Early work and breakthrough (2012–2017) After graduating from college, Kim spent a year working as part of the
technical crew for the Iru theatre troupe in
Daehakro. She was later cast as the
understudy for
Kang Ae-shim in the 2012 production of
Spoonface Steinberg, although she did not perform on stage. She went on to appear in the plays
Pansy and
Ask for Love, and was double-cast in the 2013 rerun of
Spoonface Steinberg. That same year, she filmed
Moon Young, a short film that premiered at the Seoul Independent Film Festival in 2015, with a theatrical version released in 2017. In 2014, Kim signed with J-Wide Company and began appearing in various television commercials. During this period, she continued acting in short films and auditioned extensively for feature film roles, but faced numerous rejections. Her performance earned her multiple Best New Actress awards, including at the
Blue Dragon Film Award, the
Director's Cut Award, the
Buil Film Award, and the
Busan Film Critics Awards. Park Chan-wook later remarked that his first impression of Kim strongly reminded him of his initial meeting with actress
Kang Hye-jung, who achieved her breakthrough in his 2003 film
Oldboy. The following year, Kim appeared in the ensemble political thriller
1987: When the Day Comes, which earned her a nomination for Best Actress at the
Grand Bell Awards.
Established actress (2018–present) for Best New Actress In 2018, Kim headlined the
Korean film adaptation of the manga series
Little Forest, co-starring
Ryu Jun-yeol and
Jin Ki-joo. Her performance won her the Director's Cut Award and garnered Best Actress nominations at the Blue Dragon Film Award,
Baeksang Arts Award and Buil Film Award.'' earning her a third
Baeksang Arts Award nomination, this time for Best Actress in Television. In 2019, Kim was named to
Forbes 30 Under 30 list in the Entertainment & Sports category.—the film premiered on
Netflix in February 2021. It debuted at No. 1 on Netflix in at least 16 countries and attracted more than 26 million household views within its first 28 days. In August 2021, Kim signed with Management MMM following the expiration of her contract with J-Wide. Kim returned to television in the 2022
tvN coming-of-age drama
Twenty-Five Twenty-One, co-starring
Nam Joo-hyuk. The series was a commercial success and became one of the
highest-rated dramas in Korean cable television history. For her portrayal of Na Hee-do, Kim won
Best Actress – Television and
Most Popular Actress at
58th Baeksang Arts Awards. The same year, she appeared in
Choi Dong-hoon's sci-fi crime film
Alienoid. To prepare for her role as Lee Ahn, she trained in action choreography,
martial arts,
shooting, and
gymnastics. In 2023, Kim starred in
Revenant alongside
Oh Jung-se and
Hong Kyung. She was praised for her dual portrayal of San-yeong and the malicious spirit within her. The following year, Kim received critical acclaim for her portrayal of titular character in tvN's historical musical drama
Jeongnyeon: The Star Is Born (2024) alongside
Shin Ye-eun. Her performance was widely praised for its emotional depth and vocal versatility, earning her a second
Baeksang Arts Award for Best Actress – Television.
Gallup Korea later ranked her as
Korea's Television Actor of the Year. it opened at first place on Korean box office with 103,467 admissions and a gross of US$746,073. Kim made her voice acting debut in the 2025 South Korean animated
science fiction romance film
Lost in Starlight, which is the first South Korean feature-length animated film to be released on Netflix.'''' Kim will appear as a regular cast member in a new variety show produced by
tvN. ==Endorsements==