Kim Hee-sun (Korean: 김희선; born June 11, 1977) is a South Korean actress. She rose to fame in the 1990s with leading roles in television series such as Men of the Bath House (1995), Propose (1997), Wedding Dress (1997), Forever Yours (1998), Mister Q (1998), Sunflower (1998), and Tomato (1999). Kim also starred in the martial arts films Bichunmoo (2000) and The Myth (2005), historical medical series Faith (2012), teen series Angry Mom (2015), melodrama The Lady in Dignity (2017), and fantasy series Tomorrow (2022).
Career
Kim Hee-sun won the Fair Face Beauty Contest in 1992 when she was a middle school student, and began modeling in teen magazines. In 1993, Kim, then a high school sophomore, appeared in a commercial for Lotte Samkang's crab chips, which led to her acting debut in Dinosaur Teacher;[4] and an MC gig for music show Live TV Music 20 that same year.[5][6]
She enjoyed peak popularity in the mid-to-late 1990s, starring in one hit Korean drama after another.[7] These include Men of the Bath House (1995) written by Kim Soo-hyun,[8]Propose (1997),[9][10]Wedding Dress (1997) with Lee Seung-yeon,[11]Forever Yours (1998) with Ryu Si-won,[12]Mister Q (1998) with Kim Min-jong and Song Yun-ah,[13]Sunflower (1998) with Ahn Jae-wook,[14] and Tomato (1999) with Kim Suk-hoon.[15] Kim won the top prize at the 1998 SBS Drama Awards for Mister Q, making her, at the time, the youngest ever Grand Prize (Daesang) winner, at 21 years old.[16] During this period, she also appeared in numerous advertisements and rose to fame both at home and abroad as one of Korea's most beautiful and trend-setting actresses.[17][18][19]
Unlike her success in television, the big screen proved to be a bigger challenge for Kim's career.[20] She made her film debut in 1997's Repechage opposite Jang Dong-gun,[21] and the film's director Lee Kwang-hoon subsequently put her in his next film Ghost in Love (1999).[22] In her most high-profile role to date, Kim played the daughter of a Mongolian general in the big-budget martial arts fantasy Bichunmoo, shot in China and released in the summer of 2000.[23] Although criticized for her acting in the film,[24] it gave her more local and international exposure than any of her other films. Along with her popular TV dramas, it cemented her position as a Korean Wave star in mainland China, Hong Kong, Taiwan and throughout Southeast Asia.[25][26]
In late 2001, Kim took on a completely different kind of role, cutting her hair short and starring as an animator in Wanee & Junah.[27] Although her acting in this film drew a favorable response from critics, the film itself was a commercial flop.[28] Her career took a downturn in 2003, when the environmentally-themed melodrama A Man Who Went to Mars, also known as A Letter From Mars, costarring Shin Ha-kyun became an utter bomb at the box office.[29][30] She returned to television, however My Fair Lady (2003) which was adapted from the Japanese television dramaYamato Nadeshiko,[31] and Sad Love Story (2005) where she played a blind singer, both received low ratings.[32][33][34]
Due to her popularity among Chinese viewers, Kim was then cast opposite Jackie Chan in The Myth, for which she learned to speak Mandarin.[35][36] Back in Korea, her career slump continued with Smile Again in 2006.[37]
Kim married in 2007, and she left the entertainment scene to devote her time to being a wife and mother. During this five-year hiatus from acting, apart from appearing in magazines,[38] Kim published a book in 2009 on childcare and how to lose post-pregnancy weight, titled Kim Hee-sun's Happy Mom Project.[39][40][41][42]
In 2013, Kim became one of the hosts of the revamped second season of variety talk show Strong Heart, titled Hwasin – Controller of the Heart.[48] After Hwasin was cancelled, she was cast in the Lee Kyung-hee-penned weekend family drama Wonderful Days (2014).[49][50] This was followed by Angry Mom in 2015, where Kim's portrayal of the titular character who returns to high school when she learns that her teenage daughter is being bullied was highly praised by critics.[51][52] Kim then began filming for Chinese fantasy television drama Ice Fantasy, which started airing in July 2016.[53]
In 2017, Kim starred in the television series, The Lady in Dignity alongside Kim Sun-ah.[54] The series achieved a rating of 12.6% for its finale, becoming JTBC's highest rated drama at the time. Kim's performance was well received by critics and audience.[55][56]
In 2018, Kim starred in tvN's mystery drama Room No. 9.[57] The same year she confirmed her return to the big screen with independent film Paper Flower.[58] In 2020, Kim starred in the science fiction romance drama Alice which was broadcast on SBS in 2020 and released worldwide on Netflix in 2021.[59]
Kim wed businessman Park Ju-young in a lavish ceremony at the Seoul Sheraton Grande Walkerhill Hotel on October 19, 2007.[6][61][62] She gave birth to daughter Park Yeon-ah on January 21, 2009.[63][64][65]
Philanthropy
On March 9, 2022, Kim donated ₩100 million to the Korean Red Cross To help the victims of the massive forest fire that started in Uljin, Gyeongbuk and has spread to Samcheok, Gangwon.[66] On April 25, 2022, Kim donated ₩100 million to Asan Medical Center to be used to pay for the treatments of low-income patients.[67]
Discography
Singles
Title
Year
Album
"Endless Love" (無盡的愛 ) (Kim Hee-sun with Jackie Chan)
^According to Park Bok-sun (Kim Hee-sun's mother), she confirmed that Cheonho-dong is Hee-sun's birthplace and Hee-sun herself confirmed it years later in an interview promoting Wonderful Days that Daegu is actually her parents' hometown and not hers.
^Honors are given at the Taxpayers' Day ceremony.[113]
References
^"김희선 내가 낳았다". The Chosun Ilbo (in Korean). 2002-03-01. Archived from the original on 2024-05-29. Retrieved 2024-05-29.
^ abYoon Hyo-jeong (July 2, 2021). "김희선, 저승사자 된다…웹툰 원작 '내일' 주인공 확정" [Kim Hee-sun becomes a grim reaper... The main character of the webtoon original 'Tomorrow' confirmed]. News 1 (in Korean). Naver. Archived from the original on January 20, 2022. Retrieved July 2, 2021.
^Oh Yoon-joo (March 9, 2022). "김희선, 산불 피해 구호 위해 1억 원 기부 [공식]" [Kim Hee-sun, donated 100 million won to relief from wildfire damage [Official]] (in Korean). My Daily. Archived from the original on March 9, 2022. Retrieved March 9, 2022 – via Naver.
^Lee Mi-na (April 25, 2022). "김희선, 서울아산병원에 1억 기부 "이웃의 아픔 함께" [공식]" [Kim Hee-sun, donated 100 million won to Asan Medical Center in Seoul "Together with the pain of our neighbors" [Official]] (in Korean). The Korea Economic Daily. Archived from the original on April 25, 2022. Retrieved April 25, 2022 – via Naver.
^Jeong Han-byeol (July 5, 2023). "유해진, '달짝지근해'로 로코 첫 도전…8월 개봉" [Yoo Hae-jin, first challenge in Loco with 'Sweet Sea'... open in August] (in Korean). Hankook Ilbo. Archived from the original on July 5, 2023. Retrieved July 5, 2023 – via Naver.
^Lee Myeong-ju (August 30, 2023). "김희선, '신화2' 우정출연...성룡과 18년 만에 재회" [Kim Hee-seon, 'Shinhwa 2' friendship appearance...reunited with Jackie Chan after 18 years] (in Korean). Dispatch. Archived from the original on August 30, 2023. Retrieved August 30, 2023 – via Naver.
^Jeong Hee-yeon (May 6, 2021). "김희선 측 "'내일' 긍정검토…'블랙의 신부' 제안만" [공식입장]" [Kim Hee-sun's side "Positive review of 'Tomorrow'... Only the proposal of ‘The Black Bride’” [Official Position]]. sports.donga (in Korean). Archived from the original on August 17, 2023. Retrieved May 6, 2020.
^Ahn Yun-ji (April 13, 2023). "김희선·이혜영→김남희, '가스라이팅' 출연..압도적 라인업[공식]" [Kim Hee-sun · Lee Hye-young → Kim Nam-hee, appeared in 'Gaslighting'.. Overwhelming lineup [Official]] (in Korean). Star News. Archived from the original on April 16, 2023. Retrieved April 13, 2023 – via Naver.
^Son Jin-ah (July 21, 2021). "넷플릭스 시리즈 '블랙의 신부' 제작 확정…김희선→차지연 캐스팅(공식)" [Netflix series 'The Black Bride' confirmed... Kim Hee-sun → Cha Ji-yeon Casting (Official)]. MK Sports (in Korean). Naver. Archived from the original on July 21, 2021. Retrieved July 21, 2021.
^Kim, Seok-tae (November 16, 2014). "2014 APAN Star Awards, 조인성 대상". Gukje News (in Korean). Archived from the original on November 27, 2018. Retrieved December 23, 2021.
^Kim Ji-hye (December 5, 2023). "엄태화VS김지운VS안태진, 제28회 춘사국제영화제 감독상 3파전" [Uhm Tae-hwa VS Kim Ji-woon VS Ahn Tae-jin, Best Director Award 3rd round at the 28th Chunsa International Film Festival]. SBS Entertainment News (in Korean). Naver. Archived from the original on December 11, 2023. Retrieved December 11, 2023.
^Choi, Hee-jae (December 30, 2022). "임윤아, 최우수연기상 미니시리즈 부문 수상 "부담감도 있었지만…" [MBC 연기대상]" [Im Yoon-ah, Best Acting Award for Mini-series category "There was a sense of pressure..." [MBC Drama Awards]] (in Korean). X-ports News. Archived from the original on March 5, 2023. Retrieved March 5, 2023 – via Naver.
^Jeong, Hee-yeon (January 1, 2021). "이민호-박은빈, '2020 SBS 연기대상' 미니시리즈 판타지/로맨스 최우수연기상" [Lee Min-ho and Park Eun-bin, '2020 SBS Drama Awards' Miniseries Fantasy/Romance Best Actor Award] (in Korean). Sports Donga. Archived from the original on September 11, 2022. Retrieved September 11, 2022 – via Naver.
^Nam, An-woo (February 12, 2005). 김희선, 중앙대 '청룡 공로상' 수상. Naver (in Korean). Archived from the original on June 13, 2022. Retrieved December 23, 2021.
^Yang, Mi-sun (March 23, 2018). 한국 연예계의 세대교체 [Generational change in Korean entertainment industry]. JoongAng Ilbo (in Korean). Archived from the original on March 27, 2018. Retrieved May 21, 2021 – via Joins.
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