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Kim Hee-sun is a well-known South Korean actress who rose to prominence in the mid-to-late 1990s by starring in a number of successful Korean dramas. ‘Men of the Bath House,’ ‘Mister Q,’ and ‘Wedding Dress,’ to name a few. After winning the Fair Face Beauty Contest in 1992 when she was in middle school, this stunning diva began her career in show business by modeling in adolescent magazines. The next year, she made her acting debut in the TV series ‘Dinosaur Teacher.’ Other significant series followed, garnering her numerous awards and acclaim. She was the youngest recipient of the coveted Grand Prize (Daesang) award at the SBS Drama Awards in 1998 for her performance in ‘Mister Q,’ making her the youngest recipient of the honor at the time.

Childhood and Adolescence of Kim Hee-sun

Kim Hee-sun was born in Seoul, South Korea, on June 11, 1976, into the Park Bok-soon and Kim Hong-geun families. Kim Hee-seon is another name for her.

Kim entered and won the Fair Face Beauty Contest in 1992, when she was in middle school. This paved the path for her to begin modeling, and she was featured in several teen magazines as a result.

In 1993, she appeared in a commercial for Lotte Samkang crab snacks as a high school sophomore. This exposure aided her in making her acting debut the following year in the SBS television series ‘Dinosaur Teacher.’ Along with Bae Chul-su, she hosted the music show ‘Live TV Music 20’ that year.
Kim went on to Chung-Ang University, where she majored in Drama.

A Career of Kim Hee-sun

Following ‘Dinosaur Teacher,’ Kim continued to appear in additional TV shows and finally bolstered her career by acting in back-to-back Korean dramas in the mid-to-late 1990s, gaining tremendous popularity. ‘Men of the Bath House’ (1995), ‘Wedding Dress’ (1997), ‘Propose’ (1997), ‘Mister Q’ (1998), ‘Forever Yours’ (1998), ‘Sunflower’ (1998), and ‘Tomato’ (1998) were among the films (1999).

Her outstanding performance in these series earned her a number of accolades. In 1998, she won the prestigious Grand Prize (Daesang) award at the SBS Drama Awards for her depiction of Han Hye-won in the hit TV series “Mister Q.” She was the youngest person to receive the honor.

She played Sullie in the commercially successful South Korean martial arts film ‘Bichunmoo’ in 2000. At the time, it was the most costly Korean film ever made. The film, which was shot in China, received backlash for including Kim.

‘Bichunmoo’ did, however, bring her national and international attention, as well as the Popular Star Award at the 21st Blue Dragon Film Awards in 2000. Her strong television career, combined with the success of this film, helped her establish herself as a Korean Wave star in mainland China, Taiwan, Hong Kong, and Southeast Asia.

She then went on to play successful animator Wa-ni in the 2001 film ‘Wanee & Junah.’ Despite the film’s failure at the box office, reviewers lauded Kim’s performance, and she received the Popular Star Award at the 22nd Blue Dragon Film Awards in 2001 and the Most Popular Actress (Film) award at the 38th Baeksang Arts Awards in 2002.

Her subsequent efforts, however, did not help her career, since the film ‘A Man Who Went to Mars’ (2003) and the television series ‘My Fair Lady’ (2003) and ‘Sad Love Story’ (2005) both had low ratings.

She then had the chance to work with Jackie Chan, a world-renowned Hong Kong martial artist, actor, and filmmaker, in the Hong Kong martial arts fantasy adventure film ‘The Myth.’ She learnt Mandarin in preparation for the picture, which was released on May 11, 2005 and grossed $120 million worldwide.

Her career in South Korea continued to suffer setbacks, as her next TV series, ‘Smile Again’ (2006), struggled to maintain high ratings during its run.

Kim took a few years off from performing after her marriage in 2007 to focus on her married life and subsequent motherhood. She was featured in magazines at the time. In 2009, she published a book called ‘Kim Hee-Happy sun’s Mom Project,’ which was about childcare and techniques to lose weight after pregnancy.

She made her official comeback to the acting arena with the South Korean fantasy, historical fusion, romantic, medical drama ‘Faith’, after appearing in a minor role as Pang Fei in the 2011 Chinese epic film ‘The Warring States.’ From August 13, 2012, to October 30, 2012, the series broadcast on SBS.

Kim played Yoo Eun-soo, a modern-day plastic surgeon who is kidnapped and transported 700 years back to the Goryeo period in the film ‘Faith.’ In 2012, she won a couple of prizes for the performance, including the Top Excellence Award for Actress at the 20th Korean Culture and Entertainment Awards.

In 2013, she hosted the South Korean conversation show ‘Hwasin – Controller of the Heart,’ which aired on SBS. She appeared as a guest on numerous other variety shows over the years.

Her portrayal as Cha Hae-won in the weekend family melodrama ‘Wonderful Days’ (2014) garnered her the Top Excellence Award for Actress in a Serial Drama at the 3rd APAN Star Awards in 2014.

From March 18, 2015 until May 7, 2015, she starred as Jo Kang-ja in the South Korean family drama adolescent series ‘Angry Mom,’ which aired on MBC. In 2015, her outstanding performance in it garnered her the Top Excellence Award, Actress in a Miniseries at the 4th APAN Star Honors, and Top 10 Stars awards at the MBC Drama Awards.

Kim’s other prominent TV series include the Chinese fantasy drama ‘Ice Fantasy’ (2016) and the South Korean mystery thriller ‘Woman of Dignity’ (2017), which is one of the highest-rated Korean dramas in cable television history.

She has been a cast member of the South Korean reality show ‘Island Trio,’ which airs on O’live and tvN every Monday at 9.30pm KST, since May 22, 2017. She is joined by Kang Ho-dong and Jung Yong-hwa.

Personal History and Legacy

She married Park Ju-young, a businessman, at the Seoul Sheraton Grande Walkerhill Hotel on October 19, 2007. On January 21, 2009, the couple welcomed their daughter Park Yeon-ah into the world.

Estimated Net Worth

Kim is one of the wealthiest actors and one of the most popular. Kim Hee-net sun’s worth is estimated to be $1.5 million, according to Wikipedia, Forbes, and Business Insider.