Sae-rom | KBS2 | |||
| 2014 | Drama Special: The Reason I'm Getting Married | Kim Ji-young | Cameo | ||
| Gap-dong | Ma Ji-wool | tvN | |||
| 2015 | Hidden Identity | Min Tae-hee | Cameo | ||
| The Time We Were Not in Love | Kim Ji-won | Ep.2 photograph on phone | SBS | ||
| 2016 | Descendants of the Sun | Yoon Myung-ju | KBS2 |
Film
| Year | Title | Role |
|---|---|---|
| 2011 | Romantic Heaven | Choi Mimi |
| 2012 | Horror Stories | Kim Ji-won |
| 2013 | Horror Stories 2 | Sa Tan-hee |
Web series
| Year | Title | Role | Network | Ref |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2014 | One Sunny Day | The Girl | Line TV | |
| 2016 | Romance Island | Yuna | Sohu TV |
Hosting
| Year | Title | Network | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2016 | 30th KBS Drama Awards | KBS2 | With Jun Hyun-moo, Park Bo-gum |
Variety show
| Year | Title | Network | Notes | Ref |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2011 | Night After Night | SBS | Guest, Ep. 19 & 20 with Director Jang Jin | |
| Come to Play | MBC | Guest, Ep. 354 with High Kick: Revenge of the Short Legged cast | ||
| 2012 | Korea's Got Talent Season 2 | tvN | Guest, Final Episode | |
| Strong Heart | SBS | Guest, Ep. 142 & 143 with To the Beautiful You cast | ||
| 2016 | Running Man | SBS | Guest, Ep. 297 with Jin Goo, David Lee McInnis and Eunseo (WJSN) |
Music video
| Year | Song Title | Artist | Ref |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2008 | "Gossip Boy" | Younha | |
| 2012 | "Until the Sun Rises" | Baek Seung-heon |
Discography
| Year | Song Title | Album | Notes | Ref |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2010 | "Pick A Star From The Sky" | OranC Commercial | ||
| 2011 | "Over The Rainbow" | High Kick: Revenge of the Short Legged OST | ||
| 2012 | "Might Gonna" | What's Up OST (Japan Edition) | with Jo Jung-suk & Yang Jiwon |
Awards and nominations
| Year | Award | Category | Nominated work | Result |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2013 | | New Star Award | The Heirs | Won |
| 2014 | | Best Supporting Actress | Nominated | |
| 2016 | | Most Popular Actress (TV) | Descendants of the Sun | Nominated |
| iQiyi Global Star Award | Nominated | |||
| | Best Couple Award (with Jin Goo) | Nominated | ||
| Best Supporting Actress | Won | |||
| | Best Celebrity Award, Actress | Won | ||
| Popularity Award, Actress | Nominated | |||
| | Asia Popular Artist Award | N/A | Nominated | |
| | Excellence Award, Actress in a Miniseries | Descendants of the Sun | Won | |
| Best New Actress | Won | |||
| Best Couple (with Jin Goo) | Won |