The latest hit in the world of K-drama was tvN’s record-breaking success, Queen of Tears, which followed a chaebol’s emotional and introspective journey of love, betrayal and redemption. Amid the fanfare, Kim Ji-won emerged as the breakthrough star of the series with her role as its main character, Hong Hae-in – a strong-willed woman who defies familial and societal expectations in order to stay true to herself.
The actress’ acclaimed performance has only left us yearning for more of her innate ability to spark chemistry with her co-stars. Even before her star-making turn on Queen of Tears, Kim Ji-won’s has shown she’s a star on the rise with her past work, which range form underrated gems to classic K-dramas. NME has got you covered with five most essential K-drama appearances to add to your watch list – read on for all you need to know.
My Liberation Notes (2022)
Starting with her most recent: Kim Ji-won scored a lead role on JTBC’s hit series My Liberation Notes two years ago as Yeom Mi-jeong, the youngest of three siblings who make a gruelling commute to Seoul in a bid to break free from the banality and constraints of her old life back home.
Introverted, timid and quiet, Mi-jeong takes on a job at a credit card company in order to do so, but is not exempt from cunning office politics and the learning curve of living in a metropolitan city. Kim Ji-won brought depth to Mi-jeong’s internal struggle with loneliness, ennui and what seemed to be a fruitless search for meaning.
Episodes: 16
How to watch: Netflix
Descendants of the Sun (2016)
This hit action-romance drama, headlined by big names like Song Joong-ki and Song Hye-kyo, was an instant hit in South Korea and among K-drama lovers across the world. This moving series depicts a gripping romance between a soldier and a doctor against the harsh backdrop of military life.
The series also featured a quiet, burgeoning star in Kim Ji-won, who shined in her role as Yoon Myung-joo, an army doctor serving alongside the Special Forces unit who eventually gets entangled in the drama’s secondary romance. The authenticity, tenacity and nuance Kim poured into her character brought her mass acclaim, and her presence and portrayal as Myung-joo helped lay the foundation for Descendants of the Sun’s timeless success.
Episodes: 16, plus three specials
Where to watch: Netflix
Gap-dong (2014)
Based on the real-life Hwaseong serial murders which occurred in South Korea, crime thriller Gap-dong focused on a detective’s 12-year-long pursuit of a intelligent but deranged serial killer. Kim Ji-won starred as Ma Ji-wool, a 17-year-old high school student and webcomic artist who publishes work under the pen name Matilda.
Ji-wool would become incredibly pivotal to the case when her comic, The Beast’s Path, ends up unintentionally foretelling the crimes committed by the killer. Here, she portrays a naive girl who sees the good in everyone, even when it becomes a key player to her own detriment.
Episodes: 20
Where to watch: Apple TV, Prime Video
Fight For My Way (2017)
In Fight For My Way, Kim Ji-won starred as one of four underdogs with massive dreams, for which they are willing to struggle against all odds to succeed. They call themselves the Crazy Fantastic Four, all going down different professional paths but growing together.
As Choi Ae-ra, Kim steps into the shoes of a strong-willed young woman working at the information desk of a department store, with the end goal of becoming a news anchor. It’s easy to cross the line into melodrama when portraying a character described as “the feisty one”, but Kim brings Ae-ra down to earth and makes her feels real. She is fun, charismatic and endearing – do you really need any more reason to watch her here?
Episodes: 16
Where to watch: Netflix
The Heirs (2013)
The Heirs is been widely considered as a pivotal classic in the world of romance K-dramas, but many seem to have forgotten about Kim Ji-won’s role in the series – although no one’s to blame, especially going up against the immense star power of leads Lee Min-ho and Park Shin-hye.
An affecting coming-of-age story, The Heirs follows a group of wealthy high school students who are heirs to various business empires.. Kim plays the antagonistic but misunderstood Rachel Yoo, whose personality and characterisation brings to mind Gossip Girl’s enigmatic Blair Waldorf.
Among a cast full of strong personalities, Kim brought her A-game as a teenage girl whose petulance is coated with a thin layer of fragility. Although the screenwriters never intended for Rachel Yoo to come across as a character worth sympathy, Kim’s portrayal made the character a fully realised person with her own struggles despite her questionable ways of coping with them.
Episodes: 20
Where to watch: Netflix