12 Things About Kim So-Hyun, The Star Of "River Where The Moon Rises" And "Love Alarm"
"River Where the Moon Rises" was just released and "Love Alarm" season two is coming soon. Now, we're fangirling over these shows' leading lady!
She's 21 years old, yet has worked nonstop since she was seven and with each year of work, has only become a better actress and an all-time favorite of viewers and critics alike! Kim So-hyun is definitely living proof of what hard work can get you, setting a great example for all those who idolize her.
The actress returns to the small screen in historical series River Where the Moon Rises. In the series that premiered yesterday, February 15, Kim So-hyun plays the role of princess Pyong Gang in Goguryeo who was raised to become a soldier. She stars alongside actor Ji Soo, who plays the role of kind-hearted man On Dal who will protect the princess no matter what.
Meanwhile, in the second season of Netflix's Love Alarm, a show where technology helps speed up the process of falling in love, Kim So-hyun reprises her role as high school student Kim Jo-jo when the second season premiers in Netflix on March 12. Her co-actors are Song Kang (as Hwang Sun-oh) and Jung Ga-ram (as Lee Hye-young), and their characters' love triangle continues.
Scroll through the gallery below for some quick facts about Kim So-hyun!
Get to know Kim So-hyun
Get to know Kim So-hyun
Young at 21, she's already considered a top Hallyu star.
She's not only a K-drama and film actress, but a popular event host and in-demand brand ambassador, too! She's accomplished much despite a relatively fresh career that only really took off in 2015 with her first lead role in teen drama "Who Are You: School 2015."
She was born in Australia.
As for her personal life, this young actress' childhood was more colorful than most of her peers. She was actually born in Australia, but raised in Korea. She moved when she was four years old and would complete her education, and then start her acting career, in Korea. (Interestingly, she was home schooled for the entirety of high school!).
She juggled student life and her job as an actress.
Her first brush with acting training came in college; she was a student at Hanyang University, a theater major, and it was at this time where she would first learn about the intricacies of the art. She finished college in 2018 and worked on on-screen projects at the same time. That's right, Kim So-hyun was a working student!
She was a child star.
Speaking of working as an actress, Kim So-hyun didn't actually wait until graduation before pursuing some of her earliest roles. She was actually a child actor whose first onscreen appearance was in 2006, and she has starred in a series or film every year since then. She's only 21, but she's had a steady stream of projects since she was seven years old! She was even dubbed as the "Queen of Child Actors," and used to receive salary that's above average for child actors.
She doesn't think of herself as a workaholic.
Her impressive filmography doesn't come as a surprise to those she's worked with, though. According to costars and film crew, she's very hardworking. Her dedication to deepening her understanding of her roles, memorizing lines, perfecting emotional projection, and putting her own needs second to production deadlines is second to none. She's even admitted to feeling uncomfortable and restless when her schedule isn't filled with commitments! It's important for her to seize every opportunity that comes her way.
She's an incredibly passionate actress.
She also a reputation for being a "work now, play later" kind of actress. Although she's an incredibly likable person on set and easily makes friends with those she works with, when the cameras start to roll, she's one hundred percent focused on the scene and will try her best to get it right in one take. Because she really takes time to understand her characters even before stepping into the set, she also makes sure all those efforts translate into great performances. Her "Love Alarm" co-star Jung Ga-ram once described her as "a very serious and really great actress."
She was dubbed "Little Son Ye-jin."
She's also pretty open and honest about her personal experiences. In a particularly memorable interview where she was innocently asked who her industry role models were, she said she didn't have any. Now it's not that she didn't deem anyone worthy of admiration; she said she wished to first know herself better and discover more about who she was before she could pick out a role model that aligned with her values and perspectives. She did cite Son Ye-jin as one of the actresses she looks up to; interestingly, she's been dubbed as "Little Son Ye-jin" before due to her resemblance with the Hallyu queen.
She's played the young version of some of the most popular Korean actresses.
Speaking of Son Ye-jin, Kim So-hyun played the veteran actress' young version in the film "The Last Princess." Other actresses whose young versions in K-dramas she portrayed were Han Ji-min in "Padam Padam," KIm Min-seo in "Moon Embracing the Sun," Yoon Eun-hye in "Missing You," Lee Da-hae in "Iris II: New Generation," and Lee Bo-young in "I Can Hear Your Voice."
Her first (onscreen) kiss was with Yeo Jin-goo.
And for the fans wondering, we'll sneak this in here: she's seemingly single! She did, however, have her first-ever kiss onscreen! It was with Yeo Jin-goo for teen drama "Missing You." Yeo Jin-goo also started out as a child actor.
She's an in-demand K-drama lead.
With a portfolio like hers, it's almost impossible to pick just a few titles of hers to watch (she has over 40 acting credits to name), but if you really, really had to choose just a handful, it's strongly suggested that new Kim So-hyun fans see the dramas that earned her acting nominations or awards, or helped her make it to the mainstream. This selection include K-dramas "Moon Embracing the Sun," "Who Are You: School 2015," "The Emperor: Owner of the Mask," "Radio Romance," and "The Tale of Nokdu."
She maximizes her influence by supporting philanthropic groups and causes.
As a testament to her generation of actresses, she's also socially involved and knows the importance of responsibly using her fame and influence. She's worked with several charitable institutions in the past like KARA, the Green Umbrella Children's Foundation, and Hope Bridge Association of the National Disaster Relief.
She's one of the most followed Korean actresses on Instagram.
Her style is as varied as her roles. Her 10.2 million Instagram followers can pick up fashion and beauty inspirations from her; she's gone from playful and cute to subtle and sophisticated, even trying out uber girly or ultra-modern looks in between.
Photos from @wow_kimsohyun and E&T Story Entertainment
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