Yunjin Kim (; born November 7, 1973) is a South Korean-American actress. She is best known for her role as North Korean spy Bang-Hee in the South Korean film Shiri (1999) and Sun-Hwa Kwon on the American television series Lost (2004–2010). Her other notable works include Seven Days (2007), Harmony (2010), and Ode to My Father (2014).
Early life Kim was born in Pyeongchang-dong, Jongno District, Seoul, South Korea. She emigrated to the United States with her family in 1983–1984. They lived in Staten Island, New York. She joined the middle school drama club in the 7th grade and performed in the musical My Fair Lady.
Kim attended high school at the prestigious Fiorello H. LaGuardia High School of Music & Art and Performing Arts in Manhattan, graduating in 1989. From there, she went on to study drama at the London Academy of Performing Arts (LAPA), and later earned her BFA degree in drama at Boston University. She is also a trained dancer and martial arts fighter.
Career After graduation, Kim played several minor parts on MTV, in soap opera-style dramas on ABC, and on the off-Broadway stage. In 1996, Kim decided to return to Korea, where she starred in Splendid Holiday (1997). She was then cast in the TV drama Wedding Dress. Her breakthrough debut came in the 1999 film Shiri, South Korea's first blockbuster film. Shiri became the highest-grossing film in South Korean history at the time. In November 2000, she continued her association with Kang Je-gyu in The Legend of Gingko.
After acting in a Japanese film and a feature set in Los Angeles, Kim appeared in the sci-fi feature Yesterday. Then in 2002, Kim took the lead role in the feature film debut of documentarist Byun Young-ju, Ardor.
In 2004, Kim started appearing in the U.S. television series Lost, which ran for six seasons.
In 2006 she was featured on the cover of Stuff, as well as an inside spread. In 2006, Maxim named Kim number 98 on its annual Hot 100 List.
In 2013, she had a leading role in the ABC drama series Mistresses.Matt Webb Mitovich Lost's Yunjin Kim Finds Role on ABC's Mistresses , TVLine, March 16, 2012
In 2018, Kim returned to South Korean television by headlining the series Ms. Ma, Nemesis.
In 2022, she starred as Seon Woo-jin in the South Korean remake of Money Heist, Money Heist: Korea – Joint Economic Area.
In 2023, she acted as Principal Jina Lim in English-Korean Netflix TV Series, XO, Kitty.
In 2025, she appeared in the Sony Pictures Animation/Netflix animated musical film, KPop Demon Hunters as the voice of Celine.
Personal life Kim married her former manager Park Jeong-hyeok in March 2010 on the island of Oahu, after shooting her final scenes for Lost.
Filmography Film Year Title Role Notes 1999 Shiri Lee Myung-hyun / Lee Bang-hee 2000 The Legend of Gingko Yeon 2001 Rush! Seo-yeong 2002 Iron Palm Ji-ni Yesterday Kim Hisu / No Hisu Ardor Mi-heun 2005 Diary of June Seo Yun-hee 2007 Seven Days Yoo Ji-yeon 2010 Harmony Jeong-hye 2011 Heartbeat Chae Yeon-hee 2012 The Neighbors Kyung-hee 2014 Ode to My Father Young-ja 2017 House of the Disappeared Kang Mi-hee 2020 Pawn Myung-ja Cameo 2022 Confession Yang Shin-ae 2024 Dog Days Jeong-ah 2025KPop Demon HuntersCelineVoice
Television
Year Title Role Notes 1996 Splendid Holiday 1997 Foreboding Jang Se-young 1998 Wedding Dress Drama Gina 1999 Love in 3 Colors Jang Hee-ju 2004–2010 Lost Sun-Hwa Kwon 2013–2016 Mistresses Karen Kim 2018 Ms. Ma, Nemesis Ms. Ma / Ma Ji Won 2022 Money Heist: Korea – Joint Economic Area Seon Woo-jin Part 1–2 2023 XO, Kitty Principal Jina Lim Season 1 2024 Station 19 Jeonghee Lee Episode: "Ushers of the New World" 2026 Notes from the Last Row Ahn Eun-joo
Video games Year Title Voice role 2007 Lost: Via Domus Sun-Hwa Kwon 2012 Sleeping Dogs Tiffany Kim
Accolades Awards and nominations Year Award Category Recipient Result 1999 35th Baeksang Arts Awards Best New Actress (Film) Shiri 36th Grand Bell Awards Best New Actress 19th Korean Association of Film Critics Awards 22nd Golden Cinematography Awards 20th Blue Dragon Film Awards Best New Actress 2000 21st Blue Dragon Film Awards Best Supporting Actress The Legend of Gingko 2002 23rd Blue Dragon Film Awards Best Leading Actress Milae 5th Director's Cut Awards Best Actress 7th 2003 40th Grand Bell Awards 2nd Korean Film Awards 39th Baeksang Arts Awards Best Actress (Film) 2006 Asian Excellence Awards Outstanding Television Actress Lost 12th Screen Actors Guild Awards Outstanding Performance by an Ensemble in a Drama Series 2007 28th Blue Dragon Film Awards Best Dresser Award 2008 2nd Asian Film Awards Best Actress Seven Days 44th Baeksang Arts Awards Best Actress (Film) 45th Grand Bell Awards Best Actress 5th Max Movie Awards 29th Blue Dragon Film Awards Best Leading Actress 7th Korean Film Awards Best Actress 2009 35th Saturn Awards Best Supporting Actress Lost 2010 47th Grand Bell Awards Best Actress Harmony 31st Blue Dragon Film Awards Best Leading Actress 2015 52nd Grand Bell Awards Best Actress Ode to My Father 8th Seoul Senior Citizen Movie Awards Movie in couple Award 2017 2017 Korean Film Shining Star Awards Star Award House of the Disappeared 1st The Seoul Awards Best Actress 2018 SBS Drama Awards Top Excellence Award, Actress in a Daily and Weekend Drama Ms. Ma, Nemesis 2023 43rd Korean Association of Film Critics Awards Newcomer Criticism Award
Listicles + Name of publisher, year listed, name of listicle, and placement Publisher Year Listicle Rank Korean Film Council 2021 Korean Actors 200 The Screen 2009 1984–2008 Top Box Office Powerhouse Actors in Korean Movies 2019 2009–2019 Top Box Office Powerhouse Actors in Korean Movies
Notes
References
External links
Official Website