130, Suyeonggangbyeon-daero,
Haeundae-gu, Busan, Republic of Korea,
48058
Ko-pick: Kim Go-eun Watchlist
One of the Korean performers of the first half of 2024 to have made a palpable impact in cinemas has undoubtedly been Kim Go-eun who has continued to demonstrate her wide range and an ability to draw in audiences. This was demonstrated in Jang Jae-hyun’s Exhuma (2024), one of the most talked-about features of the year selling close to 12 million tickets fuelled by explosive word-of-mouth.
Kim also stars in E Oni’s Love in the Big City (2024) that was released on October 2 and premiered at the Toronto International Film Festival (TIFF) in September. It has also already been warmly embraced by many critics as Kim has shown she can adapt to changes in the film and television industry, connecting with audiences not only in feature films but also limited series made evident in shows including Guardian: The Lonely and Great God (2016-2017) and Yumi’s Cells (2021-2022). As such, with her content being successful both home and abroad, she has a committed fan base in and out of Korea making her one of the most successful Korean actors of her generation.
Kim made her debut in Jung Ji-woo’s drama Eungyo (2012) instantly attracting attention both within and out of the industry for what was an immensely challenging role. Despite being in a position where she was given several offers, she decided to wait and complete her degree at the Korea National University of Arts. This was telling because many young actors in Korea find it difficult to graduate while working on various projects.
She made her comeback in Hwang In-ho’s Monster (2014), and also starred in three films released in 2015: Han Jun-hee’s Coin Locker Girl, Park Heung-sik’s Memories of the Sword, and the Advocate: A Missing Body underscoring the demand she was in. She also made her TV debut in 2016 with Cheese in the Trap and has continued to feature in both films and dramas since then starring in content such as Hero (2022), Little Women (2022) and Exhuma.
This week we delve into some of these titles in what is a watchlist beginning with Eungyo before profiling The Advocate: A Missing Body, Guardian: The Lonely and Great God, Tune in for Love, Hero, Yumi Cells and concluding with Exhuma.