Kim Min-hee (actress, born 1982)
Kim Min-hee | |
---|---|
Kim Min-hee models Folli Follie jewelry in 2014 | |
Born |
Yejang-dong, Jung District, Seoul, South Korea | March 1, 1982
Education | Dankook University - B.A. and M.A. in Theater and Film Studies[1] |
Occupation | Actress |
Years active | 1999-present |
Agent |
Management Soop Forest Entertainment |
Korean name | |
Hangul | 김민희 |
Hanja | 金敏姬 |
Revised Romanization | Gim Min-hui |
McCune–Reischauer | Kim Min-hŭi |
Kim Min-hee (born March 1, 1982) is a South Korean actress and model.
Career
Kim Min-hee began modeling when she was in middle school, and soon appeared as a cover girl in teen magazines. Thanks to her unique facial features and slender figure, in 1999 she was cast in the campus drama School 2 as a rebellious high school girl, which launched her to stardom. She became a popular young star at barely 20 years old, appearing on TV dramas and movies. However, a string of poor acting performances brought her negative criticism. Critics and viewers disparagingly called her an "attractive but blank actress," more famous for being a fashion icon and actor Lee Jung-jae's then-girlfriend.[2]
In 2006, after reading the synopsis of TV series Goodbye Solo, Kim knew that she wanted the role of Mi-ri more than anything, saying "I was ready to do anything to play her." She begged renowned screenwriter Noh Hee-kyung to cast her, and though Noh turned her down five times, Kim would not give up, and her determination eventually convinced Noh to see her hidden potential. Vowing to start over from the bottom, Kim went through strict acting training which included basic vocal and respiratory exercises, she got a hold of the script before anyone else, and continued to analyze the role and practice everyday. Kim said that until Goodbye Solo, she hadn't been sure what to do with the rest of her life, but the drama made her feel that acting was her true calling, like she'd "finally opened up the first page of the textbook." She received good reviews for her performance, and despite the drama's low ratings, the role transformed her career.[2]
Her succeeding movie roles helped solidify her career reinvention, beginning with 2008's Hellcats (also known as its Korean title I Like It Hot or Some Like It Hot), a light-hearted comedy that explored the lives and loves of three women at different stages of womanhood. Kim played an aspiring screenwriter in her twenties who's agonizing over her insecure career and shaky romance with a deadbeat musician boyfriend. Reviews praised her "compelling performance,"[3][4] and she later won Best Actress at the Baeksang Arts Awards and the Busan Film Critics Awards.[5]
Kim then joined the all-star cast of Actresses (2009), a semi-improvisational mockumentary directed by E J-yong (whom she had previously worked with in Asako in Ruby Shoes). Set during a Vogue Korea photo shoot, Kim gets upset in the film over a remark by a staffer that men don't find skinny women like her attractive, as compared to her more voluptuous costar Kim Ok-bin.[6][7][8] A supporting turn as a reporter in conspiracy film Moby Dick followed in 2011.[9][10]
Kim further stretched the limits of her acting range in psychological thriller Helpless (2012), adapted from Miyabe Miyuki's novel All She Was Worth (in Japanese, "one-way train/fire chariot to hell"). She said she had absolute trust in director Byun Young-joo and never even checked the monitors,[11] and Byun was likewise complimentary, saying, "I ended up adding more scenes for her to act because she was just exceptional. She knew what she was doing, and knew she was able to pull it off. She was rarely nervous throughout the production. She's got no fear and is always confident."[12] Kim said the role gave her a chance to show what she was capable of as an actress, adding, "I feel differently about acting now. I often feel a tremendous sense of achievement and really enjoy doing this job."[13][14][15][16][17] Displaying a striking screen presence as a mysterious girl who disappears without a trace while her bewildered fiance discovers a trail of falsified information, Kim received several acting nominations and won Best Actress at the Buil Film Awards.
After her contract with Lee Byung-hun's agency BH Entertainment ended in late 2012, Kim signed with Management Soop, which also handles the career of her friend Gong Hyo-jin.[18]
In 2013, Kim again earned raves for her performance in Very Ordinary Couple. Unlike the typical romantic comedy, the relationship drama told a more realistic story of an on-and-off couple of three years.[19][20] During her acceptance speech as Best Actress at the 2013 Baeksang Arts Awards, Kim thanked her costar Lee Min-ki and director Roh Deok, who "helped shape (her) character Young on the screen."[21][22] Action-noir No Tears for the Dead followed in 2014, in which she played a grieving woman who becomes a hitman's target.
Kim next starred in Hong Sang-soo's Right Now, Wrong Then (2015), and The Handmaiden, Park Chan-wook's 2016 film adaptation of Fingersmith set in 1930s Korea.[23] Park called her "the most coveted a-list actress at the moment."[24]
Filmography
Film
Year | Title | Role |
---|---|---|
2000 | Asako in Ruby Shoes | Mia |
2002 | Surprise Party | Hwang Mi-ryung |
2008 | Hellcats | Ami |
2009 | The Actresses | Kim Min-hee |
2011 | Moby Dick | Sung Hyo-kwan |
2012 | Helpless | Kang Sun-young |
2013 | Behind the Camera | |
2013 | Very Ordinary Couple | Jang Young |
2014 | No Tears for the Dead | Mo-kyung |
2015 | Right Now, Wrong Then | Yoon Hee-jung |
2016 | The Handmaiden | Lady Hideko |
Television series
Year | Title | Role | Network |
---|---|---|---|
1999 | School 2 | Shin Hye-won | KBS1 |
2000 | Look Back in Anger | Lee Hye-jung | KBS2 |
2000 | Juliet's Man | Bol Yeo-woo | SBS |
2002 | Age of Innocence | Ji-yoon | SBS |
2003 | Dal-joong's Cinderella | Choi Sun-hwa | KBS2 |
2004 | My 19 Year Old Sister-in-Law | Choi Soo-ji | SBS |
2006 | Goodbye Solo | Choi Mi-ri | KBS2 |
2008 | Matchmaker's Lover | Lee Kang-hyun | KBS2 |
Variety show
- Inkigayo (Popular Music) (SBS, 2000)
Awards
- 2016 37th Blue Dragon Film Awards: Best Actress (The Handmaiden)
- 2016 Director's Cut Awards: Best Actress (The Handmaiden)
- 2013 14th Women in Film Korea Awards: Best Actress (Very Ordinary Couple)
- 2013 34th Blue Dragon Film Awards: Popular Star Award (Very Ordinary Couple)
- 2013 49th Baeksang Arts Awards: Best Film Actress (Very Ordinary Couple)
- 2012 21st Buil Film Awards: Best Actress (Helpless)
- 2008 9th Busan Film Critics Awards: Best Actress (Hellcats)
- 2008 44th Baeksang Arts Awards: Best Film Actress (Hellcats)
- 2008 2nd Mnet 20's Choice Awards: Hot Female Movie Star (Hellcats)
- 2002 SBS Drama Awards: Popularity Award (Age of Innocence)
- 2000 SBS Drama Awards: Best New Actress (Juliet's Man)
- 1999 KBS Drama Awards: Best Young Actress (School 2)
- 1999 Model Association: Best Newcomer
References
- ↑ "김민희". Epg (in Korean). Retrieved 2012-09-30.
- 1 2 Shin, Hae-in (16 March 2006). "Actress Kim Min-hee enjoys limelight again". The Korea Herald via Hancinema. Retrieved 2012-11-18.
- ↑ Lee, Hyo-won (27 January 2008). "Hellcats Is Charmingly Off-Tune". The Korea Times. Retrieved 2012-11-18.
- ↑ Yang, Sung-jin (8 January 2008). "Hellcats rejects men, holds girl-only party". The Korea Herald. Retrieved 2012-12-19.
- ↑ "The 44th PaekSang Arts Awards Sparkles with Stars". KBS World. 24 April 2008. Retrieved 2013-06-30.
- ↑ Lee, Hyo-won (17 November 2009). "Actresses to Present Off-Screen Personas Onscreen". The Korea Times. Retrieved 2013-05-28.
- ↑ Lee, Ji-hye (23 November 2009). "Actresses is a miracle achieved, says Koh (Part 1)". 10Asia. Retrieved 2013-05-28.
- ↑ Lee, Ji-hye (23 November 2009). "Actresses is a miracle achieved, says Koh (Part 2)". 10Asia. Retrieved 2013-05-28.
- ↑ Lee, Hyo-won (2 June 2011). "Conspiracy flick is painstakingly real". The Korea Times. Retrieved 2013-05-28.
- ↑ Hong, Lucia (24 May 2011). "Kim Min-hee cast as female lead in new thriller". 10Asia. Retrieved 2013-05-28.
- ↑ Lee, In-kyung (29 January 2012). "Kim Min Hee Brings the Mystery for Train". enewsWorld. Retrieved 2012-11-18.
- ↑ Lee, Claire (8 March 2012). "Director explores financial, social horrors". The Korea Herald. Retrieved 2012-11-18.
- ↑ "Kim Min-hee Anything But Helpless in New Movie Role". The Chosun Ilbo. 3 March 2012. Retrieved 2012-11-18.
- ↑ Lee, Nancy (16 February 2012). "Kim Min Hee Thinks Happiness is Close By". enewsWorld. Retrieved 2012-11-18.
- ↑ Lee, Jin-ho (10 March 2012). "Interview: Kim Min Hee was Always Confident about Her Acting". enewsWorld. Retrieved 2012-11-18.
- ↑ Lee, Jin-ho (13 March 2012). "Kim Min Hee Opens Up About Love and Future". enewsWorld. Retrieved 2012-11-18.
- ↑ Son, Hye-young (11 February 2013). "Kim Min Hee, The Cherry Blossom Girl". 1st Look Magazine via enewsWorld. Retrieved 2013-02-13.
- ↑ Lee, Tae-ho (14 August 2012). "Kim Min-hee signs exclusive contract with Gong Yoo's agency". 10Asia. Retrieved 2012-11-18.
- ↑ An, So-hyoun (3 March 2013). "Kim Min Hee Says She's Honest in Love Relationships". enewsWorld. Retrieved 2013-03-04.
- ↑ Han, Jae-hee (4 April 2013). "Kim stretches her acting chops". Korea JoongAng Daily. Retrieved 2013-05-28.
- ↑ Lee, Claire (10 May 2013). "Ryu Seung-ryong wins top prize at Paeksang". The Korea Herald. Retrieved 2013-05-10.
- ↑ Lee, Hye-ji (10 May 2013). "On the Scene: 2013 Paeksang Arts Awards: He Said, She Said". 10Asia. Retrieved 2013-05-10.
- ↑ Kim, June (10 December 2014). "KIM Min-hee and KIM Tae-ri Confirmed for FINGERSMITH". Korean Film Biz Zone. Retrieved 2014-12-12.
- ↑ Jin, Eun-soo (3 May 2016). "The Handmaiden generates a buzz". Korea JoongAng Daily. Retrieved 2016-05-10.
External links
- Kim Min-hee on Cyworld
- Kim Min-hee at Management Soop
- Kim Min-hee at HanCinema
- Kim Min-hee at the Korean Movie Database
- Kim Min-hie at the Internet Movie Database