Kim Eun-hee (; born January 7, 1972) is a South Korean screenwriter. She is known internationally for the tvN series Signal (2016) and the Netflix series Kingdom (2019–2021).
Career In the early 1990s, Kim began her career as a writer at the SBS entertainment department, working as an assistant writer. During that time, she crossed paths with Jang Hang-jun, who was also working as an entertainment writer. They eventually got married in 1998. Prior to their marriage, Jang transitioned from being an entertainment writer to focusing on writing movie scenarios. In 1996, he achieved recognition in the film industry with the script for The Case of Park Bong-gon's Runaway from Home, which marked the beginning of his career as a screenwriter and director. As Kim assisted Jang in translating his written scripts into words, her interest in movies grew.
She debut as film scriptwriter in film Once in a Summer that was released in 2006.
In 2010, She debuted in television with tvN drama Golden House, co-writing with Jang Hang-jun, director Jang directed until the 10th episode, and writer Kim participated in the script and co-wrote 11th episode.
In 2011, she delved into the genre more seriously by writing the SBS drama Sign. Sign was recognized for its fresh approach in unearthing the truth behind a murder case by incorporating the unfamiliar subject of forensic science. It also gained attention due to the outstanding performance of Park Shin-yang, considered a virtuoso actor. Each episode of Sign received favorable reviews, culminating in a record-breaking 24.9% viewer rating for the final episode.
Building on this success, writer Kim Eun-hee gained prominence by consistently delivering suspenseful genres. Phantom (2012), an SBS drama starring So Ji-sub that explores cybercrime and murder cases, and Three Days (2014), another SBS drama starring Son Hyun-joo that revolves around the kidnapping and assassination of the president, introduced genres rarely seen in mini-series and garnered a dedicated fan base. It was said that the appearance of Kim Eun-hee marked a significant turning point in the landscape of Korean dramas.
On March 5, 2017, Kim was announced as the creator and screenwriter for the Netflix political period horror thriller series Kingdom. The series debuted on January 25, 2019, to critical acclaim. The series was renewed for a second season which was released on March 13, 2020. A special feature-length episode of the series, titled Kingdom: Ashin of the North, was announced in November 2020. It was released on July 23, 2021, and focused on the supporting character Ashin played by Jun Ji-hyun.
On June 15, 2023, the agency Media Lab Seeso reported the news of an exclusive contract with Kim Eun-hee, who is called the 'Master of Genre'.
Philanthropy On March 4, 2022, Kim donated 30 million won to the Children's Fund in Ukraine, along with her husband, Jang Hang-jun, to help Ukrainian victims in Russian invasion.
Personal life Kim is married to director Jang Hang-jun since 1998. They met when Kim was an assistant writer at SBS Entertainment Bureau. They have a daughter named Jang Yeon-soo.
Writings
Film + Year Title Credited as Ref.WriterCreator 2006 Once in a Summer 2021Signal the Movie 2023 Rebound
Television series + Year Title NetworkCredited as Ref.WriterCreator 2010 Golden House tvN 2011 Sign SBS 2012 Phantom 2014 Three Days 2016 Signal tvN 2021 Jirisan 2019–2020 Kingdom Netflix 2021 Kingdom: Ashin of the North 2023Revenant SBS
Webcomic + Year Title Credited as Ref.WriterCreatorWebtoon Artist2020–presentThe Kingdom of the GodsYang Kyung-il
Accolades Awards and nominations + Year Award Category Nominated work Result Ref. 2016 Baeksang Arts Awards Best Screenplay Signal APAN Star Awards Best Writer Korea Drama Awards Best Screenplay 2020 Asia Contents Awards Best Writer Kingdom 15th A-Awards: The Best Black Collar Workers of 2020DramaKim Eun-hee CJ ENM Visionary 2020 Visionary 2024 Baeksang Arts Awards Best Screenplay Revenant
State honor + Name of country, year given, and name of honor Country Award Ceremony Year Honor South Korea Korea Content Awards 2016 Presidential CommendationKorean Popular Culture and Arts Awards2020Presidential Commendation
Listicles +Name of publisher, year listed, name of listicle, and placementPublisherYearListiclePlacementSisa Journal2015Next Generation Leader—Culture and Arts 2023
Notes
References
External links
Kim Eun-hee at Naver