Kim Yong-ji

The Gaze That Needed No Words

Kim Yong-ji got into acting almost by accident. She studied editing and directing at the Seoul Institute of the Arts, since her real goal was to work behind the camera. But her look caught the attention of talent scouts while she was working as a commercial model for cosmetics brands.

In 2018, she made her debut in the series Mr. Sunshine under screenwriter Kim Eun-sook. She played Hotaru, a mute woman who read tarot cards. She managed to stand out without saying a single word throughout all of her episodes on screen.

It was a risky bet for a debut actress.

And it worked. That role opened the doors to tvN's big productions. But before that, she had to learn how to handle the weight of sudden fame in a market as aggressive as Seoul's.

Duality as a Working Tool

In 2020, she was cast to play two different characters in The King: Eternal Monarch. On one hand, she was a press secretary for the royal household, and on the other, the owner of a café. The difference between the two roles lay in small gestures and in the tone of her voice.

Her technical training at university helped her understand how framing works. She knows where to stand so the light supports the intention of the scene. She is not an actress who waits for passive instructions from the director of photography.

The change of pace was total.

That same year, she took part in Tale of the Nine Tailed playing Ki Yu-ri. It was a character with violent, wild emotional intensity that broke with her earlier image as a polished model. Korean audiences embraced this new side of her with enthusiasm.

From Mysticism to the Netflix Thriller

In 2022, Netflix cast her in a complex role in the series Somebody. She played Im Mok-won, a shaman who assists in a criminal investigation. For this role, she had to gain weight and change her usual look for a much more earthy and darker style.

But the shoot was physically demanding. The ritual scenes required energy that left her exhausted after every day on set. Because Kim Yong-ji prefers the immersive method over superficial acting.

In 2023, she reconnected with fantasy in Tale of the Nine Tailed 1938. Here she brought to life Sunwoo Eun-ho, a journalist undercover during the Japanese occupation. It was a role that blended physical action with the political drama of the era.

In 2024, she joined the cast of the film Officer Black Belt. The project racked up millions of viewing hours in its first week of release. The production had a budget of several billion won.