Metro.Style Most Beautiful Korean Actresses: Kim Hyun-Joo And Her Career Highlights
Applauding this actress' unconventional take on fame and the lessons she learned along the way, we highlight her career-defining moments
It's not every day that you encounter a top-billed actress who openly talks about what she could have done better, her regrets, and her what ifs, instead of her career highlights and fondest memories in the industry. But then again, the courage and honesty it took to make such confrontations is an achievement in and of itself!
And for Kim Hyun-joo, an actress who celebrates 23 years in the industry this year, she's glad to say that her time in the limelight has given her the room to enjoy personal and professional growth alike, the former of which has proved more valuable to her.
An actress, humanitarian, and a beauty icon, Kim Hyun-joo shows an unconventional take on what it means to be famous and truly beautiful. It's precisely why she was nominated in Metro.Style's Most Beautiful Korean Actresses poll.
In the gallery below, we highlight Kim Hyun-joo's achievements through the years:
Get To Know Actress Kim Hyun-Joo
Get To Know Actress Kim Hyun-Joo
Before K-Dramas became a worldwide phenomenon, Kim Hyun-joo already had dreams of finding superstardom on TV. She knew what she wanted and how to get there, but like any young person wanting to make a name for themselves, she, in her early years, underestimated the amount of discipline and hard work needed to make it to the top. Reflecting on her 23 years in the industry, the 43-year-old actress says she's happy with most of her decisions, but admits to wanting to have done better in some areas. Overall, she's glad she embarked on this journey and she certainly looks back on her acting career with a lot of fondness!
Photo Credit: Lancôme
She was a high school junior in the mid 90s when she decided that she wanted to be an actress. Seizing every opportunity that would bring her closer to her silver screen dreams, she began with making an appearance in a music video. Less than a year after, she went from 0 too 200 mile an hour and was cast in her first lead role, ever, that would also be her TV debut.
Photo Credit: Aigner
It was for 1997's "The Reason I Live," a project where her performance scored her an immediate follow up—this time, for her film debut. She led the holiday film "If it Snows on Christmas" in 1998, and from there onward, she would continue landing roles on both TV and film. Thinking that she'd already established her career in a just few years' time, a young Kim Hyun-joo fell victim to complacency. It was only when she was older that she realized that this could have been a crucial time in her career to work on her art and versatility in order to be taken more seriously in the industry and earn the approval and praise of those who mattered.
Photo Credit: Aigner
Thinking a steady stream of offers for bigger roles would keep coming her way, Kim Hyun-joo was surprised to see that she only ever made it as far as supporting performances. This would be the case until the 2000s when her career took a big turn for the better and she was catapulted to mainstream success. She has 2002's "Glass Slippers" to thank for her resurgence, a series that's best described as a cross between "Cinderella" and "Parent Trap." It gained massive popularity outside of Korea and TV execs and critics alike found renewed interest in her.
Photo Credit: Aigner
Come the mid-2000s, Kim Hyun-joo was ready to take her acting to the next level. She worried about being typecast; that is, forever being cast as different versions of the same character and unable to showcase her true depth and range as an actress. She purposely auditioned for roles that were the farthest from those she initially came to be known for; she explored period pieces, crime dramas, documentaries, and adaptations, too. The decade proved to be a struggle for her not only in her career, but in her personal life, too. Amidst her challenges as an actress was the fact that she had to deal with the deaths of three of her loved ones within the same year. Wishing to take a step back from life in the public eye, Kim Hyun-joo went on hiatus from 2009-2011.
Photo Credit: Aigner
It was in this two-year break that she became a public figure for social responsibility in Korea. She explored other ways to use her influence, then becoming an advocate for the environment and a spokesperson for NGO Good Neighbors. Her firsthand experiences in helping vulnerable groups refreshed her approach to life and blessed her with a reinvigorated perspective in acting. Returning to the screen in 2011, many of her projects that followed her hiatus went on to become critical and commercial successes.
Photo Credit: Aigner
It was in this time where she starred in her most recognizable work, namely "Twinkle Twinkle," "Dummy Mommy," "Blooded Palace: The War of Flowers," "What Happens to My Family?" and "I Have a Lover." These titles gave Kim Hyun-joo her first set of major nominations and wins for a variety of Best Actress awards.
Photo Credit: Lancôme
.jpg)
She has since focused her career on K-Dramas instead of film, with projects like "Fantastic," "Miracle That We Met," and "Watcher." She continues to star in small screen titles and she's proud to say that she's broken out of typecasting; no longer is the actress always filling in roles requiring timid and gentle women and her filmography is a testament to how much Kim Hyun-joo has grown over the years! She has two upcoming series: "Undercover" and "Hellbound."
Photo Credit: Lancôme
You may still vote for Kim Hyun-joo in Metro.Style's Most Beautiful Korean Actresses poll. Click here to vote! Voting is until September 29, Tuesday, 11:59 p.m.
Lead photo from the YNK Entertainment official website
Top Stories
Metro Beauty Picks Of The Week
BEAUTYMar 14, 2023
