Kim So-yeon
Kim So-yeon | |
|---|---|
 Kim So-yeon at the press conference for Prosecutor Princess in 2010. | |
| Born | November 2, 1980 |
| Education | Dongguk University - Theater and Film |
| Occupation | Actress |
| Years active | 1994–present |
| Agent | Namoo Actors[1] |
| Korean name | |
| Hangul | 김소연 |
| Hanja | 金素妍 |
| Revised Romanization | Gim So-yeon |
| McCune–Reischauer | Kim So-yŏn |
Kim So-yeon (born November 2, 1980) is a South Korean actress. She is best known for starring in the television dramas All About Eve (2000), Iris (2009) and Prosecutor Princess (2010).
Career
Kim So-yeon broke into the entertainment industry in 1994 at the age of 14 by entering the Miss Binggrae beauty pageant without her parents' approval. Then in her second year of middle school, she used a marker pen as her eyeliner and ended up winning the top prize.[2] Not long after her acting debut in Dinosaur Teacher, the teen actress starred in popular TV shows such as Reporting for Duty (1996) and Soonpoong Clinic (1998), while hosting the music program Inkigayo and appearing in numerous commercials (Kim was the first Korean teen star to earn more than ₩100 million from commercial modeling).[2] Because of her preternaturally mature looks and poise, she was often cast in older roles, notably as a manipulative, villainous anchorwoman in All About Eve, which drew a peak viewership rating of 45.2% when it aired in 2000.[3]
But being typecast as prim, cold-hearted characters had a negative effect on Kim's career, and her fame went downhill in the mid-2000s. Her attempt to crossover to China via Hong Kong director Tsui Hark's wuxia film Seven Swords (in which she played a Joseon noblewoman-turned-slave) and the Chinese dramas Just Like a Beautiful Flying Butterfly[4] and Anhui Merchants[5] also proved unsuccessful.[6][7] So Kim took a break for three years to ponder whether she wanted to continue being an actress.[8] She returned to television in 2008 with Gourmet (adapted from Huh Young-man's titular manhwa) and found acting fun for the first time.[9]
A year later, Kim's career resurgence began with the 2009 big-budget series Iris.[10][9] She cut short her trademark long hair and worked hard on her action scenes to look convincing in her role as a North Korean spy, and she drew praise for her portrayal of a tough woman conflicted about her loyalty to her country and her love for a South Korean agent.[11][12] Kim later reprised the role in the re-edited cut Iris the Movie, the series' spin-off Athena: Goddess of War (2010) and sequel Iris II (2013).[13]
Kim was cast in the leading role in romantic comedy Prosecutor Princess in 2010, and showcased her versatility by playing a Legally Blonde-inspired newbie district attorney who's initially more interested in shopping and dating, yet surprises her colleagues with her intelligence and learns to strive for justice.[14][15][16] Kim said that the cheerful, unpredictable character was similar to her own real-life personality.[17][18][19] Later in the year, she played a rigid doctor in sports drama Dr. Champ.[20]
In 2012, Kim appeared on the big screen as a royal barista embroiled in a plot to assassinate Emperor Gojong in Gabi, adapted from the historical fiction novel by Kim Takhwan.[21][22] She spent months studying the Russian language and coffee brewing even before shooting began.[23] Gabi was Kim's first Korean feature film in 15 years, since Change in 1997.[2][24][25] This was followed by another period drama The Great Seer, where she played a healer in Goryeo.[26]
Kim reunited with Prosecutor Princess screenwriter So Hyun-kyung in Two Weeks (2013), in the role of a prosecutor who teams up with a fugitive to bring down a corrupt politician and her gangster henchman.[8][27] In 2014, she played a fashion merchandiser who falls for her much younger childhood friend in I Need Romance 3.[28][29][30] Kim then appeared in the "Female Soldier Special" of military boot camp reality show Real Men.[31]
In 2015, she starred in her second cable series Falling for Innocence, about a businessman who falls for his secretary after he gets a heart transplant.[32]
Filmography
Television series
| Year | Title | Role | Network |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1994 | Dinosaur Teacher | SBS | |
| Daughters of a Rich Family | Hye-ri, Kwon Il-ryung's daughter |
KBS2 | |
| 1995 | Drama Game "Min-woo vs. Min-woo" | KBS2 | |
| Drama Game "Their Summer" | KBS2 | ||
| 1996 | You Can't Stop Mom | Eldest daughter | SBS |
| Drama Game "Come Back Home" | Park Mi-kyung | KBS2 | |
| City Men and Women | Yoo Won-hee | SBS | |
| 1.5 | MBC | ||
| Reporting for Duty | Woo Ji-soo | KBS2 | |
| Open Your Heart | Jung Yoo-kyung | MBC | |
| Seven Spoons | Hye-joo | MBC | |
| 1997 | Because of Love | KBS2 | |
| Drama Special "Christmas in May" | KBS2 | ||
| Yesterday | Lee Seung-hye | MBC | |
| Friday Night Theater "On Her First Night" | KBS2 | ||
| 1998 | Soonpoong Clinic | Oh So-yeon | SBS |
| I Love You, I Love You | Lee Soon-young | SBS | |
| Winners | Kim Seo-joo | SBS | |
| 1999 | Sunday Best "Pickpocket by Name" | Kim Ji-hyun | KBS2 |
| We Saw a Little Lost Bird | Seo Ga-hee | KBS2 | |
| Ad Madness | Lee Ye-rin | KBS2 | |
| 2000 | All About Eve | Heo Young-mi | MBC |
| Mom and Sister | Noh Seung-ri/Jang Yoo-kyung | MBC | |
| 2002 | Sunlight Upon Me | Kim Yeon-woo | MBC |
| Trio | Choi Seo-young | MBC | |
| 2004 | 2004 Human Market | Hong Si-yeon | SBS |
| Just Like a Beautiful Flying Butterfly | Jin Zhi Xiu | CCTV | |
| 2005 | Autumn Shower | Lee Kyu-eun | MBC |
| 2007 | Anhui Merchants | Hu Yu Ling | DTV |
| 2008 | Gourmet | Yoon Joo-hee | SBS |
| 2009 | Iris | Kim Seon-hwa | KBS2 |
| 2010 | Prosecutor Princess | Ma Hye-ri | SBS |
| Dr. Champ | Kim Yeon-woo | SBS | |
| Athena: Goddess of War | Kim Seon-hwa | SBS | |
| 2012 | The Great Seer | Hae-in | SBS |
| 2013 | Iris II | Kim Seon-hwa (cameo, episode 20) |
KBS2 |
| Two Weeks | Park Jae-kyung | MBC | |
| 2014 | I Need Romance 3 | Shin Joo-yeon | tvN |
| 2015 | Falling for Innocence | Kim Soon-jung | jTBC |
Film
| Year | Title | Role |
|---|---|---|
| 1997 | Change | Ko Eun-bi |
| 2005 | Seven Swords | Luzhu/Green Pearl |
| 2007 | The Pictures (short film) | Photographer |
| 2010 | Iris the Movie | Kim Seon-hwa |
| 2012 | Gabi | Tanya |
| 2015 | Love Forecast | Kang Joon-soo's ex-girlfriend 1 (cameo) |
Variety show
| Year | Title | Network | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1997 | Inkigayo (Popular Music) Best 50 | MBC | MC |
| 1998-2000 | Inkigayo (Popular Music) | SBS | MC |
| 2009 | KBS Drama Awards | KBS2 | MC |
| 2014 | Real Men | MBC | Cast member |
Music video
| Year | Song Title | Artist |
|---|---|---|
| 1996 | "Why Is the Sky" | Lee Ji-hoon |
| "Beautiful Goodbye" | Jung Jae-wook | |
| 1998 | "Endless Sorrow" | Sa Joon |
| 2008 | "Classic" | KCM |
| "Diary of a Day" | ||
| "Fluttering" |
Theater
| Year | Title | Role |
|---|---|---|
| 2009 | Hamlet | Ophelia |
Awards and nominations
| Year | Award | Category | Nominated work | Result |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1994 | Miss Binggrae Pageant | Miss Binggrae June | — | Won |
| SBS Drama Awards | Best Young Actress | Dinosaur Teacher | Won | |
| 1998 | SBS Drama Awards | Popularity Award | Soonpoong Clinic, Winners, I Love You, I Love You |
Won |
| 2000 | MBC Drama Awards | Viewer's Favorite Character Actress | All About Eve | Won |
| 2008 | SBS Drama Awards | Best Supporting Actress in a Special Planning Drama | Gourmet | Won |
| 2009 | KBS Drama Awards[33] | Excellence Award, Actress in a Mid-length Drama | Iris | Nominated |
| Popularity Award | Won | |||
| 2010 | 46th Baeksang Arts Awards | Best Actress (TV) | Nominated | |
| SBS Drama Awards | Top Excellence Award, Actress in a Special Planning Drama | Dr. Champ | Nominated | |
| Excellence Award, Actress in a Drama Special | Prosecutor Princess | Nominated | ||
| Top 10 Stars | Prosecutor Princess, Dr. Champ | Won | ||
| 2011 | 6th Asia Model Festival Awards | Asia Special Award | — | Won |
| 9th Korea Jewelry Fair | Best Jewelry Lady | — | Won | |
| 2012 | 20th Korean Culture and Entertainment Awards | Excellence Award, Actress in a Film | Gabi | Won |
| SBS Drama Awards | Top Excellence Award, Actress in a Drama Special | The Great Seer | Nominated | |
| 2013 | 18th Busan International Film Festival APAN Star Road | Female Fashionista Award | — | Won |
| 2nd APAN Star Awards | Excellence Award, Actress | Two Weeks | Won | |
| 6th Herald-Donga TV Lifestyle Awards | Best Style Award | — | Won | |
| MBC Drama Awards | Excellence Award, Actress in a Miniseries | Two Weeks | Nominated |
References
- ^ "Kim So-yeon renews contract with Namoo Actors". 10Asia. 3 April 2012. Retrieved 2015-03-31.
- ^ a b c Lee, Claire (7 March 2012). "Former teen star returns to big screen". The Korea Herald. Retrieved 2015-03-31.
- ^ Lee, Young-ee (18 August 2002). "Korean TV Series to Be Aired First Time in Japan". The Dong-a Ilbo. Retrieved 2015-03-31.
- ^ Transliterated as Jiu Xiang Mei Li Hu Die Fei.
- ^ Transliterated as Da Qing Hui Shang.
- ^ Park, Jeong-ho. "Korean producer hopes for hit film". Korea JoongAng Daily. Retrieved 24 June 2005.
- ^ Elley, Derek (31 August 2005). "Review: Seven Swords". Variety. Retrieved 2014-11-07.
- ^ a b Cho, Suyoun (23 July 2013). "From being a teen star to real actress, Kim So yeon talks about her passion". BNTNews. Retrieved 2014-11-07.
- ^ a b "Kim So-yeon Spreads Her Acting Wings in TV Drama Iris". The Chosun Ilbo. 28 November 2009. Retrieved 2014-11-07.
- ^ Han, Sang-hee (24 May 2009). "Iris to Bring Spy Story to Small Screen". The Korea Times. Retrieved 2015-03-31.
- ^ "Interview: Kim So-yeon, The female warrior Sun-wha from KBS drama Iris - Part 1". 10Asia. 3 November 2009. Retrieved 2015-03-31.
- ^ "Interview: Kim So-yeon in Iris - Part 2". 10Asia. 3 November 2009. Retrieved 2015-03-31.
- ^ Hong, Lucia (19 November 2010). "Movie version of TV series IRIS to be released next week". 10Asia. Retrieved 2015-03-31.
- ^ Han, Sang-hee (30 March 2010). "Younger Men, Power, Money Fill Dramas". The Korea Times. Retrieved 2015-03-31.
- ^ "Press conference for SBS TV series Princess Prosecutor: Kim So-yeon says "Ma Hye-ri and I are very similar" - Part 1". 10Asia. 8 April 2010. Retrieved 2015-03-31.
- ^ "Press conference for SBS TV series Princess Prosecutor: Kim So-yeon says "Ma Hye-ri and I are very similar" - Part 2". 10Asia. 8 April 2010. Retrieved 2015-03-31.
- ^ "Interview: Actress Kim So-yeon says "feels like I am back at the starting line" - Part 1". 10Asia. 9 June 2010. Retrieved 2015-03-31.
- ^ "Interview: Actress Kim So-yeon - Part 2". 10Asia. 9 June 2010. Retrieved 2015-03-31.
- ^ "Interview: Actress Kim So-yeon - Part 3". 10Asia. 9 June 2010. Retrieved 2015-03-31.
- ^ Kim, Sun-young (28 September 2010). "Review: SBS TV series Doctor Champ - 1st Episode". 10Asia. Retrieved 2015-03-31.
- ^ Lee, Jin-ho (15 February 2012). "Kim So Yeon of Gabi Wants to be Jang Hee Bin". enewsWorld. Retrieved 2015-03-31.
- ^ Kwaak, Je-yup (21 February 2012). "Gabi: East-meets-West thriller on Joseon Kingdom's first coffee". The Korea Times. Retrieved 2015-03-31.
- ^ Oh, Mi-jung (7 March 2012). "Kim So Yeon Speaks Russian and Japanese for Gabi". enewsWorld. Retrieved 2015-03-31.
- ^ Sunwoo, Carla (8 March 2012). "Kim So-yeon returns to the big screen after 15 years". Korea JoongAng Daily. Retrieved 2015-03-31.
- ^ "Kim So Yeon: 'I Seem to have Begun Acting 18 Years Since Debut'". KBS Global. 9 March 2012. Retrieved 2014-11-10.
- ^ "Kim So-yeon cast as female lead in Ji Jin-hee's TV series". 10Asia. 22 June 2012. Retrieved 2015-03-31.
- ^ Ko, Hong-ju (3 August 2013). "Lee Joon Gi, Cho Min Ki and Kim So Yeon of Two Weeks Point Out the Problems of the Korean Wave". enewsWorld. Retrieved 2015-03-31.
- ^ Lee, Sun-min (19 November 2013). "Kim So-yeon joins I Need Romance". Korea JoongAng Daily. Retrieved 2014-11-10.
- ^ Hong, Grace Danbi (8 January 2014). "Kim So Yeon Plans on Being Bold If a Bed Scene Comes Up in I Need a Romance 3". enewsWorld. Retrieved 2015-03-31.
- ^ Park, Jin-hai (9 January 2014). "Cable dramas having heyday". The Korea Times. Retrieved 2015-03-31.
- ^ Ko, Hong-ju (4 August 2014). "Kim So Yeon, Girl's Day's Hyeri, G.Na and More Join Real Man Female Soldier Special". enewsWorld. Retrieved 2015-03-31.
- ^ Park, Ah-reum (11 December 2014). "Jung Kyung Ho and Kim So Yeon Confirmed as Leads of New JTBC Drama". enewsWorld. Retrieved 2015-03-31.
- ^ Han, Sang-hee (3 January 2010). "2009 Drama Awards Wrap Up With No Surprises". The Korea Times. Retrieved 2015-03-31.
External links
- Kim So-yeon on Cyworld (in Korean)
- Kim So-yeon on Instagram
- Kim So-yeon at Namoo Actors
- Kim So-yeon at HanCinema
- Kim So-yeon at the Korean Movie Database
- Kim So-yeon at IMDb