Kim Ji-won Age, Wiki, Boyfriend, Family, Career, Net Worth

Kim Ji-won is a South Korean actress who has a rare gift for turning quiet, everyday emotion into something the whole of Asia stops to watch. 

She was born on October 19, 1992 (33 years old) in Geumcheon District, Seoul, South Korea.

She works mainly in Korean television and film, and she is counted today among the leading faces of the Korean Wave.

Kim Ji-won first caught attention with the hit series The Heirs (2013) and Descendants of the Sun (2016). She then moved into strong lead roles in Fight for My Way (2017), Arthdal Chronicles (2019), My Liberation Notes (2022), and Queen of Tears (2024).

Her role as Hong Hae-in in Queen of Tears turned into a career high, as the show became tvN’s highest-rated series at that time.

Over the years, she has earned major honours, including the Best Supporting Actress award at the APAN Star Awards and Excellence Awards at the KBS Drama Awards.

Quick Facts of Kim Ji-won

Full Name	Kim Ji-won
Profession	Actress
Age	33 years old
Date of Birth	October 19, 1992
Nationality	South Korean
Zodiac/Sun Sign	Libra
Birthplace	Geumcheon District, Seoul, South Korea
Current Address	Seoul, South Korea
Gender	Female

Kim Ji-won Early Life and Education 

Kim Ji-won was born in Geumcheon District, Seoul, South Korea. She grew up as the younger of two daughters in a Christian family that valued a quiet, steady home life.

Her given name, Ji-won, is written with characters that carry the wish to grow up wise and beautiful. From her early school years, she was drawn less to going out and more to expressing herself, and she happily took small parts in her elementary school plays.

Music was a big part of her childhood too. She played the piano during church services and took part in Christmas performances, which slowly built her comfort on a stage.

During her first year of middle school, Kim spent close to a year in Chicago, in the United States, living with relatives on her mother’s side. That stay abroad later helped her speak English with ease.

In 2007, while she was in her third year of middle school, a talent scout spotted her on the streets of Seoul. She signed with Lion Media and trained for about three years in singing, dance, and acting before her debut.

Education

Kim Ji-won studied at Seoul Onsu Elementary School during her childhood years in Seoul. She later attended Baegam High School for her secondary education.

After school, she followed her passion for the stage and joined the Department of Theatre and Film at Dongguk University in 2011, where she majored in acting.

School	Seoul Onsu Elementary School;Baegam High School
Alma Mater	Dongguk University
Highest Qualification	Graduate (Department of Theatre and Film)

Kim Ji-won Personal Life 

Kim Ji-won is known for keeping her private life away from the spotlight, which has only added to the curiosity around her. She rarely speaks about her personal matters in public.

Relationships and Dating Rumours

As of now, Kim Ji-won is single. She has never officially confirmed a boyfriend or a public relationship.

Over the years, her strong on-screen chemistry has led to plenty of dating talk. She was linked with Park Seo-joon after their romantic comedy Fight for My Way, though both sides treated it as nothing more than a good pairing.

Similar rumours followed her co-stars Ji Chang-wook and Song Joong-ki, but none of these were ever confirmed. She has stayed quiet through all of it.

The biggest wave of speculation came after Queen of Tears, when fans began pairing her with co-star Kim Soo-hyun. The rumours grew louder in 2024, yet the agencies of both actors denied any real-life romance.

She has once shared that her first love was a classmate back in her third year of middle school, when their dates were simple study sessions and meals after tuition.

Parents

The names and details of Kim Ji-won’s parents are not publicly confirmed, so it is yet to be updated. She has spoken warmly about growing up in a close family that supported her choices.

Siblings

Kim Ji-won has one elder sister named Kim Hye-won, who was born in 1990 and is two years older than her. Further details about her sister are yet to be updated.

Relationship Status	Single
Boyfriend	Yet to be updated
Parents	Yet to be updated
Siblings	Sister: Kim Hye-won

Kim Ji-won Career

Kim Ji-won began her journey in the entertainment world as a trainee singer before finding her true calling in acting. Over the years, she has grown from small supporting parts into one of Korea’s most bankable leading actresses.

Career Beginnings (2008 to 2011)

Kim Ji-won was street cast in 2008 and trained in singing, dance, and acting. Before acting, she became a familiar face through commercials, earning the nicknames “Oran C Girl” and “Lollipop Girl” after an advertisement with the group Big Bang.

She also worked as a background vocalist for singer Younha and appeared in the music video for the song “Gossip Boy” in 2008. She made her film debut in the 2011 omnibus film Romantic Heaven.

That same year, she gained early notice through the MBC sitcom High Kick: Revenge of the Short Legged and the musical drama What’s Up.

Supporting Roles and Rising Recognition (2012 to 2014)

In 2012, Kim Ji-won played Seol Han-na in the school drama To the Beautiful You, sharing the screen with Sulli, Choi Min-ho, and Lee Hyun-woo. She also appeared in the horror anthology film Horror Stories.

Her big turning point came in 2013 with the hit teen drama The Heirs, where she played the sharp heiress Rachel Yoo alongside Lee Min-ho, Park Shin-hye, and Kim Woo-bin. The role won her the New Star Award at the SBS Drama Awards.

In 2014, she took on a webtoon artist role in the crime thriller Gap-dong, acting with Yoon Sang-hyun, Kim Min-jung, Sung Dong-il, and Lee Joon.

Breakthrough with Descendants of the Sun (2015 to 2016)

In 2015, Kim Ji-won led the romance web series One Sunny Day opposite So Ji-sub. She also made a brief cameo in the tvN drama Hidden Identity.

The year 2016 changed her career. She played army surgeon Yoon Myung-ju in the mega hit Descendants of the Sun, starring with Song Joong-ki, Song Hye-kyo, and Jin Goo.

Her heartfelt pairing with Jin Goo won hearts across Asia and brought her wide international fame.

First Leading Role and Film Work (2017 to 2018)

In 2017, Kim Ji-won landed her first major leading role in the beloved romantic comedy Fight for My Way. She played Choi Ae-ra opposite Park Seo-joon, with Ahn Jae-hong and Song Ha-yoon completing the lead group.

In 2018, she stepped into a period role in the film Detective K: Secret of the Living Dead, acting with Kim Myung-min, Oh Dal-su, and Kim Bum.

The same year, she made a special cameo in the historical drama Mr. Sunshine along with her Descendants of the Sun co-star Jin Goo.

Arthdal Chronicles and Lovestruck in the City (2019 to 2021)

In 2019, Kim Ji-won played Tanya, a tribal successor, in the ambitious fantasy series Arthdal Chronicles. The show reunited her with Song Joong-ki and also featured Jang Dong-gun and Kim Ok-vin.

From 2020 to 2021, she starred in the KakaoTV romance Lovestruck in the City opposite Ji Chang-wook. The realistic, interview-style drama became a streaming favourite on Netflix.

My Liberation Notes and Queen of Tears (2022 to 2024)

In 2022, Kim Ji-won delivered a quiet, deeply praised performance as Yeom Mi-jeong in My Liberation Notes. She played one of three siblings alongside Lee Min-ki and Lee El, with Son Suk-ku as the mysterious Mr. Gu.

In 2024, she reached new heights with the tvN romance Queen of Tears, playing chaebol heiress Hong Hae-in opposite Kim Soo-hyun. The cast also included Park Sung-hoon, Kwak Dong-yeon, and Lee Joo-bin.

The series became the highest-rated drama in tvN history and one of Netflix’s most-watched Korean shows ever.

Recent and Upcoming Work (2026)

In 2026, Kim Ji-won returned to the small screen with the SBS medical noir Doctor X: Age of the White Mafia. She plays genius surgeon Gye Soo-jung, with Lee Jung-eun, Son Hyun-joo, and Kim Woo-seok in the cast.

She is also set to lead the upcoming Netflix crime series Detective Park Mi Ok, in which she will play the title role.

Kim Ji-won Awards and Achievements

Kim Ji-won has earned steady recognition across her career, with her biggest early honours coming from Descendants of the Sun and Fight for My Way. She has been named among Korea’s most popular actors and is now widely regarded as a Hallyu queen following the global success of Queen of Tears.

Her Major Wins

• SBS Drama Awards (2013): Won the New Star Award for The Heirs (2013).
• KBS Drama Awards (2016): Won the Excellence Award, Actress in a Miniseries, for Descendants of the Sun (2016).
• APAN Star Awards (2016): Won Best Supporting Actress for Descendants of the Sun (2016).
• Asia Artist Awards (2016): Won the Best Celebrity Award (Actress) for Descendants of the Sun (2016).
• KBS Drama Awards (2017): Won the Excellence Award and the Netizen Award for Fight for My Way (2017).

Her Key Nominations

• Baeksang Arts Awards (2016): Nominated for Most Popular Actress (Female) for Descendants of the Sun (2016).
• Soompi Awards (2018): Nominated for Best Couple with Park Seo-joon for Fight for My Way (2017).
• Baeksang Arts Awards (2023): Nominated for Best Actress in Television for My Liberation Notes (2022).
• Seoul International Drama Awards (2024): Nominated for the Outstanding Asian Star award for Queen of Tears (2024).
• APAN Star Awards (2024): Nominated for the Top Excellence Award, Actress in a Miniseries, and for Best Couple with Kim Soo-hyun, for Queen of Tears (2024).

Kim Ji-won Controversies

Kim Ji-won has kept a clean public image throughout her career. The issues linked to her name are mainly tied to rumours rather than her own conduct.

Kim Ji-won Net Worth 

Kim Ji-won’s net worth has not been officially declared by her or her team, so most figures online are estimates.

Her net worth is estimated at around $5 million to $7 million (approx. ₹43 crore to ₹60 crore), with a clear jump after the global success of Queen of Tears (2024).

Her income comes mainly from dramas, brand endorsements, and magazine work. Reports suggest she charges around $100,000 (approx. ₹85 lakh) for a single sponsored Instagram post, while her exact per-project acting fee is not officially confirmed.

Net Worth in Dollars (Approx.)	$5 million to $7 million (approx. ₹43 crore to ₹60 crore)
Salary (Approx.)	Yet to be updated

Kim Ji-won Height, Weight and Physical Stats

Height	In centimetres: 164 cm In meters: 1.64 m In feet & inches: 5 feet 4½ inches
Weight	In kg: 45 kg In lbs: 99 lbs
Body Measurements	32-24-33
Hair Color	Black
Eye Color	Dark Brown

Kim Ji-won Social media 

Instagram	@geewonii
Facebook	@OfficialKimJiWon1

Interesting Facts about Kim Ji-won

• Before acting, she was once set to debut as a singer under the stage name “JessicaK,” but she chose acting instead.
• She is often nicknamed “Little Kim Tae-hee” by fans and media because of her resemblance to top actress Kim Tae-hee.
• She is left handed and tends to eat with her left hand, but she writes, draws, and plays the guitar with her right hand.
• She has said that if she had not become an actress, she would have liked to be a kindergarten teacher, as she enjoys being around children.
• She had a fear of water for years and finally overcame it while filming her Netflix series Lovestruck in the City.
• She has a soft spot for retro music and often says she enjoys songs from the 1970s and 1980s.
• She has taken part in charity work, including a ₩50 million donation in March 2025 to help victims of the wildfires in South Korea.

FAQs