Kim Hyun-joo began modeling in teen magazines when she was in third year high school. In 1996, she made her entertainment debut when she starred in the music video for Kim Hyun-chul's "One's Lifetime."[3] Kim launched her acting career in 1997 in the television dramaThe Reason I Live (1997). Despite being a newcomer, she was cast in the leading role in the film If It Snows on Christmas (1998) with Park Yong-ha, followed by Calla (1999) with Song Seung-heon.
After doing a few sitcoms, Kim built her resume further by playing supporting roles on television. In 1999, She gained her first major role as she appeared in the Jang Dong-gun starrer Springtime (also known as Youth), which received low ratings. But the popular Into the Sunlight later that year boosted Kim's career. In early 2000, she appeared in episode 7 of Song Ji-na's omnibus dramaLove Story, titled "Insomnia, Manual and Orange Juice." Kim then landed her first TV leading role in Virtue (Deok-yi), followed by more supporting roles in 2001 with Her House (headlined by Kim Nam-joo) and the historical drama Sangdo (based on Choi In-ho's novel about Joseon merchant Im Sang-ok).
2002–2005: Glass Slippers breakthrough
Kim achieved mainstream stardom in 2002, with her Cinderella-esque leading role in Glass Slippers, about two sisters who were separated as children and unknowingly encounter each other as adults. Also starring Kim Ji-ho, Han Jae-suk and So Ji-sub, the drama was a hit with ratings of over 30%, and Kim received acting and popularity awards at the SBS Drama Awards.[4]Glass Slippers was also successful in China, Taiwan, Hong Kong, and Vietnam and with Kim's new pan-Asian popularity, she starred opposite Taiwanese actor/singer Vanness Wu in the martial arts movie Star Runner (2003).
For Ms. Kim's Million Dollar Quest (also known as Miss Kim's One Billion Won Project and Miss Kim's Adventures in Making a Million), she and Ji Jin-hee displayed their comedic chops as a girl left at the altar and a bankrupt playboy, respectively, who join forces in a moneymaking scheme. Kim's next role was as Lee Sung-jae's love interest in the body swapping comedy film Shinsukki Blues.
Inspired by the American TV show Joe Millionaire, Marrying a Millionaire (2005) was about an average guy (Go Soo) pretending to be rich as the concept for a dating reality show, who then genuinely falls for one of the contestants (Kim), the only girl who knows the truth. After Marrying a Millionaire, Kim went on a two-year hiatus. She later said she took a break because she hated being typecast in roles with a gentle and innocent image. But as time passed, she said she regretted her decision and should've worked harder instead to overcome her career slump.
2007–2010: Resurgence
Kim returned to television in 2007 with In-soon Is Pretty, playing the titular character who went to prison for unintentionally killing someone in high school, and after serving her time, must face prejudice as an ex-con while rebuilding her life.[6] Despite the drama's low ratings, Kim was praised for her acting and received a Top Excellence Award at the KBS Drama Awards.[7]
In 2009, she was cast in a small supporting role (or extended cameo) as the hero's tough-but-stylish older sister in the highly popular Boys Over Flowers, adapted from the Japanese mangaHana Yori Dango.[8] Then in the legal dramaPartner, Kim played a widow-turned-lawyer whose passionate idealism clashes with her colleague's (Lee Dong-wook) cool cynicism.[9][10]
Kim then spent ten days in Vancouver, Whistler, and Victoria to film the documentaryECO Canada by Kim Hyun-joo, which aired on MBC Life. Also featured as a photo spread in Sure magazine, the shoot promoted environmental awareness by emphasizing Canada's natural backdrops, and showing Kim's green practices such as using fabric bags instead of plastic and unplugging unused electrical appliances.
Her book Hyun-joo's Handcrafted Story was published on December 20, 2009, featuring personal essays and photos about her needlework and knitting.[4][11]
2010 was a difficult year for Kim, with the deaths of three of her loved ones in close succession: her friend, actor Park Yong-ha committed suicide on June 30,[12] the production company executive who'd cast her in The Land committed suicide on July 1 because of financial difficulties, and her father Kim Tae-beom died on July 7 after a long illness. She spent the rest of the year traveling to Bangladesh and the Philippines for her volunteer work as the goodwill ambassador for Good Neighbors, a humanitarian NGO. She donated the condolence money collected for her father's funeral and a portion of her book sales to Good Neighbors, which was used to build libraries in 11 orphanages in slum areas of Dhaka. Kim said, "I literally fled to Bangladesh after a series of personal tragedies, but I was consoled by the smiles of children who are living in these dire conditions. The act of sharing has given me strength to live." She currently works as an instructor for several classes organized by Good Neighbors, teaching Korean elementary schoolchildren about poverty around the world.[13]
2011–2015: Focusing on weekend dramas
Kim resumed her acting activities in 2011, playing the daughter from a wealthy publishing company whose life is turned upside down when she learns that she was switched at birth with another baby in Twinkle Twinkle.[3] Her performance garnered a Top Excellence Award from the MBC Drama Awards.[14] She also starred in Kim Dae-seung's short filmQ&A, which was included in If You Were Me 5, an omnibus film commissioned by the National Human Rights Commission of Korea.[15] Then in Dummy Mommy (2012), she played a fashion magazine editor with genius-level IQ who feels embarrassed by her developmentally disabled mother (Ha Hee-ra).[16]
In a departure from her usual characters, Kim played one of the legendary femme fatales of the Joseon Dynasty, Lady Jo (or Jo Gwi-in), in the period drama Blooded Palace: The War of Flowers (2013). She said she was "more than delighted to have been given the opportunity to try something new," adding that, "This role will be a new life story for my acting career. I personally think it will be more interesting for an actress with an innocent image like myself to take up this wicked role." Critics praised Kim's versatility, as Lady Jo transforms from a naive young girl into an ambitious royal concubine who uses her beauty and wiles on King Injo in her thirst for power.[17]
In early 2014, Kim began hosting Musical Journey to Yesterday, a music program in which a mix of current idol singers and industry veterans perform live hit songs from the 1970s to 1990s.[18] Later that year, she starred in the weekend drama What Happens to My Family?, which had over 40% ratings.[19] Her performance garnered the Top Excellence award at the KBS Drama Awards.[20]
In 2018, she took on the role of Sun Hye-jin in the fantasy melodrama Miracle That We Met,[25] playing a wife who feels trapped in a loveless marriage. Kim described her character as a dormant volcano waiting to erupt, adding depth and complexity to the show's storyline."[26]
In 2019, Kim starred in OCN's drama Watcher, portraying a criminal lawyer who had once been a highly promising prosecutor. Her performance garnered rave reviews, with critics praising her for creating a unique and independent character that had never been seen before.[27]
In 2020, Kim starred in Undercover, a JTBC's remake of the British BBC drama of the same name.[28] The drama marked her third reunion with Ji Jin-hee, her co-star from the 2015 drama, I Have a Lover. Kim explained her reason for accepting the offer to join the drama, "Last time, for I Have a Lover, Ji helped me a lot on set. The reason viewers liked my character was that Ji made me shine in the series. So this time, I wanted to return that favor. Ji accepted the role first, and I knew that many people would want to see us reunite on screen, so it didn't take me long to decide to join the series.".[29]
In same year, Kim was confirmed to join the cast of Hellbound, a Netflix series directed by Yeon Sang-ho. She portrayed the character of Min Hye-jin, an attorney who courageously stands up against religious extremists in the show.[30]
In October 2022, Netflix confirmed that Kim would play one of the lead roles in their upcoming thriller drama, The Bequeathed.[31] In December 2022, Kim starred in SBS's drama Trolley as the wife of a National Assembly member.[32]
In 2023, Kim starred in the Netflix sci-fi film Jung-E directed by Hellbound director Yeon Sang-ho, in the title role of a legendary mercenary and subject of brain-clone testing.[33]
^Kang Nae-ri (April 18, 2022). "김현주, '너가속' 특별 출연...실업팀 유니스 사장님으로 등장" [Kim Hyeon-joo to make a special appearance in 'Accelerating You'... Appeared as the CEO of the business team Eunice] (in Korean). YTN. Archived from the original on April 18, 2022. Retrieved April 18, 2022 – via Naver.
^Jo Ji-young (April 1, 2022). "[공식] 김현주, SBS 새 드라마 '트롤리' 타이틀롤 확정..안방 컴백" [[Official] Kim Hyun-joo, SBS new drama 'Trolley' confirmed the title role... comeback] (in Korean). Sports Chosun. Archived from the original on April 1, 2022. Retrieved April 1, 2022 – via Naver.
^Jeong Bit (March 2, 2023). "[공식] '마약 혐의' 유아인 빠진 자리에...김성철, '지옥2' 빈자리 채운다" [[Official] 'Drug charges' Yoo Ah-in missing... Kim Seong-chul fills the void in 'Hell 2'] (in Korean). Sports Chosun. Archived from the original on March 2, 2023. Retrieved March 2, 2023 – via Naver.
^Moon Ji-yeon (October 18, 2022). "[공식] 김현주·박희순·박병은·류경수, 연니버스 '선산' 라인업 완성" [[Official] Kim Hyun-joo, Park Hee-soon, Park Byung-eun, and Ryu Kyung-soo complete the lineup for Yeonnibus 'Sunsan'] (in Korean). Sports Chosun. Archived from the original on October 18, 2022. Retrieved October 18, 2022 – via Naver.
^Kim Bo-young (June 6, 2022). "김현주·김강우, '부산콘텐츠마켓 2022' 홍보대사 선정 [공식]" [Kim Hyun-joo and Kim Kang-woo selected as ambassadors for 'Busan Contents Market 2022' [Official]] (in Korean). E-daily. Archived from the original on July 1, 2023. Retrieved June 6, 2022 – via Naver.
^Lee, Seul-bi (August 31, 2022). "김혜수→이준호 '2022 APAN STAR AWARDS' 수상 후보 공개" [Kim Hye-soo → Lee Jun-ho's '2022 APAN STAR AWARDS' nominees revealed] (in Korean). Sports Donga. Archived from the original on August 31, 2022. Retrieved August 31, 2022 – via Naver.
^Noh Kyu-min (February 9, 2022). "[공식] 제20회 디렉터스컷 어워즈, 24일 개최...'오겜' 'D.P.' '지옥' 노미네이트" [[Official] The 20th Director's Cut Awards, held on the 24th... 'Ogem' 'D.P.' 'Hell' nomination] (in Korean). Ten Asia. Archived from the original on November 12, 2020. Retrieved February 9, 2022 – via Naver.
