After over a decade of success in showbiz and her consequently growing net worth, Kim Ji-won continues to be one of the most important faces in the Korean entertainment industry. Here’s taking a closer look at the actor’s ever-growing fortune.
Kim Ji-won’s acting career is defined by some of the best and most critically acclaimed titles. These include hits like Fight for My Way (2017), Arthdal Chronicles (2019), Lovestruck in the City (2020), My Liberation Notes (2022) and Queen of Tears (2024).
Talking about her love for acting, Kim said in an interview with Marie Claire Korea, “Being an actress forces you to think about extreme emotions that you don’t normally encounter in your daily life and how to express those emotions, and I think that makes my life more colourful.”
All about Kim Ji-won: Net worth, filmography and other earnings
Kim Ji-won’s net worth
According to multiple K-media sources, Kim Ji-won enjoys a net worth of around USD 5 million, as of 2024. With this, the actor registered a rise of nearly USD 2 million from her 2020 net worth, which stood at USD 1-3 million.
While it is challenging to quote an exact figure in 2024, Kim is widely considered one of the most successful actors in South Korea. She mostly earns her fortune from her acting projects, advertisements, luxury brand deals and social media earnings.
Find out the net worth of Kim Ji-won’s Queen of Tears‘ co-star Kim Soo-hyun
Career and filmography
From being an idol trainee to becoming a K-drama star, Kim Ji-won has come a long way. Be it her debut film, the 2011 hit Romantic Heaven or the 2024 Netflix K-drama Queen of Tears, Kim’s movies and TV shows have consistently entertained K-drama lovers. With director Jang Jin building an interesting story about fate, love, loss and redemption, Romantic Heaven amassed over USD 488,024 at the worldwide box office, according to Box Office Mojo. The film also won Best Screenplay (Crystal Simorgh) at the 30th Fajr International Film Festival (FIFF) in the International Cinema Competition (Eastern Vista, Asian Cinema) category.
As an idol trainee who dreamt of entering K-pop with the stage name “JessicaK”, Kim’s entertainment journey began with singer Younha’s music video for “Gossip Boy” in 2008. Following this, she made a brief appearance in the drama Mrs. Saigon. In 2010 Kim starred alongside K-pop boy group BigBang and officially entered the acting world with a commercial for LG Cyon’s Lollipop 2.
The South Korean actress landed her first role in the 2011 South Korean film Romantic Heaven. The same year, the rising actor became a household name after her performance in the sitcom High Kick: Revenge of the Short Legged. A situational comedy revolving around the life of the dysfunctional Ahn family, the series has a solid 8.4 rating on IMDb. Following the success of the sitcom, Kim appeared in a slew of supporting roles in hit titles like the musical drama What’s Up (2011), the teen drama To the Beautiful You (2012) and the horror film Horror Stories (2012). While To the Beautiful You recorded an impressive 7.9 finale nationwide viewership rating, Horror Stories enjoyed a special premiere at the 2012 Puchon International Fantastic Film Festival.
In 2013 Kim landed the classic hit The Heirs, co-starring Korean drama heartthrob Lee Min-ho. The TV show was an instant commercial hit and was viewed over one billion times on the streaming platform Youku. Meanwhile, Kim, who essayed the role of a spoilt heiress in the series, won the New Star Award at the 21st SBS Drama Awards.
Over the years, the South Korean star has showcased her versatility in multiple K-dramas like Gap-dong (2014), One Sunny Day (2015) and Descendants of the Sun (2016). For her performance as Army surgeon Yoon Myung-ju in the Song Joong-ki starrer Descendants of the Sun, Kim won the Best supporting Actress Award at the APAN Star Awards in 2016.
In 2017, Kim landed her career-best TV show Fight for My Way, alongside the popular Park Seo-joon. Her role as department store employee Choi Ae-ra earned her widespread fame and she became one of the most sought-after K-drama actors in South Korea. The family drama also enjoyed a solid 13.8 per cent nationwide finale rating and even secured Kim the Excellence Award, Actress in a Miniseries at the 31st KBS Drama Awards. Her portrayal of the mysterious Wol-young in the 2018 period thriller Detective K: Secret of the Living Dead was widely applauded by critics. The film collected over USD 18.6 million at the box office. According to sources, Kim Ji-won reportedly earns between USD 84,000 to USD 17,000 per episode for her drama appearances.
Kim Ji-won’s popularity further continued to soar with hits like Arthdal Chronicles (2019), Lovestruck in the City (2020) and My Liberation Notes (2022). A Park Shin-woo directorial, Lovestruck in the City debuted on Netflix and instantly became one of the top shows in the streaming platform. Meanwhile, co-starring Lee Min-ki, My Liberation Notes focuses on three siblings and a mysterious outsider who visits their town. The series debuted at #5 on Netflix’s Global Top 10 non-English television list during its finale week in May 2022. Kim also earned a Best Actress nomination for her performance at the Baeksang Arts Awards in 2023.
The Korean actor essays the role of a wealthy heiress in her latest project — the Netflix romantic K-drama Queen of Tears. Deemed the ‘must-watch rom-com of the year’, the show co-stars Kim Soo-hyun and remains one of the highest-rated K-dramas of 2024. An instant global hit, the series debuted at #8 on Netflix’s worldwide Top 10 TV shows. According to the streaming giant, the show was viewed for over 3,300,000 hours and has recorded around 1,200,000 views, as of 13 March 2024.
Luxury brand endorsements
Besides K-dramas and films, Kim Ji-won has featured in multiple commercials and helmed an array of brand endorsements, which adds to her rising net worth. These include Swiss luxury watchmaker and jeweller Piaget, British luxury fashion house Burberry, Italian luxury Maison Gucci, German athletic shoes and apparel manufacturer Adidas, handbag brand Ravenova, health-care brand Everibiome Relax, Korean beauty brand Mediheal and Korean skincare brand Dr. G.
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Her fashion stints also include editorials for popular magazines like Cosmopolitan Korea, Marie Claire Korea, Y Magazine, The Big Issue, Trendmo Magazine, Cine 21, Singles, Arena Korea and Harper’s Bazaar Korea.
With over 8.2 million followers as of March 2024, Kim is also one of Instagram’s most followed Korean actresses. The Queen of Tears star who often shares her sponsored posts and career updates on the social media platform, reportedly earns around USD 10,000 to USD 100,000 per post on Instagram.
Expensive things owned by Kim Ji-won that add to her net worth
Kim Ji-won is a keeper of all things expensive and loves investing her wealth in luxury cars and fashion pieces. The One Sunny Day star reportedly owns a stylish Mercedes Maybach.
Additionally, she is often captured sporting coveted fashion items. These include a USD 1350 worth Gucci Soho Small Leather Disco Bag, a Burberry TB Summer Monogram handbag, a USD 1,490 worth puff-sleeve midi dress from Isabel Marant and her USD 950 worth Belle Vivier Trompette pumps from Roger Vivier.
The Heirs actor is also a proud pet parent of an expensive pug. Moreover, her family reportedly owns a Maltese dog. However, Kim enjoys maintaining a low profile in public and is yet to update her fans about her pets.
Personal life
Born on 19 October 1992, in Seoul, South Korea, Kim Ji-won started her journey as a K-pop trainee in the idol industry. However, after graduation, she pursued her studies in drama at Dongguk University and eventually found her passion in acting.
On the relationship front, Kim Ji-won was rumoured to be dating actor Yoo Yeon-seok in 2015. As of March 2024, Kim is single.
(Hero and featured image credit: @geewonii/Instagram)
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
– Who is Kim Ji-won married to?
As of March 2024, Kim Ji-won is single.
– Does Kim Ji-won have a sister?
Yes, Kim has an elder sister.
– What TV show did Park Seo-joon and Kim Ji-won appear in?
Kim Ji-won and Park Seo-joon appeared together in the 2017 K-drama Fight for My Way.
The post Kim Ji-won’s net worth: A deep-dive into the K-drama star’s fame and fortune appeared first on Lifestyle Asia Singapore.
