Kim So-hyun

Kim So-hyun

Kim in March 2024

Born June 4, 1999 (age 24)

Australia[1]

Citizenship South Korea

Education Hanyang University

 Actress
Occupations
 host

 model[2]

Years active 2006–present

Agent Ieum Hashtag

Korean name

Hangul 김소현
 Hanja 金所泫

Revised Romanization Gim So-hyeon

McCune–Reischauer Kim Sohyŏn

Website ientstory.com (archived)

Kim So-hyun (Korean: 김소현; born June 4, 1999) is an Australian-born South Korean
actress[1] who began her career as a child in 2006, initially gaining public attention for
playing pivotal roles in Moon Embracing the Sun (2012) and Missing You (2013).
She took on her first leading role in teen drama Ma Boy (2012) and since then has
starred in many TV series including high-school drama Who Are You: School
2015 (2015), horror comedy Hey Ghost, Let's Fight (2016), historical melodrama The
Emperor: Owner of the Mask (2017), romantic comedies Radio Romance (2018)
and The Tale of Nokdu (2019), teen suspense romance Love Alarm (2019–2021) and
Korean folklore River Where the Moon Rises as an assassin. Pure Love (2016) was her
first movie as a lead. She was the regular host of MBC's music program Music
Core and survival reality show Under Nineteen in 2019.
Kim has been nicknamed in variety by the Korean medias as the "Nation's Little Sister",
"Queen of Child Actresses", "Goddess of Historical Drama" and also the
"Sageuk Goddess", after starring and appearing in various acclaimed historical period
dramas throughout her career, and having gained experience working as an actress
from childhood to the present day.[3][4] Korean medias also recognised her as the next
generation of "Nation's First Love" from her performance in Pure Love (2016) movie.[5][6][7]
[8]
She has established herself as a top Hallyu star.[9][10] For her performance in River
Where the Moon Rises, she was nominated for Baeksang Arts Award for Best Actress –
Television, becoming one of the youngest nominees for the award.[11]
Kim consistently promotes her television work on Instagram.[12] She was awarded the
'2018 Most Grown Instagram Account' with 7.1 million followers.[12] At the age of 21, Kim
became the youngest South Korean actress to have more than 10 million followers on
social media, alongside actor Lee Min-ho.[13][unreliable source?]
Early life and education[edit]
Kim So-hyun was born on June 4, 1999, in Australia, and has a younger brother.[1] She
moved to South Korea in 2003, when she was four years old.[1] Her father died when she
was nine years old.
Kim transferred from Hoeryong Elementary School in Gyeonggi Province to Towol
Elementary School and graduated in February 2012.[14] She then graduated from Yongin
Munjung Middle School in 2015.[15][16] She was
subsequently homeschooled for secondary education,[17] and passed her high school
graduation exams by 2017.[18] The same year, she enrolled at Hanyang University's
Department of Theater, through rolling admission.[19] Kim attended the 79th entrance
ceremony held at Hanyang University in Seongdong District, Seoul on February 28,
2018.[20]
In 2016, according to Singapore's national newspaper The Straits Times, Kim revealed
in an email interview with the paper why she chose homeschooling instead of enrolling
in high school. She said that while managing her acting career, she barely had time to
study during her middle school days (which made her have to take her exams
unprepared) and missed out in activities with her classmates, and this similarly occurred
in her elementary school days. Kim chose homeschooling for her high school education
because she did not want to give up her education and career. With this decision, Kim
felt it would allow her to dedicate more time to both filming and studying.[21]
Career[edit]
2006–2011: Beginnings as a child actress[edit]
Kim debuted as a child actress in 2006, playing a supporting role in the Drama
City special "Ten Minute Minor". Then, she diligently increased her appearances from A
Happy Woman (2007), Que Sera Sera (2007), Hometown of Legends (2008), My Name
Is Pity (2008), Wife and Woman (2009) and Ja Myung Go (2009).[22]
She signed a management contract with SidusHQ in 2010.[23] That year, she would go on
to be cast in Becoming a Billionaire and King of Baking, Kim Takgu. Kim was confirmed
to make her big-screen debut in Man of Vendetta (2010) as Joo Hye-rin, a daughter of a
well-respected pastor who gets kidnapped. Kim was cast through a competition of
500:1.[24] She continued to portray the child counterparts of the female protagonists in
television series such as The Thorn Birds (2011), The Duo (2011) and Sin of a
Family (2011). She then starred in a family comedy film, Spy Papa, about parents and
children's relationship during inter-Korean relations in 1974.[25]
2012–2014: Rising popularity and teenage roles[edit]
In 2012, Kim appeared in six works in the first half of the year:
[26]
a romantic fantasy television series, Padam Padam; a historical comedy film, I Am
the King;[27] a fantasy-period drama Moon Embracing the Sun, in which she gained
recognition as the younger version of the second female lead,[28][29] Kim received
commend from the audience and the director of how well she portrayed the antagonist's
desire realistically[30][31] the drama came to rank number one in its time slot throughout its
run and achieved a peak recorded viewer rating of 42.2%, thereby earning the "national
drama" status[32][33][unreliable source?] Kim simultaneously became "Korea's little sister";[34] followed
by a fantasy-comedy Rooftop Prince in the role as an evil sister;[35][36] Love Again[37] and a
high school student whose roommate is a female idol star in Ma Boy.[38]
Kim reunited with co-stars from Rooftop Prince (Park Yoo-chun) and Moon Embracing
the Sun (Yeo Jin-goo) respectively, in a melodrama Missing You.[39][40] Being dubbed the
"Queen of Child Actors" (아역퀸) by the Korean press,[41] she was one of the most praised
child actors of her generation.[42][43] She played the role of Lee Soo-yeon, bullied by her
schoolmates and called "the daughter of the murderer", who gets kidnapped and
sexually assaulted while trying to save her friend.[44] Kim and Yeo shared the highest
one-minute viewer rating scene of 10.4% in the drama.[45] She received her first acting
award as "Best Child Actress" at the 1st K-Drama Star Awards for Ma Boy and Missing
You.[46]
 Kim in December 2013
In 2013, Kim made a surprise appearance on Iris II: New Generation as the childhood
counterpart of the female protagonist[47] and starred in The Secret of Birth as a girl with a
genius-level brain.[48][49] Then, she played the younger version of Lee Bo-young's
character in the popular Korean drama I Can Hear Your Voice.[50] On June 20, Kim co-
host MBC's music program Music Core along with Minho of SHINee and Noh Hong-
chul.[51] The three received much attention because of the combination of singers, actors,
and broadcasters even though they initially showed a bit of immature progress, but
amplified expectations of how they expressed their charms despite having different
careers.[52] She then was cast in The Suspicious Housekeeper, a Korean remake of the
Japanese drama, Kaseifu no Mita.[53] In the same year, Kim was reported along with Kim
Yoo-jung and Yeo Jin-goo as the top three child actors who earn above-average
salaries for child actors. It was reported that Kim received 4-6 million won per episode.[54]
[unreliable source?]

In 2014, Kim was cast as a child actor beside Oh Yeon-soo in the MBC drama, Triangle.
[55]
Kim challenged her first dual role and first genre through OCN's new drama Reset.
[56]
Later, she was cast in KBS2 special drama, We All Cry Differently, which won the
2013 KBS Screenplay Contest.[57][58]
2015–2016: Transition to lead roles and hosting[edit]

Kim in January 2015

In 2015, Kim made a special appearance as the sister of the male lead in A Girl Who
Sees Smells,[59] played by Park Yoo-chun, whom she reunited with for the third time
after Rooftop Prince and Missing You.[60] On April 18, Kim stepped down from her Music
Core MC posts after two years.[61] Kim starred in KBS's school series Who Are You:
School 2015, playing dual roles as twins Lee Eun-bi and Go Eun-byul.[62] She was
awarded "Star of the Year" at the eighth Korea Drama Awards for her performance.
[63]
On November 21, Kim held her first overseas promotion schedule at Sunshine
City, Hong Kong.[64] At the end of the year, Kim became the MC of the 2015 KBS Drama
Awards with Jun Hyun-moo and Park Bo-gum.[59]
In 2016, she returned to the big screen in a romance film Pure Love opposite Do Kyung-
soo, playing the heroine of the film who has a beautiful voice but suffers from a leg
injury.[65][66] Kim then starred in a mystery-school web drama Nightmare
Teacher alongside Lee Min-hyuk, playing a class president who discovers mysterious
secrets of the school.[67][68] The drama was filmed and featured nine students at Hosan
University.[69] The same year, Kim starred in Park Hye-ryun's three-episode drama
special Page Turner opposite actors Ji Soo and Shin Jae-ha.[70] She played the role of a
"piano genius" who lost her sight after an accident.[71] The number of video previews
released in the web and mobile achieved 600,000 views which was considered "an
unusual number" as a one-act play.[72] Kim's first fan meeting Lovely Day in Taiwan was
held at Ming Chuan University on April 9.[73] She was dubbed as the "Korean Wave
Fairy" by the Taiwanese media.[74] On June 4, Kim hosted the 2016 Dream
Concert with Leeteuk and Hong Jong-hyun.[75] She made her next acting move in the
horror-comedy Hey Ghost, Let's Fight with Ok Taec-yeon,[76] and played as the 13-year-
old Princess Deokhye in the film The Last Princess,[77] for which Park A-reum of K-pop
Herald praised Kim for her in-depth emotional acting in the scene before her farewell to
her mother (which Park called heartbreaking), as well as the high sync rate with Son
Ye-jin.[78] Also, Jung An-ji of Sports Chosun praised her for the historical accuracy of
portraying the princess: citing she acted "perfectly" with the life of a girl during the
Korean Empire.[79] She had a recurring guest role in the hit fantasy drama Guardian: The
Lonely and Great God.[80] Kim showed an overwhelming presence and
increased audience immersion in the early stage of the show, making a big impact as
a cameo.[81][82]
2017–2018: Adult roles, career instability and taking other
activities[edit]
In 2017, Kim participated in Korean dubbing for the character Mitsuha Miyamizu in
the anime drama film Your Name.[83] She switched back to live-action and co-led the
historical and political drama The Emperor: Owner of the Mask with Yoo Seung-ho,
which premiered on May 10.[84][85] This marked her first adult historical drama after five
years since Moon Embracing the Sun.[86] Despite its high ratings,[87] the time of the
drama's original run coincided with her slump period — Kim expressed how she made
efforts to understand her character as a heroine. She felt lost and started losing
confidence in herself as an actress. As everybody was praising her acting and visual,
she felt embarrassed because she could not come to a full understanding of who her
character was.[88]
Kim held her first domestic fan meeting "Lovely Day" on June 3.[89] She made a special
appearance in drama While You Were Sleeping to show her support for scriptwriter
Park Hae-ryun, who she worked with on KBS's Page Turner.[90] In August 2017, she
ended her contract with SidusHQ after seven years.[91] On November 11, Kim completed
her second Taiwan fan meeting Sweet Dream with Allets.[92] In December, Kim launched
her one-person agency, E&T Story Entertainment, in partnership with LOEN
Entertainment. The agency is currently led by Park Chan-woo, Kim's manager in her
SidusHQ days.[93]

Kim in August 2018

In 2018, Kim was cast in the romance drama Radio Romance, which began airing on
January 29.[94] She played a radio scriptwriter who isn't exactly talented in writing.[95] On
January 24, a photo was shared on SNS saying that Kim was shooting underwater.
[96]
The photo shows a woman wearing a hanbok in the water on January 21. On this
day, the lowest temperature was recorded below minus 16 degrees. During the press
conference for the premiere of Radio Romance held on January 25, the PD addressed
online criticism regarding the outdoor water filming, despite the weather warnings. He
issued an apology stating that "Kim So Hyun's outdoor water filming wrapped up on
Sunday [January 21]. We debated on it a lot since she would be getting in the water.
We ensured safety equipment nearby and a camping car on set and finished filming in
the shortest amount of time possible. Due to time constraints, an action stunt double
filmed additional outdoor water scenes yesterday [January 24]. It was filmed by an
action actor, not Kim So-hyun, wearing a winter suit and shot in a similar situation. The
number of shots was done with one take and protection was taken right away. We
apologize for causing concerns with this matter. The filming set is our lives. Naturally,
safety is important."[97] At the press conference, Kim's hand was visually seen red.[98]
On the same day, she co-hosted the 27th Seoul Music Awards with Kim Hee-
chul and Shin Dong-yup.[99] She held her first Japan fan meeting Kim So Hyun 1st
Premium Fanmeeting with 800 people on July 1.[100] After 10 years of debut, Kim hosted
her own travel reality show Because This is My First Twenty - Kim So-hyun's YOLO
Solo California, where she challenged herself and discovered her true identity in a
foreign country.[101] On October 12, she was named as one of the first tenth generation
MCs to host a survival reality show Under Nineteen on MBC.[102] Kim received positive
feedback from viewers of the premiere for her strengths as a host, as noted by Korea
Economic TV — audience engagement, her "steady" voice, charisma, as well as her
styling, which the publication deemed "colorful".[103]
2019–present: Regaining acting acclaim[edit]
By early-2019, Kim So-hyun, Kim Hee-chul and Shin Dong-yup were selected for two
consecutive years as the MCs for the Seoul Music Awards, hosting the 28th ceremony.
[104]
She held her second fan meeting Sso.Affirmation.Happiness: Kim So Hyun's Little &
Indeed, Happiness in Korea, ahead of her birthday with an attendance of 300 people.[105]
[106]
On June 29, she also held her first-anniversary fan meeting in Tokyo, Japan.[107] Kim
played the lead role in Netflix's original production Love Alarm, based on the
popular webtoon of the same name.[108] Kim explained her character is experiencing the
emotion of love for the first time, and it reminded of herself. She decided to tap into
those feelings as she wanted to portray a living and breathing character with Jo-jo.
[109]
Kim Yoo-jin of Exsports News said that Kim showed a high sync rate and a "rich and
stable" acting performance in the series.[110] Forbes's Joan MacDonald said that Kim fit
well with the character Jojo.[111] Further, the Netflix series was ranked the platform's 8th
most loved work in South Korea in 2019.[112]

Kim during The Tale of Nokdu press conference in 2019

The same year, she was cast alongside Jang Dong-yoon in a romantic comedy drama
set in the Joseon dynasty, The Tale of Nokdu as a clumsy and hot-
tempered Kisaeng trainee.[113] Chon Kye-young and Hye Jin-yang, the author of both
webtoons named Kim as their first choice in casting the leading woman.[114] Shin Ji-won
of Hankyung said that Kim So-hyun's character was able to mesmerize the viewers
because Kim blended well with her character.[115] Jang Dong-yoon stated, "I was
convinced that there would be no better actress to play Dong Joo other than So-hyun, I
was very grateful to have met my best partner in her."[116] The pair were donned the
nickname "Manhwa tearing" chemistry by the viewers for capturing everything from
laughter to excitement and adding their colours to the original characters.[117][118] Her role
as Dong Joo earned her the Excellence Award at the year end KBS Drama Awards.
[119]
The series was the 10th most talked primetime Korean dramas aired in 2019.[120][unreliable
source?]

On October 1, an official statement from Kakao M revealed that Kim received 815
shares (about 100 million won) of it to resolve issue rights to strengthen solidarity with
affiliates and entertainers. Kim is one of many Kakao M-affiliated artists who received
stocks from the company, which, according to reports, is preparing to rejoin Korea
Exchange through a re-IPO.[121] On October 29, Netflix confirmed that Kim would reprise
her role as Kim Jo-jo in the second season of the drama series Love Alarm.[122][unreliable source?]
In 2020, Kim's travel reality show Because This Is My First Twenty surpassed 6 million
views as of May 2020 on YouTube, Naver TV and Facebook.[123]
On January 15, 2021, E&T Story Entertainment released an official statement stating
that Kim would be leaving the agency.[124] On January 18, Kim signed an exclusive
contract with the Culture Depot.[125]
In February 2021, Kim starred as the alter-ego protagonists in the historical
drama River Where the Moon Rises which premiered on February 15.[126] She plays as a
female general, who was born as a princess but raised as a general, and chases for her
goal to straighten the ruined status of her country, Goguryeo.[127] The drama was caught
in a controversy following bullying accusations made against Ji Soo, who played the
show's male protagonist.[128] Director Yoon Sangho talked about Kim: "It is not easy to re-
film the scenes that have already done with a different actor. That's why I told her before
re-filming "we can't do this without you, you are the main priority in this drama, I hope
you can persevere until the end as the lead. [She] accepted and continued filming [...]
For this, I am nothing but thankful."[129] Co-actors Lee Ji-hoon,[130] Lee Hae-young,[131] Kim
Jung-young,[132] Ki Eun-se,[133] and writer Han Ji-hoon also conveyed their gratitude
towards Kim and Na In-woo (Ji Soo's replacement) who endured the difficult situations.
[134]
In an interview with Y Noblesse magazine for the July 2021 edition, Kim revealed she
did not get paid for the re-shoots out of love and affection for the drama and her
character.[135] She gained praises for her solid performance and sword skills, and her
portrayal of three different characters; Assassin Yeom Ga-jin, Princess
Pyeonggang and the queen of Goguryeo Queen Yeon, for which she was nominated for
a Baeksang Arts Awards in Best Actress - Television, becoming one of the category's
youngest nominees.[136] At the end of the year, Kim became the MC of the 2021 KBS
Drama Awards with Sung Si-kyung and Lee Do-hyun This is a return to MC in 6 years
since 2015.[137]
In 2022, Kim signed with Ieum Hashtag.[138] In July 2023, she returned to the small
screen with the tvN romantic comedy series My Lovely Liar,[139] in which her performance
and chemistry with Hwang Min-hyun was acclaimed by Joan McDonald of Forbes as
appealing.[140] She is also set to star in the webtoon-based romantic comedy-drama Is It
Fate? by Song Hyun-wook, where she will play a woman who meets her first love again
after ten years.[141]
Personal life[edit]
Kim suffered with "growing pains" and "transition period" after seven months of
filming The Emperor: Owner of the Mask. She felt emptiness in her schedule and feeling
uncomfortable even though she was resting.[142][143]
In January 2018, the Pyeongchang Organizing Committee for the 2018 Olympic &
Paralympic Winter Games (POCOG) chose Kim and Yoo Seong-min as the National
Representative of Honorary Smile to represent Korea's smile and kindness.[144]
Other ventures[edit]
Philanthropy[edit]
In 2014, Kim joined in the HAPPY Together Briquette Donation Campaign to donate 1
million briquette for the elderly, disabled families, and low-income families for heating
during cold season.[145]
In 2017, Kim and Ji Chang-wook donated their dubbing fees for Your Name to the
Korea Barrier-Free Film Commission.[146]

Kim at S.E.S 10th Green Heart Bazár 2018

On April 21, 2018, Kim participated in S.E.S 10th Green Heart Bazár held by the first
generation K-pop girl group, S.E.S.[147] Kim and many other celebrities gave generous
good deeds by selling items at the bazaar. The proceeds that were collected are
donated to the Green Umbrella Children's Foundation and KARA.[148]
On April 5, 2019, Kim donated ₩10 million to help support the victims of Sokcho Fire.
[149]
Kim also donated ₩10 million with her fans to Ajou University Hospital Trauma
Center.[150] This is the result of the fans giving support towards Kim's idea who wanted to
achieve and sharing on her June 4 birthday. Her fans also donated 61 blood donation
certificates to the hospital along with the fund to help patients who were living with
difficulties.[151] On December 13, she donated 100 kg of rice to the social welfare
corporation network for underprivileged and undernourished children in the future.[152]
On February 25, 2020, Kim donated ₩10 million through Hope Bridge Association of
the National Disaster Relief to prevent the spreading of the COVID-19 pandemic in
South Korea. According to the organization, the donation was to help the vulnerable
people and purchasing health and hand sanitizers to prevent the spread of the disease.
[153]
On August 5, Kim donated ₩20 million to help flood victims who suffered from the
heavy rain.[154] In October, Kim participated in the "MANNA Charity Bazaar" to support
the treatment costs of children suffering from rare diseases. A representative official
said, "People who have been consistently sponsoring and volunteering have been
together under the name of Manna."[155][156]
Ambassadorship[edit]

Year Work/Activity With Ref.

Honor Peer Counselling Ambassador [157]

2013 —
Prevention of School Violence [158]

[159]
2014 Korean Language and Culture Youth Ambassador Oh Jae-moo
 Korea Guardian Angel — [160]

Who Are You: School 2015's

2015 Prevention of School Violence [161]

cast

2016 2016 Festive Korea Ambassador — [162][163]

2018 National Representative of Honorary Smile Yoo Seong-min [144][164]

Artistry[edit]
Influences[edit]
Kim has cited Son Ye-jin and Canadian actress Rachel McAdams as her main
influences because of their sophisticated and graceful look.[165][166] She has also
cited Moon Geun-young as someone who inspired her to digest various roles after
watching Moon's acting in Painter of the Wind.[167]
In 2019, Kim expressed that she has no role models. She commented, "I don't even
know myself. I think it's time to get to know myself more than the role model. If I find
myself, I can find my role model then."[168]
Kim's work has influenced numerous child actresses, including Kim Ji-young,[169] Lee Ja-
in,[170] Hwang Yeon-ji,[171] Busters' Jisoo,[172] Jeon Yu-lim,[173] and Park Da-yeon.[174]
Acting style[edit]
"I always try to learn because I don't know how to do it. I try to act plainly because I want to look pure. Acting that should be
calculated or technologically expressed by expressing emotions as I feel may be lacking. It seems that the viewers watching that
part with a grain of salt as it expresses emotions as it is."
– Kim on her emotional performance[168]

In an interview in 2013, she revealed she had never been formally trained for acting.
[175]
While filming for Pure Love, she lived in Goheung. Kim said that, when there was no
filming, she went around the city alone and listened to the stories of the residents. She
explained she looked around every corner of the village setting for how she could be
part of it.[176]
To prepare for a role, Kim listens to music that matches the emotions of her role before
shooting a scene.[165] For the role of a blind person in Page Turner, she changed
everything from the tone and way of speaking to the eye contact when reciting her
dialogues.[143]
She had stated that when she received a script, she set plenty of time to understand
fully and know the character like a real person and try her best to express the character
genuinely.[177] Kim prefers having many projects because she feels more comfortable and
happy continuing acting rather than resting.[143] In particular, the charm of Kim's tone
shines in the drama from a plump romantic comedy to a complex, subtle feeling of
conflict between the family's revenge and the love she felt for the first time in her life. A
broadcast official said, "The deeper the emotions in the play, the more shining of Kim's
inner space will be".[114]
Image[edit]

Kim's image has often been regarded as innocent and sweet. [4]

Kim plays a role in stimulating her colleague actors. Who Are You: School 2015 co-
star Yook Sung-jae shared, "Despite her young age, [Kim] So-hyun leads the entire
drama. When seeing her with a smile on her face during working in spite of the
exhaustion due to lack of sleep, I feel and learn a lot." Chun Jung-myung gave her his
recognition, "She is polite and always looks strong. So Hyun possesses such an
outstanding charm that I believe she might become the greatest actor of this era."
Actor Nam Joo-hyuk also praised, "Like an adult and trustworthy. She is a positive
person that never shows any hints of negativity even when facing hardship. I have a lot
to learn from her."[178] As an experienced former child actress, Kim So-hyun has acted
with many actors who are older than her. Many of her co-stars described her as an
"older sister" to them. Such as, Yoo Seung-ho, who is six years older than her,
confessed he couldn't stop speaking to her like she was older: "She seems like an older
sister. She's extremely mature." L said, "So-hyun is very mature. Though she's seven
years younger than me, she sometimes feels like an older sister", and the same goes to
Yoon Do-joon.[179][180][181][unreliable source?]
Various actors, actresses, and film crew praised Kim for her acting skills, strong
mentality, work ethic, and kindness. Actress Jo Soo-hyang, "Kim So-hyun is amazing.
When we were filming, her schedule was very hectic. At first, I would play around with
her after we were done filming, but she looked more and more tired as the days went
on, and I couldn't do that anymore." She continued, "But when the camera starts rolling,
she puts on a smile and acts really well. As I saw her doing that, I just thought, she's
amazing."[182] Despite the freezing temperatures during filming The Emperor: Owner of
the Mask, Kim gave affection for the child actor that was working with her, be on set at a
very early time and showed no signs of tiredness while on set. A staff member said,
"Kim So-hyun is cheerful and kind both on and off-camera, making her the best
energizer. Kim So-hyun's bright smile helps everyone on set have a good time while
filming."[183] Jung Ga-ram describes her as "very serious and a really great actress".
 Song Kang talked about working with Kim, saying that she gave a lot of advice about
[184]

many heart-fluttering points. As a senior actor he saw on TV, he was worried that it
would inconvenience her. Still, she contacted him whenever there were difficult scenes
and congratulated him at the end of the day.[185]
Lee Na-jung, her director in Love Alarm, said, "the acting skills were as important as the
synchronisation rate. Jo-jo was a difficult role and needed great acting skills." She
continued, "I saw Jo-jo's eyes in Kim So-hyun's eyes."[186] According to director Kim
Dong-hwi of The Tale of Nokdu, "Kim So-hyun is a rainbow-like actress. She is pretty,
cute and cool, and has colourful charms from laughter to tears. I am always admiring
her detailed and sincere acting while filming".[187]
In the media[edit]

Kim at the 2016 KBS Drama Awards

Kim was given several nicknames throughout her career, such as "Nation's Little Sister",
[188]
"Queen of Child Actresses"[41] and "Korean Wave Fairy".[74] Kim earned the nickname,
"Little Son Ye-jin",[189] due to the resemblance of Ye-jin's early works, Lover's
Concerto and The Classic.[190] Besides, the two actors, also resemble the coexistence of
clean, pure and mature images with subtle expressions and perfect eyes acting.[191] She
was also dubbed as "3 金 Troika" (3 金 트로이카) alongside Kim Yoo-jung and Kim Sae-
ron due to impressive performances since childhood and a veteran actor with more than
10 years of acting career.[192] Previously, the nickname was given to Kim Tae-hee, Song
Hye-kyo, and Jun Ji-hyun in the early 2000s.[193] Kim was named "Teardrop Goddess" for
her deep sensitivity and dense tears in The Emperor: Owner of the Mask.[194] Following
the release of hit dramas Love Alarm and The Tale of Nokdu, the press gave Kim
"Come-out-of-manhwa girl" (만찢녀 (만화 찢고 나온 여자)) due to the perfect sync rate with the
original characters and emotional performance.[195] After starring in several historical
period dramas, she received the title "Goddess of Historical Drama" and "Sageuk
Goddess" because of her quick character exploration skills, varied expressions through
eye contact and emotional acting.[196][197] In 2016, Kim was recognized by Korean medias
as the next generation of "Nation's First Love" after she had successfully portrayed the
first love character in Pure Love movie.[5][6][7][198]
Endorsements and impact[edit]
Kim is an active celebrity endorser for several brands and products. Her first
endorsements were fabric softener Downy and junior apparel brand, Apple Pink.[199] She
became the face of Nintendo 3DS real-time pet simulation video game, Nintendogs +
Cats with Kim Yoo-jung,[200] Yuhan-Kimberly's "Teen's Nature" brand,[201] Union Bay
with Park Seo-joon and Lee Hyun-woo,[202] and Nongshim's Shin Ramyun with Yoon
Doo-joon.[203]

Kim at a Soup event on September 24, 2016

In 2015, Kim has become one of the most in-demand endorsers after her hit
drama Who Are You: School 2015.[204] She was chosen to become the face of a women's
clothing brand, Soup because of her "girl's liveliness and a romantic lady's vibe".[205] Kim
was selected as the 25th "Pocari Girl" for Pocari Sweat due to her "pure innocence and
cheerful image".[206] A photograph went viral on social media after Kim retweeted and left
a comment, "Graduation (Graduation Photo) ㅋㅋㅋ" of a Uijeongbu High School male-
student who recreates Kim's signature drinking pose, wearing short shorts and almost
lying on the floor for his graduation photo.[207] In response, Dong-A Otsuka gifted the
student several Pocari Sweats, Oronamin C and named him the "Pocari Man".[208] In
2015–16, she was featured in Domino's Pizza's advertisement with Kim Woo-bin.[209] Two
of Kim So-hyun's costume in Domino's Pizza advertisement went on for an online-
auction and the donating proceeds to the Green Umbrella Children's Foundation.[210]
[211]
She also appeared in commercials for the Post cereal Honey Oh's,[212] and Korea's
school uniform Elite.[213] Kim became the longest Elite endorsement model from 2014
until 2016.[214][215] She has worked alongside Winner,[216] Shin Ae-ra,[217] and BtoB.[217][218]
By April 16, 2016, Kim was selected for two consecutive years to become the 2016
Pocari Sweat model to commemorate the brand's 30th anniversary. It is the first time in
15 years since Son Ye-jin in 2001.[219] The same year, G-Market announced Kim as their
model for the launch of Korea's first integrated brand lift package through cable
channels and online.[220]
In 2015–17, Kim was appointed as the face for young girls' makeup brand Peripera.[221][222]
[223]
In three days, Peripera "Ink Airy Velvet" has sold 30,000 quantities.[224] Kim's image
was the main contributor that leads a successful product to sell 700,000 quantities in
two months, sold out "Ink Airy Velvet No. 2" and "Ink Color Cara" winning in the Glow
Peak Beauty Awards mascara category.[225][226] In August 2019, Korean media reported
Soup to become Korea's first young casual brand to record ₩100 billion sales in Korea
after commissioning Kim as their promotional model for their 2019 Fall/Winter collection.
[227]

Kim continued endorsing various products that ranged from food to clothing and
cosmetics such as, Norwegian fashion shoes brand Skono,[228] chicken brand Pelicana
Chicken,[229] Samsung Securities,[230] naturalism-oriented cosmetics Hanyul,[231] colour
contact lenses Bausch & Lomb's Lacelle,[232] and Soup as a representative and model
since 2015.[233][234][235][236][237] In April 2020, Samsung Electronics introduced Bixby Celebrity
Voice, an AI voice assistant with Kim as their speakers.[238] Kim's "Celeb Alarm" gained
popularity in South Korea and overseas, and topped the Popular Download Ranking in
the Galaxy Store.[239] In August 2022, she was selected as the global ambassador for
skin care brand JM Solution.[240]
Filmography[edit]
Main article: Kim So-hyun filmography

Discography[edit]
Soundtrack appearances[edit]

Year Song title Work Ref.

2007 "You Better Not Cry" (as 4Angel)

"Family Picture" Sin of a Family

2011
"Daddy and Me" Spy Papa [241]

2013 "First Love" The Suspicious Housekeeper [242]

2014 "Reset" Reset [243]

"Violet Fragrance" Pure Love [244]

2016
"Dream" Hey Ghost, Let's Fight [245]

[246]
2017 "Can't You Hear My Heart" The Emperor: Owner of the
 Mask

Awards and nominations[edit]

Name of the award ceremony, year presented, category, nominee of the award, and the result of the
nomination

Award ceremony Year Category Nominee / Work Result Ref.

Missing You and Ma

APAN Star Awards 2012 Best Young Actress Won [46]

Boy

Baeksang Arts Best Actress – River Where the

2021 Nominated [247]

Awards Television Moon Rises

Brand Customer
2020 Actress - Trend Icon Won [248]

Loyalty Awards

Herald-Donga TV Style Icon Rookie

2013 Won [249]

Lifestyle Awards Award

Kim So-hyun
Instagram Awards in
2018 Emerging Celebrity Won [250]

Korea

K-Food Content Popularity Award

2018 Won [251]

Indonesia (Actress)

KBS Drama Awards Best Actress in a One-

Drama Special: We
2014 Act/Special/Short Won [252]

All Cry Differently

Drama

[253]
2015 Best New Actress Who Are You: Won
School 2015

Netizen Award, Actress Won

Name of the award ceremony, year presented, category, nominee of the award, and the result of the
nomination

Award ceremony Year Category Nominee / Work Result Ref.

Kim So-
hyun with Nam Joo-
Best Couple Award hyuk Nominated
Who Are You:
School 2015

Kim So-
hyun with Yook Sung-
Best Couple Award jae Won
Who Are You:
School 2015

Best Actress in a One-

2016 Act/Special/Short Page Turner Nominated
Drama

Kim So-
2018 Best Couple Award hyun with Yoon Doo- Nominated
joon
Radio Romance

Excellence Award,
Won
Actress in a Miniseries
The Tale of Nokdu

Netizen Award, Actress Nominated

2019 [119][254]

Kim So-
Best Couple Award hyun with Jang Dong- Won
yoon
The Tale of Nokdu

[255]
2021 Top Excellence Award, River Where the Won
Actress Moon Rises
Name of the award ceremony, year presented, category, nominee of the award, and the result of the
nomination

Award ceremony Year Category Nominee / Work Result Ref.

Excellence Award,
Nominated
Actress in a Miniseries

Popularity Award,
Won
Actress

Kim So-hyun with Na

In-woo
Best Couple Award River Where the Won
Moon Rises

Korea Best Dresser

2015 Rising Star Award Kim So-hyun Won [256]

Swan Awards

Best Actress Award Won [257]

Korea Broadcasting River Where the

2021
Awards Moon Rises
Popularity Award –
Won [258][259]

Actor

Moon Embracing the

2012 Best Young Actress Nominated
Sun
Korea Drama Awards
Who Are You:
2015 Star of the Year Won [63]

School 2015

The Emperor: Owner

Korea Hallyu Awards 2017 Popular Culture Award Won [260]

of the Mask

Korea Youth Film Moon Embracing the

2013 Best Young Actress Won [261]

Festival Sun and Missing You

Name of the award ceremony, year presented, category, nominee of the award, and the result of the
nomination

Award ceremony Year Category Nominee / Work Result Ref.

Moon Embracing the

Popularity Award Nominated
Sun
2012
Moon Embracing the
Best Young Actress Won [262]

Sun and Missing You

MBC Drama Awards
Top Excellence Award,
Nominated
Actress in a Miniseries
The Emperor: Owner
2017
of the Mask
Popularity Award,
Won [263]

Actress

Best Female Newcomer

2013 Won [264]

in a Variety Show
Show! Music Core
Most Popular Award in
MBC Entertainment 2014 Won [265]

a Variety Show
Awards

Excellence Award,
2018 Music/Talk Category Under Nineteen Won [266]

(Female)

Multimedia & Film

2016 Shining Actress Award Won [267]

Technology Awards
Kim So-hyun
Pierson Movie Trend Choice Best
2016 Nominated [268]

Festival Actress

The Suspicious
SBS Drama Awards 2013 New Star Award Won [269]

Housekeeper
 Name of the award ceremony, year presented, category, nominee of the award, and the result of the
nomination

Award ceremony Year Category Nominee / Work Result Ref.

Seoul International Outstanding Korean Love Alarm (Season

2021 Nominated [270][271]

Drama Awards Actress 2)

Kim So-
hyun with Yoo Seung- [272][unreliable
Soompi Awards 2018 Best Couple Award ho Nominated source?]

The Emperor: Owner

of the Mask

Listicles[edit]

Name of publisher, year listed, name of listicle, and

placement

Publisher Year Listicle Placement Ref.

Forbes 2020 100 Digital Stars (Asia) Placed [273]

Reference:

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kim_So-hyun