Kim Yoo-jung

Kim You-jung is a South Korean screen performer who began her career in the entertainment industry as a child model for a confectionery brand at four years old. Following her initial acting debut in 2003, she rapidly established herself as one of the most requested youth performers in South Korea. Her early screen presence earned her wide national recognition and the popular media nickname "Nation's Little Sister."

Born on September 22, 1999, in the Seongdong District of Seoul, Kim is the youngest of three siblings, with her older sister also joining the acting profession in 2017. She completed her secondary education at Goyang High School of Arts in January 2018. Rather than taking the national college entrance examination in 2017, she chose to postpone higher education to dedicate her attention fully to her acting career.

Kim amassed dozens of television and film appearances during her primary school years. She received her first major recognition in 2008 by winning a child acting award for her roles in Iljimae and Painter of the Wind. Her prominence grew substantially in 2012 through the hit period series Moon Embracing the Sun, which yielded multiple award accolades. Over the following years, she expanded her repertoire with roles in projects such as Thread of Lies, Angry Mom, and the web series Love Cells, while also serving as a presenter for the music broadcast Inkigayo.

In 2016, Kim transitioned to adult leading roles with the youth historical romance Love in the Moonlight, portraying a cross-dressing character opposite Park Bo-gum. The series achieved high viewership ratings, securing her an Excellence Award at the KBS Drama Awards and a Baeksang Arts Award for popularity. Her frequent successful appearances in traditional period dramas led journalists to dub her the "Sageuk Fairy." In 2017, she became the youngest individual featured in the top ten of the Forbes Korea Power Celebrity list.

Kim continued to secure high-profile roles across multiple genres. Her subsequent television credits include the romantic comedies Backstreet Rookie and Clean with Passion for Now, the fantasy series Lovers of the Red Sky, and My Demon. She starred in the 2022 feature 20th Century Girl, gaining the moniker "Nation's First Love," and made her professional theatrical debut in 2023 in the stage adaptation Shakespeare in Love. In 2025, her performance in the thriller Dear X garnered critical praise and global viewership success.

Alongside her acting work, Kim has maintained numerous corporate endorsements for sportswear, beauty, financial, and luxury brands. She is also active in philanthropic efforts, frequently donating her time, voice, and financial resources to causes such as pediatric healthcare, child welfare organizations, and emergency relief funds, eventually becoming a recognized major donor for youth charities.