Kim Hyo-jin

Career

Early career Kim began her career as a teen model after being cast at the suggestion of a model agency that happened to see her while she was walking around Dongdaemun. She made her debut as a cover model for the teen magazine Cindy the Perky. After appearing in various commercials and sitcoms, she made her acting debut in the television drama "Love Story" in 1999. She also made her big-screen debut as Jaunbi in the 2003 movie "The Millennium." and the female lead in family drama I Am Happy.

Though she continues to act in mainstream films and TV dramas such as Mary Stayed Out All Night, in recent years Kim has become more adventurous in her choice of projects. She made her theater debut in the plays A Midsummer Night's Dream, and Fool for Love, then made an acting leap into queer cinema. Kim said portraying a bisexual in Five Senses of Eros (later expanded to In My End Is My Beginning) and a lesbian in Life is Peachy was not a problem for her: "I approached the film in this way: Two people meet and fall in love. And the person that I fall in love with happens to be a woman."

In 2011 Kim replaced Han Chae-young in the Korea-China-Japan joint production Strangers 6, which tells the story of six individuals assigned by the highest level authorities of their respective countries to protect the three countries' joint economic area from being infiltrated by a hostile organization. Filming in Japan was delayed by the 2011 earthquake and tsunami, and the TV series aired on Japan's WOWOW TV and Korea's Channel A in 2012.

After appearing in Im Sang-soo's erotic suspense drama The Taste of Money, Kim starred opposite Hidetoshi Nishijima in the Korea-Japan joint production Genome Hazard, a film adaptation of Tsukasaki Siro's same-titled sci-fi mystery novel.

Comeback after hiatus In 2020, after a long hiatus, she appeared in JTBC's television drama Private Lives, alongside Seohyun and Go Kyung-pyo, as Jeong Bok-gi/Sophia Chung, a former announcer by the name of Jeong Yoon-kyung. She is a woman who uses other people's private lives and become a con woman. It aired on JTBC from October 7 to November 26, 2020 and is available for streaming worldwide on Netflix.

In 2021, Kim acted as Kyung-eun, Jung-soo's (Park Byung-eun) first love, in Lost, a 2021 television series starring Jeon Do-yeon and Ryu Jun-yeol. It was part of "JTBC's Tenth Anniversary Special Project", it was broadcast from September 4 to October 24, 2021 every Saturday and Sunday at 22:30 (KST).

In 2022, Kim acted as Cheon Na-na in Season 2 of The Good Detective. Cheon Na-na is Director of TJ Group born out of wedlock to the group president and treated like an orphan. It aired on JTBC from July 30, 2022 on Saturday and Sunday at 22:30 (KST).

In 2023, Kim act as Yoon Ran-joo, top star and diva in television series Castaway Diva directed by Oh Chung-hwan, written by Park Hye-ryun and Eun Yeol, and starring Park Eun-bin, Chae Jong-hyeop, Cha Hak-yeon and Kim Joo-hun. It premiered on tvN from October 28 to December 3, 2023, and aired every Saturday and Sunday at 21:20 (KST) for 12 episodes. It is also available for streaming on Netflix in selected regions.

Personal life Kim first met actor-director Yoo Ji-tae in 2003 when they were models for a clothing brand, and their friendship turned into a romantic relationship in 2006. One of the few Korean star couples who openly admitted their dating status, they are very active in charitable organizations, and in 2011 were both appointed as honorary ambassadors for World Vision.

They announced their engagement in August 2011 (Kim reportedly turned down a movie role to prepare for her upcoming nuptials), and subsequently released pre-wedding photos. Their minimalist invitation was made from environmentally friendly paper and had the number 1,825 written on it, the exact amount of the days the two have spent together as a couple. They were married at the Shilla Hotel in Seoul on December 2, 2011. The date marked the couple's fifth anniversary together and was booked by Yoo one year in advance despite landing on a Friday – an unusual day for a wedding. The couple have two sons, born on July 5, 2014, and April 15, 2019.

Kim adheres to a vegetarian diet for ethical and health reasons.

Filmography Film Year Title Role Notes 2003 The Legend of the Evil Lake Jaunbi 2004 Everybody Has Secrets Han Mi-yeong 2005 Marrying the Mafia II 2006 Barefoot Ki-bong Jeong-won Mr. Wacky Yun So-joo 2009 Five Senses of Eros Kang Na-ru Featured in In My End Is My Beginning A Dream Comes True Lee Ha-na Jeon Woo-chi: The Taoist Wizard Red haired woman Cameo 2010 Life is Peachy Yoon Ji-woo 2012 The Taste of Money Yoon Na-mi 2013 Tummy Yoon-jung In My End Is My Beginning Kang Na-ru Marriage Blue Joo-young 2014 Genome Hazard Kang Ji-won 2016 Will You Be There? Irina Special appearance

Television series Year Title Role Notes 1999 Love Story Hee-jung episode 13-14 2000 All About Eve Jo Cho-jeh Great, Great Won Cho-eun Nonstop Herself RNA Kim Myung-sook Golbaengi Medical Center Go Mi-ni 2001 Wuri's Family Kang Tae-shil 2004 Magic Yoon Dan-young 2005 Hong Kong Express Choi Ma-ri Ice Girl Kim So-ryung 2008 Happiness Park Seo-yoon 2010 Marry Me, Mary! Seo-joon 2012 Strangers 6 An Ji-hye 2020 Private Lives Jung Bok-gi 2022 The Good Detective Cheon Na-na Season 2 2023 Castaway Diva Yoon Ran-joo 2024 Captivating the King a courtesan Special appearance

Theater + Theater performance(s) Year Title Role Theater Date English Korean 2010 Fool for Love 풀 포 러브 May SM Art Hall in Seoul July 6–September 12

Discography Soundtrack appearances YearSong titleNotes2004"Bei Mir Bist Du Schoen"Everybody Has Secrets OST"(I Love You) For Sentimental Reasons"2009"When You Open Your Eyes" A Dream Comes True OST

Awards YearAward ceremonyCategoryWorkResult2000 KBS Drama Awards Female Rookie Award RNA SBS Entertainment AwardsRookie Award in Sitcom CategoryWuri's Family 200427th Golden Cinematography AwardNew Actress AwardEverybody Has Secrets 20127th Asia Model Awards CeremonyModel Star AwardKim Hyo-jin PETAAchievement Award