Kim Ji-won

Kim Ji-won is a South Korean actress born on October 19, 1992. Recognized as a prominent figure in the Korean Wave, she gained wide acclaim for her performances across television and film. She is best known for her television roles in major productions such as The Heirs, Descendants of the Sun, Fight for My Way, My Liberation Notes, and Queen of Tears.

Born as the younger of two daughters in Geumcheon District, Seoul, Kim developed an interest in acting during elementary school and participated in church music performances during middle school. After living briefly in Chicago with relatives, she returned to South Korea, passed the GED examination, and was scouted in 2007 by Lion Media. She trained in singing, dancing, and acting for three years, during which she worked as a backing vocalist and keyboardist for Younha. Although initially planned to debut as a singer, she chose acting and subsequently enrolled in the Department of Theatre at Dongguk University in 2011.

Kim made her acting debut in the 2011 film Romantic Heaven, followed by roles in the sitcom High Kick: Revenge of the Short Legged and the horror film Horror Stories. She achieved widespread recognition in 2013 playing an heiress in the teen series The Heirs, winning a New Star Award at the SBS Drama Awards. After projects such as the crime thriller Gap-dong and the web romance One Sunny Day, Kim attained major international visibility in 2016 as an army surgeon in Descendants of the Sun. Her role earned her the Best Supporting Actress award at the APAN Star Awards and an Excellence Award at the KBS Drama Awards.

In 2017, Kim took on her first lead role in the romantic comedy Fight for My Way, winning another KBS Excellence Award for her performance. She followed this with appearances in the film Detective K: Secret of the Living Dead and the historical fantasy series Arthdal Chronicles in 2019. She continued playing leading roles in the 2020 urban romance Lovestruck in the City and the 2022 slice-of-life drama My Liberation Notes, receiving a nomination for Best Actress – Television at the 59th Baeksang Arts Awards for the latter.

Kim achieved further commercial success in 2024 starring as a chaebol heiress in Queen of Tears, which became tvN's highest-rated series. Dubbed by media as the Diction Fairy and Queen of Romantic Comedy, she has represented high-profile brands including Bulgari, The Whoo, Mediheal, and Dr.G. Alongside her career, Kim actively engages in philanthropy, contributing to disaster relief, pandemic support, and pediatric medical care, including a significant donation to Seoul National University Children's Hospital in 2026.