Artist Profile
- Full Name: Kim Ji-won
- Native Name: 김지원
- Nicknames: Worry Doll
- Birthday: Oct 19, 1992 (33 years old)
- Blood Type: A
- Height/Weight: 164 cm (5’5”) / N/A
- Gender: Female
- Zodiac Sign: Libra
- Fandom: WONEDAY
- Debut: 2010
- Birthplace: Geumcheon District, Seoul, South Korea
- Nationality: South Korean
- Profession: Actress
- Language Skills: Korean (Native), English
- Current Agency: HighZium Studio
- Active Years: 2010–present (16 years)
Kim Ji-won, born on October 19, 1992, in Guro-gu, Seoul, is a South Korean actress under HighZium Studio. She has built a strong career in both film and television, gaining recognition for her performances in The Heirs (2013), Descendants of the Sun (2016), Fight for My Way (2017), Arthdal Chronicles (2019), and most recently, Queen of Tears (2024).
Her role in Descendants of the Sun marked a major breakthrough, bringing her widespread popularity across Asia. Today, Kim Ji-won is regarded as one of the most sought-after actresses in the Korean entertainment industry and a leading Hallyu star.
Early life
Kim Ji-won is the youngest in her family and has an older sister who is two years her senior. In her ninth grade year, she was scouted by Lion Media and became a trainee, where she received training to debut as an idol singer.
Career
Kim Ji-won’s entertainment career began in 2007, when she was discovered by Lion Media and signed as a trainee. She underwent approximately three years of training in singing, dance, and acting.
In 2008, she appeared under the stage name JessicaK in the music video “Gossip Boy” by singer Younha. Although she did not officially debut as a K-Pop idol,
In 2009, Kim Ji-won remained a trainee at Lion Media, continuing her training in singing, dancing, and acting.
In 2010, Kim Ji-won gained public attention as a commercial model for the LG Cyon Lollipop 2, becoming associated with the image of the “Lollipop Girl.” In the same year, she served as an advertising model for the beverage brand Oran C and participated in the musical Miss Saigon. Kim Ji-won officially debuted as an actress through the film Romantic Heaven, which was filmed in 2010 and released in 2011.
In 2011, she appeared in the sitcom High Kick: Revenge of the Short Legged and the television series What’s Up. Subsequently, Kim Ji-won joined the cast of To the Beautiful You (2012) and portrayed Yoo Rachel in The Heirs (2013), which increased her domestic and international recognition.
Between 2014 and 2015, she appeared in projects such as Gap-dong and Hidden Identity in minor or guest roles.
In 2016, Kim Ji-won played the role of Yoon Myung-joo in Descendants of the Sun, a production that achieved significant popularity in international markets.
In 2017, she took on her first leading role in Fight for My Way alongside Park Seo-joon. In 2018, Kim Ji-won participated in the historical fantasy film Detective K: Secret of the Living Dead and made a cameo appearance in Mr. Sunshine.
In 2019, she reunited with Song Joong-ki in the fantasy series Arthdal Chronicles, playing the character Tan-ya. In February 2020, she signed an exclusive contract with Salt Entertainment. Later that year, Kim Ji-won starred with Ji Chang-wook in the romance series Lovestruck in the City, which premiered in December 2020.
In 2022, she played the lead role of Yeom Mi-jeong in My Liberation Notes. Her contract with Salt Entertainment concluded in June 2022 and was not renewed. On September 29, 2022, Kim Ji-won signed with HighZium Studio.
In 2023, she began filming Queen of Tears, which aired in 2024 and achieved high viewership ratings on Korean cable television. Marking her 14th anniversary in the industry, Kim Ji-won held her first fan meeting titled Be My One in Seoul in June 2024.
In September 2024, she was appointed as the brand ambassador for the luxury jewelry house Bvlgari in South Korea.
In 2025, Kim Ji-won joined the medical noir drama Doctor X: Age of the White Mafia, scheduled for release in 2026. During the same year, she appeared at the SBS Drama Awards 2025 as a presenter, participated in international activities as a brand ambassador for Bvlgari in Italy and Japan, and engaged in social welfare activities, including serving as an ambassador for Orange Run 2025 and donating 50 million won to support wildfire victims.
Fun Facts
- Before pursuing a career as an actress, Kim Ji-won was a K-pop trainee.
- Fans once jokingly nicknamed her “Auntie with short hair” after her role in Fight for My Way.
- She has a legendary “blank stare” meme from a press conference that fans still use.
- Fans call her “CEO Ji-won” because of her overly serious vibe in certain scenes.
- Her drunk scene in Fight for My Way is constantly remixed into funny viral clips.
- Her eating expressions often get turned into chat stickers among fans.
- In one interview, her answers were so short and blunt that even the host burst out laughing.
- Her “cute swearing” moment in the drama became a catchphrase that fans loved to imitate.
- She earned the title “Reaction Queen” thanks to her lightning-fast facial expressions.
- On a variety show, she was nicknamed “Robot Ji-won” because of her stiff, awkward sitting posture.
- Behind the scenes, she’s known for striking random, silly poses that make her co-stars laugh.
- Fans often call her the “Nation’s Next-Door Unnie” for her approachable and funny vibe.
- Her clueless look when listening to co-stars’ stories has become a running joke among fans.
- A behind-the-scenes clip of her practicing lines while making frustrated faces went viral as the “brain overload meme.”
- During a prank on set, she screamed and jumped like a cartoon character, cracking everyone up.
- In a magazine photoshoot, she accidentally posed like a statue, and fans dubbed her “Art Ji-won.”