2004–2006: Beginnings In February 2004, Kim participated in a student graduation workshop at Korea National University of Arts, showcasing her talent in two musicals produced by fellow undergraduate students. The first musical,
The Story of Mirror Princess Pyeonggang, created by Min Jun-ho, featured a unique performance by eight actors who remained on stage for the entire 1 hour and 25 minutes, constantly moving without leaving. The actors generated all sound effects and audio elements using only their voices (a cappella). This innovative production received ₩1 million in production support from Korea National University of Arts. the production starred Kim as the female lead, along with Jeon Byeong-wook as Kim Jong-wook and Min Jun-ho in multiple roles. Their graduation performance at the Black Box Theater of Korea National University of Arts impressed their professors, leading to an official invitation to the 15th Istropolitana Project, an international student theater festival held in Bratislava, Slovakia, from June 26 to June 30, 2004. In September 2004, Min Jun-ho established Theater Ganda as an official theater company, and Kim became one of the founding members, marking the beginning of her career as a musical and theater actress. In December 2004, Kim reprised her role in
Finding Mr. Destiny as a member of Dolgochi. The club performed three original musicals at the Jayu Theater at the
Seoul Arts Center:
Ssukbuckthorn (December 9–11),
The Mirror Princess Pyeonggang Story (December 13–15), and
Finding Mr. Destiny (December 17–19). In 2006, Kim appeared as a supporting actress in Byun Seung-wook's film
Solace, portraying the character Mi-ran.
2007–2011: Finding Mr. Destiny and other works In 2007, Kim reunited with writer and composer Kim Hye-seong for Season 3 of the musical
Finding Mr. Destiny.
CJ ENM acquired the performance rights after being impressed by their university performance in 2004 and collaborated with Musical Haven for the joint production. The musical originally premiered in 2005 with
Oh Na-ra as the female lead."Finding Kim Jong-wook was the first piece of work I did during a workshop at school, so I believe I was able to accomplish it because the directing team suggested it for me to re-enact. I am extremely fortunate. Reflecting on my life, I consider myself very lucky. I have encountered numerous wonderful individuals who have contributed to my ability to perform in this direction."In the same year, Kim collaborated with Min Jun-ho on ''The Theater's Realistic Ganda Series
, which featured two plays at the Star City Art Hall in Daehakro. The first play, Annapurna in My Heart'', written by Park Chun-geun and directed by Min Jun-ho, explored the significance of family. It was created by the playwright group 'Dog' from Korea National University of Arts and was performed from July 4 to 15. The second play,
I Loved That Child, written by Choo Min-ja, took the stage from July 17 to 22. Kim played the role of Mi-young, who is involved in a love story with Jeong-tae. The play received acclaim for its engaging dialogue, dynamic acting, and innovative use of a single 'blackboard' to depict 18 scenes and 10 locations. It won awards for Best Picture, Best Direction, and Best Actress at the Miryang Summer Performing Arts Festival and was selected as an ARCO year-end program piece. In 2009, Kim appeared in
Yi Sang-woo's film
A Little Pond, which depicted the massacre of South Korean refugees by American soldiers at No Gun Ri in late July 1950, early in the Korean War. Filming began in August 2006, and post-production ended in March 2009. The film premiered on October 8, 2009, at the 14th Busan International Film Festival in Busan, South Korea. Many cast and crew members donated their services due to the story's controversial nature, which discouraged investors. In 2010, Kim portrayed Heo Yang-mi, a coffee shop owner caring for her younger brother, in Masan MBC's drama series
My Sister March. The drama focused on the
Busan—Masan Uprising, commemorating its 50th anniversary, and was the first to address this historical event. The screenplay was written by Kim Woon-kyung, known for works like
Moon in Seoul,
Aunt Ok, and
Seoul Ttukbaegi, and was produced by Kim Yong-geun and directed by Jeon Woo-seok. Kim also demonstrated her acting skills in musicals, portraying Jung-jeon in
Prince Puzzle alongside Jo Hwi, Jeon Mi-do, Tae-hee,
Ahn Se-ha, and Kim Dae-hyun. The story centered around a crown prince's disappearance and the subsequent investigation, featuring a love story between suspects Ja-sook and Gu-dong.
2012–2018: A decade with Theater Ganda and other projects In 2012, Kim and Yoon Gong-ju were double-cast in the role of Kim Se-jin, a love-struck and socially awkward barista, in the encore performance of the
two-hander musical
Caffeine musical
Caffeine, directed by Seong Jae-jun. The role of the charming sommelier, Kang Ji-min, was also double-cast, with Jeong Sang-hoon and
Park Ho-san alternating in the role. Since its initial premiere in 2008, the musical has been consistently performed. The encore performance took place at the Culture Space EnU from February 2 to April 8. In 2013, Kim had a busy year with two major musicals:
Pungwolju and
Bungee Jumping. She played
Queen Jin-seong in the
Pungwolju reading performance in 2011 but missed the musical's premiere in 2012 due to a television drama commitment. She later reprised her role as Queen Jin-seong in the Japanese production of
Pungwolju at the Amuse Musical Theater in Roppongi, Tokyo, from June 21 to July 21. In late 2013, Kim returned as
Queen Jin-seong in the South Korean encore of
Pungwolju at Dongsung Arts Center's Dongsung Hall from November 9, 2013, to February 16, 2014. She shared the emotional challenges of portraying characters with similar sadness, noting the unresolved aspects of Queen Jin-seong's character mixed with the emotions of her role as Tae-hee in
Bungee Jumping. Despite her previous experience, she expressed a desire for more rehearsal time due to changes in the second encore. In August, Kim reunited with
Kim So-jin in the South Korean adaptation of
Alexi Kaye Campbell's
The Pride as Sylvia
. Directed by
Kim Dong-yeon and written by Ji Yi-seon, the play premiered at the Art One Theater as part of Season 5 of the Best Play Festival. The production explored the struggles of marginalized individuals, particularly sexual minorities, through a captivating narrative that alternated between the eras of 1958 and 2014. Lee Myeong-haeng and Jung Sang-yoon were double-cast as Philip;
Oh Jong-hyuk and
Park Eun-seok played the role of Oliver; and
Choi Dae-hoon and Kim Jong-goo were double-cast as Peter. In October, Kim starred in the musical
The Days at the Daehakro Musical Center Grand Theater. The story, set in 1992 and 2012, revolves around the disappearance of the president's daughter and her bodyguard, triggering memories for a security chief who recalls a similar case from 20 years ago. The musical ran from Oct 21 to January 18, 2015. Kim and
Kwak Sun-young shared dual roles Hiroko and Itsuki Fujii in the musical
Love Letter, based on
a Japanese film with the same name. The story follows Hiroko's journey after losing her fiancé Itsuki in a tragic accident. During his memorial ceremony, Hiroko discovers an address in his yearbook and begins exchanging letters with a woman named Itsuki Fujii, who looks like her. The male role of Itsuki was played by Cho Sang-woong and Kang Ki-dung. The musical also featured
Park Ho-san, Yoon Seok-won, Yoo Joo-hye, Ahn So-yeon, Lee Seo-hwan, and Kang Jeong-im in supporting roles.
Love Letter ran from December 2 to February 12. In 2015, Kim collaborated once again with director
Kim Dong-yeon in a production of the play
Speaking in Tongues by Australian playwright
Andrew Bovell. The director added the subtitle "Confessions of the Lost" to the play. This production, making its Korean premiere, was staged at the Suhyeon Theater in Daehakro, Seoul from May 1 to July 16. In October 2015, Kim and
Kim So-jin reunited as double cast in the play
Late Autumn. The play was adapted from the
2011 film of the same name, originally starring
Tang Wei as Anna. It tells the story of Anna, a woman imprisoned for murder, who has a special encounter with Hoon during a three-day outing following her mother's death. The performances took place at the Daehakro Art One Theater Hall 1 until November 8. In 2016, Kim and
Yoon Na-moo appeared together for the third time in
John Cariani's omnibus play
Almost, Maine. They played love interests in the episode "Her Heart," which was set in the fictional town of Almost,
Maine. The play ran at Sangmyung Art Hall 1 in Daehakro, Seoul until May 1. In May 2016, Kim and Yeon Jeong were double-cast in
Jethro Compton's play,
Capone Trilogy. This omnibus play consisted of three episodes: "Rocky (1923)," "Lucifer (1934)," and "Vindici (1943)," all set in the same room at the Lexington Hotel in Chicago during different years. Kim portrayed various characters in each episode: Lola, a deceitful and sensual showgirl in "Rocky"; Marlene, the wife of Nick who claimed to be the second-in-command of the organization in "Lucifer"; and Lucy, a character who assisted a young police officer in seeking revenge in "Vindici." The performances were held at the Hongik University Daehakro Arts Center Small Theater until September 29. In October 2016, Kim and Jeong Woon-seon were double-cast as Yu-kyeong in the encore performance of the musical
Hi! UFO. The production, directed by Heo Yeon-jeong and Park So-young, was based on the 2004 film of the same name and recognized as an excellent re-performance by the Arts Council of Korea. The show took place at Daehakro Art One Theater Hall 1 from October 5 to October 30. The cast also included
Im Chul-soo, Yoon Seong-won, Jung Da-hee, Kim Hyun-jin, Yoo-kyung, and Kim Yoo-jung. In November 2016, Kim and
Bae Hae-sun were double-cast as Siobhan in
Simon Stephens's play
The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time, which was based on
the novel of the same name by
Mark Haddon. Siobhan is a special school teacher and the narrator of the play. The story follows Christopher, a 15-year-old boy with autism, as he investigates the murder of his neighbor's dog and explores a world beyond his own.
Yoon Na-moo,
Jeon Sung-woo, and
Ryeowook portrayed Christopher, while Kim Young-ho and Shim Hyung-tak played his father, Ed. Kim Rosa and Yang So-min portrayed his mother, Judy. The cast also included other talented actors such as Kim Dong-hyun, Hwang Seong-hyun, Han Se-ra, Jo Hanna, Kang Jeong-im, and Kim Jong-cheol. The South Korean premiere took place at the BBCH Hall in Gwanglim Art Center, Apgujeong, Seoul, and ran until February 2017 as part of The 14th Kim Soo-ro's project, directed by Kim Tae-hyung. Also in November 2016, Kim reprised the role of Geunyo in the musical
Those Days. Kim reunited with director
Kim Dong-yeon, and reprised her role as Sylvia in the third encore performance of
The Pride.
Lee Jin-hee (from 2nd encore) and Lim Kang-hee were also cast in the role. The returning cast members included Lee Myeong-haeng, Jung Sang-yoon (from Premiere), Bae Soo-bin (from 2nd encore), and Seong Doo-seop. The character of Oliver was portrayed by Oh Jong-hyuk (from Premiere), Jeong Dong-hwa, Park Sung-hoon (from 2nd encore), and Chang-ryul. The performance ran from March 21 to July 2, 2017, at the Daehakro Art One Theater Hall 2, Seoul. In December 2017, Kim was triple-cast as Hye-rin in the musical
Hourglass, alongside Jo Joung-eun and Jang Eun-ah. The musical was based on the 1995 SBS drama series
Sandglass by Song Ji-na and ran at the Chungmu Art Centre Grand Theatre from December 5 to February 11, 2018. It depicted the friendship and love of the three protagonists amidst the turmoil of modern Korean history.
2019–present: Major theater productions and rise in popularity In 2019, Kim continued to expand her acting repertoire, taking on diverse roles in stage and musical productions. In March, she and Moon Hye-won shared the role of Yoon Yeo-ok in the musical adaptation of the television series
Eyes of Dawn. Directed by
Kim Jong-hak and written by
Song Ji-na, the adaptation is based on a 10-volume novel by
Kim Seong-jong published in 1981. The musical, which premiered in March 2019, maintained the dramatic storyline of the original work while introducing new characters and significant historical events, spanning from the
Japanese colonial period to
World War II,
Korea's liberation and the
Korean War. In August 2019, Kim took on the challenge of portraying nine different characters in the two-hander play adaptation of Jane Austen's
Pride and Prejudice. This production required her to memorize and perform a considerable amount of dialogue. Despite her experience, the complexity of the characters, including Elizabeth Bennet, Mrs. Bennet, and Lydia Bennet, proved demanding. She received the script from the Moon Company in August 2018 while concluding her involvement in
Bungee Jumping. While performing in musical
Eyes of Dawn, Kim received an offer to audition for
Sweeney Todd from OD Company. Despite a busy schedule and a conflicting drama commitment, she submitted a video audition. Producer Shin Chun-soo and director Eric Schaeffer were impressed by her performance and confirmed her casting.
Sweeney Todd, which premiered in October 2019, marked Kim's first major licensed musical, representing a significant departure from her previous roles in original musicals. Her portrayal of Mrs. Lovett surprised many, as she had primarily played innocent and resentful characters in the past. In January 2020, Kim reprised her role as Yoon Yeo-ok in the musical
Eyes of Dawn, alongside Choi Woo-ri and Park Jung-ah in a triple casting. Shortly after, she played Choi Dae-soon, the older sister of Dae-hyun, in the TV series
Backstreet Rookie, starring Ji Chang-wook and Kim Yoo-jung. The show, based on the webtoon ''She's Too Much for Me
by Hwalhwasan, aired on SBS TV from June 19 to August 8, 2020. While the drama was airing, Kim participated in a trial performance of the new musical Let Me Fly'', hosted by the Wooran Cultural Foundation. This musical, part of the Wooran Beyond Performing Arts Development Program, took place from July 5 to 7 at Wooran 2nd Scene Theater. The story follows Nam-won, a character aspiring to be a fashion designer in 1969, and includes elements of time travel. Kim played the role of old Seon-hee, Nam-won's love interest. After completing the trial performances, Kim began filming a supporting role as Na-na in the road movie
The Box, which features EXO's Chanyeol as a budding singer and as a former popular producer. Directed by Yang Jung-woong and produced by Studio Take, the film chronicles their musical journey and premiered in South Korea on March 24, 2021. In 2021, Kim filmed the TV series
Artificial City, with principal photography began on March 29, 2021. By May 2021, reports confirmed her casting in the series, The show premiered on JTBC on December 8, 2021, airing every Wednesday and Thursday. Kim also took on the role of Aldonza Lorenza in her second licensed musical,
Man of La Mancha, sharing the role with Yoon Gong-joo and Choi Soo-jin in a triple casting. The musical ran at the Charlotte Theater in Jamsil, Seoul, from February to March 1, followed by an extended run at the Chungmu Arts Center Grand Theater from March 24 to May 16. Initially, Hong Gwang-ho played Don Quixote, but Cho Seung-woo took over the role during the extended run, with both actors double-cast alongside Ryu Jeong-han. In 2022, Kim appeared in her first television lead role alongside
Son Ye-jin and
Jeon Mi-do in JTBC's TV series
Thirty-Nine, a romantic drama about three friends. She also graced the cover of
The Musical magazine's March issue and reprised her role as Seon-hee in the musical
Let Me Fly. In May, Kim joined the cast of Netflix Original Series
D.P. for its second season, playing Lieutenant Colonel Seo-eun, the head of the Operations Department in the Ministry of Defense's prosecution team. Her character had a significant impact on the events of the drama. Kim worked with director
Min Sae-rom in play based on the 2013 novel
Réparer les vivants (
Mend the Living) by
Maylis de Kerangal. At the end of 2023, Kim played the role of Song Seo-kyung, the second female lead in the drama series
Tell Me That You Love Me. The series is based on the 1995 Japanese TV show
Aishiteiru to Itte Kure and stars
Jung Woo-sung and
Shin Hyun-been. Song Seo-kyung is Jin-woo's (Jung Woo-sung) college classmate and ex-lover, who is the director of an art center. The drama is an original production of Genie TV and is available for streaming on its platform, as well as on Disney+ in certain regions. It aired on ENA from November 27, 2023, to January 16, 2024, every Monday and Tuesday. ==Filmography==