Yunjin Kim (born November 7, 1973) is an American actress.[2][3][4] She is best known for her role as North Korean spy Bang-Hee in the South Korean film Shiri (1999), Sun-Hwa Kwon on the American television series Lost (2004–2010), as well as series such as Mistresses (2013–2016), Money Heist: Korea – Joint Economic Area (2022), XO, Kitty (2023–present).
Kim was born in Seoul, South Korea. She emigrated to the United States with her family in 1983-1984.[5] They lived in Staten Island, New York. She joined the middle school drama club in the 7th grade and performed in the musical My Fair Lady.
Kim attended high school at the prestigious Fiorello H. LaGuardia High School of Music & Art and Performing Arts, a public high school located in Manhattan. From there, she went on to study drama at the London Academy of Performing Arts and later earned her BFA degree in drama at Boston University. Kim has remarked that in her zeal to become Americanized quickly, she studied acting, academics and pronunciation with equal intensity.[citation needed] She is also a trained dancer and martial arts fighter.[6]
After graduation, Kim devoted herself full-time to acting. She garnered several minor parts on MTV, in soap opera-style dramas on ABC, and on the off-Broadway stage. In 1997, she starred in Splendid Holiday, a Korean TV drama shot on location in New York. Kim decided to return to Korea. She was cast in the TV drama Wedding Dress and was also invited to act in Lee Kwangmo's feature Spring in My Hometown, although she ended up not taking this role.[citation needed] Her breakthrough debut came in the 1999 film Shiri, South Korea's first blockbuster film. Shiri became the highest-grossing film in Korean history at the time. In November 2000, she continued her association with Kang Je-gyuinThe Legend of Gingko.
After acting in a Japanese film and a feature set in Los Angeles, Kim appeared in the sci-fi feature Yesterday. Then in 2002, Kim took the lead role in Ardor, the feature film debut of documentarist Byun Young-ju. The film was invited to screen in a non-competitive section at the 2003 Berlin film festival.
In 2004, Kim started appearing in the U.S. television series Lost, which ran for six seasons.
In May 2006, Maxim named Kim number 98 on its annual Hot 100 List.[7] In October 2006 she was featured on the cover of Stuff, as well as an inside spread.
Kim in 2011
In 2013, she had a leading role in the ABC drama series Mistresses.[8]
Kim in 2015
In 2018, Kim returned to Korean television by headlining the series Ms. Ma, Nemesis.[9]
^Todd Gilchrist (August 29, 2006). "Interview: Yunjin Kim". IGN Entertainment, Inc. Archived from the original on April 2, 2009. Retrieved July 14, 2009.
^Lee Mi-ji (April 22, 2022). "소지섭X김윤진 '자백', 제24회 우디네 극동영화제 폐막작 선정(공식)" [So Ji-sub X Kim Yun-jin's 'Confession' selected as the closing film of the 24th Udine Far East Film Festival (official)] (in Korean). Herald Pop. Archived from the original on April 23, 2022. Retrieved April 23, 2022 – via Naver.
^Kim Na-ra (April 28, 2022). "도그데이즈', 크랭크업...윤여정『웃음+공감 있는 영화』[공식]" [Dog Days', crank up... Yoon Yeo-jeong "Laughter + Sympathetic Movie" [Official]] (in Korean). My Daily. Archived from the original on April 28, 2022. Retrieved April 28, 2022 – via Naver.
^Lee Min-ji (April 29, 2022). "'종이의 집:공동경제구역' 6월24일 파트1공개, 하회탈 선택[공식]" [House of Paper: Common Economic Zone' Part 1 released on June 24, Hahoe Mask Selection [Official]] (in Korean). Newsen. Archived from the original on April 29, 2022. Retrieved April 29, 2022 – via Naver.
^Kim, Soo-hyung (January 1, 2019). "베스트커플→대상" 감우성♥김선아, 노련美로 완성한 '무진커플'의 위력 [2018 SBS 연기대상]" [Best Couple → Daesang" Gam Woo-sung ♥ Kim Seon-ah, the power of 'Mujin Couple' completed with expert beauty [2018 SBS Drama Awards]] (in Korean). Osen. Archived from the original on September 8, 2022. Retrieved September 8, 2022 – via Naver.
^Yang, So-young (September 4, 2023). "김서형 류준열, 영평상 주연상 받는다...작품상은 '다음 소희" [Kim Seo-hyung Ryu Jun-yeol, Youngpyeong Award for Best Actor... 'Next Sohee' for Best Picture] (in Korean). Star Today. Archived from the original on September 6, 2023. Retrieved September 6, 2023 – via Naver.
^"1984~2008 한국영화 배우 흥행 파워 50" [1984–2008 Top Box Office Powerhouse Actors in Korean Movies]. thescreen.co.kr. Archived from the original on October 30, 2023. Retrieved October 30, 2023.
^"한국영화 배우 흥행 파워 TOP 배우 하정우 그러나 TOP 10위 안에 여성 배우는 실종...여성 주연 영화 부재가 원인" [Korean movie actor box office power TOP actor Ha Jung-woo but the female actor in the top 10 is missing... Due to the absence of female-starred films]. RNX (in Korean). January 2, 2020. Archived from the original on October 30, 2023. Retrieved October 30, 2023.
