Kim Hye-yoon
Kim Hye-yoon is a South Korean actress. She gained recognition for her role as Kang Ye-seo in JTBC's television series Sky Castle, before landing her first leading roles in both television and film including Extraordinary You and The Girl on a Bulldozer. Her accolades include two Baeksang Arts Awards, a Blue Dragon Film Award, and a Grand Bell Award.
Early life and education
Kim was born on November 10, 1996, in Seongnam, South Korea. She aspired to become an actress since her third year of middle school and attended an acting academy, auditioned, and took on small roles in preparation for an acting career.She entered Konkuk University as part of the class of 2015, balancing her studies and acting career while consistently receiving merit-based full-ride scholarship. In 2019, she graduated with a bachelor's degree in film studies.
Career
2013–2018: Beginnings
Kim debuted as an actress in the 2013 KBS2 TV Novel's Samsaengi, playing the teenage version of a supporting character. After gaining recognition for her role in the 2014 OCN's crime thriller Bad Guys, Kim focused on her studies and only took minor roles to avoid affecting her academic performance, as she had received a full scholarship in 2015 to Konkuk University. Her significant role during this period was a supporting character in the 2017 mystery thriller film ''Memoir of a Murderer.''2019–2021: Breakthrough
Leading up to her college graduation in February 2019, Kim began auditioning for more prominent roles. She successfully landed the role of Kang Ye-seo in JTBC's satirical drama Sky Castle, being selected from a pool of 200 applicants. The drama's success contributed to her rising popularity and earned her the [Baeksang Arts Award for Baeksang Arts Award for Best New Actress – Television|Best New Actress – Television|Best New Actress] award at the 55th Baeksang Arts Awards.In 2019, Kim starred as the protagonist for the first time with MBC's school fantasy drama Extraordinary You, based on the Daum webtoon July Found by Chance. She received further recognition, winning both New and Excellence Actress at the MBC Drama Awards. During the same year, she was cast as one of the lead in the psychological thriller film Midnight.
Kim received her first leading film role in the 2020 production The Girl on a Bulldozer. In the same year, she also confirmed to star in the 2021 pre-produced JTBC's television series Snowdrop, in which she reunited with the production team of hit drama Sky Castle. In April 2021, Kim received the offer to star in tvN's historical procedural drama Secret Royal Inspector & Joy. The television series premiered ahead of Snowdrop.
2022–present: Rising popularity and leading roles
In 2022, The Girl on a Bulldozer was released theatrically, and Kim's performance as Goo Hye-young has received critical acclaim and garnered her several awards from award ceremonies such as the Blue Dragon Film Awards and Grand Bell Awards for Best New Actress, as well as the Rising Star Asia Award at the New York Asian Film Festival. Notably, Kim was also nominated for the Best New Actress Film category at the 59th Baeksang Arts Awards. With the film's success, Kim earned a total of ten nominations, winning six of them. Her achievements were further recognized by Forbes, which featured her in their Forbes 30 Under 30 list.After focusing on the promotion and production of her two films The Girl on a Bulldozer and Ditto throughout 2022, Kim returned to the small screen with 2024 tvN's time slip drama Lovely Runner. Her performance in the series garnered praise from both critics and audiences, with media outlets describing her as an "Actress You Can Trust" within the Korean entertainment industry. The role earned her first ever nomination for Best Actress category at the 61st Baeksang Arts Awards. She was also placed 30th under Forbes Korea Power Celebrity 40 list.
In July 2024, Kim embarked on her "Hyeppiness" fan meeting tour, starting in Seoul and extending to international cities such as Yokohama, Osaka, Taipei, and Macau. Kim starred the SBS‘s fantasy drama No Tail to Tell which premiered in January 2026. In addition to her television work, she is set to make her big-screen comeback with the forthcoming horror film A Place to Kill, and has also been confirmed to star in the crime film ''Land.''
Public image
After her portrayal as Kang Ye-seo in the television series Sky Castle, Kim earned the nickname "My Melody Princess". This moniker stemmed from her character's fashion choices, which closely resembled the Sanrio character, My Melody. She has also been dubbed by various Korean media as the "Nation's Little Sister".Endorsements
With her breakthrough, in 2019, Kim went on to endorse for Ildong Pharmaceutical's vitamin supplement brand Aronamin, Lotte Hi-Mart, Ministry of Gender Equality and Family, Shinsegae's casual clothing brand Design United, dshare's brand 3J Edu, LG Household & Health Care's derma cosmetics brand Dr. Belmeur, KB Financial Group's credit card service KB Kookmin Card, and Dong-A Pharmaceutical's feminine hygiene brand Tempo.She has also endorsed for Entrepreneur Game application "Live Goddess", KB Financial Group's mobile payment application KB Pay, Avène, Batiste, and Mentholatum's cosmetics brand Acnes.
In April 2024, she went to endorse for Lotte Chilsung's liquor brand Saero by dubbing the advertisement of the product. In August of the same year, she was selected to endorse for KGC's representative ginseng brand Jung Kwan Jang, and Lion Corporation Korea's cosmetics brand Rawquest. In October 2024, Kim was chosen to become the new muse of the Kodak Apparel brand. In the same month, she is chosen to endorse for LG Pra.L's Skin Booster product.
Filmography
Selected filmographySky Castle Extraordinary You Secret Royal Inspector & Joy The Girl on a Bulldozer Lovely Runner- ''No Tail to Tell''