HomeActor/ActressKim Yun-jin
Kim Yun-jin
김윤진
In 1997, after being cast in numerous Broadway productions and finding minor roles on ABC and MTV, she starred in Splendid Holiday, a Korean TV drama being shot on location in New York. In part due to this experience, Kim decided to return to Korea. She was quickly cast in the TV drama Wedding Dress and was also invited to act in Lee Kwangmo's feature Spring in My Hometown, although she ended up not taking this role. Her breakthrough debut came in the 1999 film Shiri, making her an instant star throughout the country. In November 2000 she continued her association with KangJeGyu Film in the big-budget The Legend of Gingko.
After acting in a Japanese film and a low-profile feature set in Los Angeles, Kim appeared in the big-budget sci-fi feature Yesterday, which ended up bombing spectacularly at the box office. Then in 2002, Kim took the lead role in Ardor, the feature film debut of acclaimed documentarist Byun Young-ju (Habitual Sadness). The film was invited to screen in a non-competitive section at the 2003 Berlin film festival, and Kim's acting earned widespread praise.
After a couple quiet years, in 2004 Kim started appearing in the popular U.S. television series Lost, which introduced her to audiences in the US. Shortly thereafter, she also received an offer to appear opposite Billy Bob Thornton in the Hollywood film Georgia Heat, about a woman who falls in love with an American and moves to the US. At the same time, Kim has agreed to star in the upcoming Korean production Bystanders, a thriller in which she appears together with popular singer/actor Eric.
Daejong Film Fest Showcases Trends
South Korea's esteemed 45th Daejong (Grand Bell) Film Festival held in southern Seoul, showcased the latest local box office trends, with its stronghold of original thrillers, stylistic period pieces and experimental projects. While superstars grabbed the limelight as expected, hitherto overlooked veteran actors and young debutant directors shined the most, suggesting that blatant star power, be it a reputed director or ravishing screen beauty, don't always guarantee ticket sales or awards. The red carpet event took place outside the COEX Convention Hall in a sea of blinding camera flashes as glamorous cineastes filed in. Screen beauties like Han Chae-young, Park Jin-hee and Shin Ae were elegant in cleavage-bearing, long evening gowns while others such as Kim Yun-jin and Ko Ara chose mini-dresses to show off their figures. Actress Kim A-jung, who won last year's award for Best Actress (``200 Pounds Beauty''), and popular announcer Choe Gi-hwan hosted the show. To add more sparkle to the star-studded event, pop group the Wonder Girls took to the stage to deliver bubbly dance music. ``The Chaser,'' the feature film debut of young director Na Hong-jin and the highest grossing film this season, took the festival by storm by winning five of 11 nominations, including those for Best Picture and Director. For Actor Kim Yun-seok, who has endlessly displayed solid acting through supporting roles, his first leading role won him both the Best Actor prize and the BMW Popularity Award. The 40-year-old dazzled the screen as a sullen, disheartened former cop opposite hot young actor Ha Jung-woo. Another murder thriller ``Seven Days,'' the latest homegrown film starring ``Lost'' star Kim Yun-jin, won three of 10 nominations including Best Actress, Sound Effects and Editing. Like ``The Chaser,'' it enjoyed critical acclaim and high sales at the box office earlier this year. Awards for Best Supporting Actor and Actress went to Yoo Jun-sang (``Return'') and Kim Hae-sook (``Open City''), respectively. The latter star showed off a wild, charismatic streak as an ex-convict in ``Open City,'' breaking away from her usual TV roles as a housewife. The 52-year-old, sexy in a sleek black dress on the night, also received attention for her role as a mother who falls in love with her daughter's former fiance. The romance film ``Viva Love'' won director Oh Jeom-gyun the title of Best New Director and Best Screenplay. Korean cinema and broadcasting have seen a high tide of stylistic period pieces depicting lives and loves from the Joseon Kingdom (1392-1910). The befittingly named court intrigue ``Shadows in the Palace'' by debutant director Kim Mee-jung won the award for Best Lighting while ``Hwang Jin Yi,'' starring actress Song Hye-kyo as the famed poet and dancer, received prizes for Best Music and Costume. ``M,'' celebrated director Lee Myung-se's striking, surreal story starring Gang Dong-won, received the Best Visuals Award. ``Miracle of a Giving Fool'' starring Ha Ji-won and Cha Tae-hyun, a hit among popular cartoon-turned-movies, won the public vote for Best Hallyu (Korean Wave) Movie. Actor Daniel Henney, who recently finished shooting his Hollywood debut in the ``X-Men'' franchise, was named Best New Actor (``My Father'') and model-turned-actress Han Ye-seul won Best New Actress. A special honor went to Yoo Dong-hoon, president of the Korea Scenario Writers Association, for his lifetime contribution to Korean cinema. Stellar Event Casts Dark Shadows But brightness is always accompanied by dark shadows. Inefficient organization prolonged the running time of the event, and the awardees did not receive sufficient time to express their happiness. The preceding film festival inviting moviegoers to watch movies and meet cineastes at the Seoul World Cup Stadium, May 24-28, was popular and was extended until the 30th. However, the award ceremony itself drew a rather disappointing level of public participation. The annual event recorded a relatively low viewer rating of 11.9 percent through its live broadcasting on SBS. The ceremony caused disorder in the Samseong-dong area where roads were blocked off, and there was sharp criticism of its overly commercial tactic of charging people to vote for the Hallyu Movie Award.
ABC Hit Series 'Lost' Nominated for 12th Prism Award
The ABC hit series "Lost," featuring Korean actress Kim Yun-jin, has been nominated for the 12th annual Prism Award. According to U.S. Variety Magazine, "Lost" will compete with other popular drama series such as NBC's "ER" and "Gone Baby Gone," a film directed by Ben Affleck, at the Prism Awards Ceremony to be held at the Beverly Hills Hotel in Los Angeles on April 24. The annual Prism Awards Ceremony deals with films and dramas that accurately portray issues related to alcoholism and psychologial disorders. "Lost" and "Grey's Anatomy" on ABC have each received nominations for 20 categories.
[Talk of the town]Stork brings baby No. 3 to actors Two celebrity lovebirds have added another chick to their nest.
![[Talk of the town]Stork brings baby No. 3 to actors Two celebrity lovebirds have added another chick to their nest.](/kmovie_news/thumbnail/080130_cha_thumb.jpg){kind=small}
Married actors Cha In-pyo, 41, and actress Shin Ae-ra, 39, adopted a 3-month-old girl as their third child. The couple has named the baby girl Cha Ye-jin. “Through adoption, a child learns love and so does her new family,” Shin said. The couple was inspired to adopt Ye-jin while volunteering at the Social Welfare Society, a government-funded organization. Cha and Shin are regular volunteers. Ye-jin is the couple’s second adopted child. In 2005, Cha and Shin adopted a baby girl and named her Ye-eun. She is now four years old. Shin also has a biological son, Jung-min, 11. Hollywood gobbles up movie audiences in Korea Korea could use a little movie magic these days. Only one out of every 10 Korean films netted profits last year, according to a Korean Film Council report released Monday. The report, titled “2007 Korean Film Industry Settlement,” showed that of the 112 films released last year, only 13 (11.6 percent) surpassed the break-even point. Only three of the 10 top-grossing films in Korea were of domestic origin ―“D-War,” “May 18” and “200 Pounds Beauty.” Instead, Hollywood films appeared to dominate. Top-ranking films included “Transformers,” “Pirates of the Caribbean: At World’s End” and “Spider-Man 3.” ‘Lost’ actress finds stardom in the U.S. Kim Yun-jin embodies happiness these days. Best known for her role as Sun-hwa Kwon on the American television drama series “Lost,” Kim was the center of one American newspaper’s spotlight in a recent interview. An interview with Kim made the front page of national newspaper USA Today. Titled “Back to the island for ‘Lost,’ ” the interview provided an in-depth look at Kim, who will resume her role in season four on ABC’s Lost. Jazzing up Seoul, Japanese style Korean music fans should prepare to enter a new dimension. Japanese fusion jazz group Dimension comes to Korea Feb. 29. The concert will be at Baekam Art Hall in southern Seoul. The group released “Newish,” its 15-year anniversary album, last year. Dimension first played in Korea in 2004, but this concert marks the Japanese jazz guys’ first headline performance in Korea. By Lee Eun-joo
Kim Yun-jin's Photo Published on Front Page of USA Today
The U.S. daily USA Today, which has the largest circulation in America, has recently published a photo of Korean American actress Kim Yun-jin on its front page. The daily chose Kim's photo for its article covering the popular ABC TV show "Lost," which begins its fourth season on Jan. 31. Kim gained enormous popularity for her role in "Lost," in which she plays a Korean-American woman named Sun. The actress said in her interview with USA Today that the show's cast was disappointed that only eight out of 16 episodes from the new season will air, but she added that all eight episodes are amazingly interesting. The daily wrote that if the writers' strike in the U.S. ends by the middle of next month, five or six more episodes of "Lost" could be produced by May.
How Stars Dress for the Red Carpet
A glimpse of true glamour graced the red carpet at the Blue Dragon Awards last Friday, when Korea’s most beautiful actresses wore some of the most stunning dresses the fashion world could produce. The dress Jeon Do-yeon chose for the awards, w....
A Grueling 'Seven Days' for Kim Yun-jin
“Seven Days,” starring “Lost” star Kim Yun-jin is getting an explosive response. With a fast-paced storyline and a complicated plot, the movie released on Nov. 14 appeals especially to movie fans in their 20s. Overseas markets have also shown int....
