Actor You Need to Know: Kim Yoo-jung

The action-adventure series Iljimae and the period drama Painter of the Wind included her breakout roles in Korean entertainment, winning Kim Yoo-jung the title of “Best Child Actress” in 2008. Building up her oeuvre in a selection of series on television thereafter, she starred in 2010 in Dong Yi, Flames of Desire, and Grudge: The Revolt of Gumiho, nailing her portrayals. It was intelligible—Kim Yoo-jung had what it takes to be an actor of distinction, adept at evoking emotions with consummate realism while seamlessly switching between characters.

Kim’s scoring accolades and attention were becoming a pattern. She was already cementing herself as a household name in Korean society when her run in the fantasy historical drama The Moon Embracing the Sun gave her “the” major break, costarring with Yeo Jin-goo, Kim Soo-hyun, and Han Ga-in. Its unprecedented success led to its ascension to “National Drama,” naming Kim the “Best Young Actress” in the inaugural K-drama Star Awards and the 2012 MBC Drama Awards.

Not to be outdone in performing, she was set to feature in the melodrama May Queen (2012), the action movie Commitment (2013), and the family drama Golden Rainbow (2013). Kim had the instinctive ability to dominate the screen, take command, and leave no room for anything less stunning to transpire while she was on it. Her characterization of a juvenile troublemaker in Thread of Lies picked up praise from critics the next year. The actress roped in more projects, especially the horror mystery Room 731 and the period drama Secret Door that same year.

Kim kept putting off achieving an explicit goal over time and remained on the hunt for new accomplishments that she could grow from. Angry Mom, Love Cells, and Circle of Atonement were three of her notable appearances in 2015. The historical drama Love in the Moonlight (2016), in which she starred as Hong Ra-on, a girl reared as a boy who grows into a eunuch of the Crown Prince of Joseon, drew glowing reviews, and became an overnight sensation, earning the nickname “Moonlight Syndrome”. Kim next worked with Cha Tae-hyun in the romantic comedy Because I Love You (2017) and took the lead in this romantic sitcom Clean with Passion for Now (2018).

Her later collaborations heralded a euphoric, rewarding experience. She shared screen time with Ji Chang-wook in 2020’s Backstreet Rookie, for which Kim was conferred with an Excellence Award for Actress in a Miniseries Fantasy/Romance Drama. In 2021, she paired with Ahn Hyo-seop in the epic fantasy drama Lovers of the Red Sky, had the enigmatic clairvoyant Ae Ran in the mystery thriller film The 8th Night, and made a cameo in the web series One Ordinary Day, starring Kim Soo-hyun and Cha Seung-won, centered on the British television series Criminal Justice.

Kim Yoo-jung works superbly with each character she plays, and she is unique per se. That serves her best by enhancing her overall impression and consolidating her attractiveness, as in 20th Century Girl (2022). As a stand-in for her best friend Yeon-du (Roh Yoon-Seo), who is in love with Baek Hyun-jin (Park Jung-woo), we meet high school student Na Bo-ra (Kim), who falls for Poong Woon-ho (Byeon Woo-seok), Hyun-jin’s best friend. In capturing the intricate details of the narrative, Kim proved befitting for Bo-ra, exuding inventiveness and brilliance, and her beseeching gaze was a surefire sign of Bo-ra’s brewing feelings.

The star’s upcoming fantasy romance drama, My Demon, with Song Kang, is eagerly awaited. In an account where their marriage appears predestined, the two, sharing center stage should be an amalgam of passion, chemistry, and aesthetic beauty. My Demon premieres on November 24.