When she was 14, Kim So-yeon entered the Miss Binggrae beauty pageant without her parents' approval. She had no makeup, so she used a marker pen as her eyeliner and ended up winning the top prize thus launching her entertainment career.[2] She debuted with a role in the SBS Drama Dinosaur Teacher, and continued to star in popular TV shows such as Reporting for Duty (1996) and Soonpoong Clinic (1998). She also hosted the music program Inkigayo and appeared in numerous commercials, becoming the first Korean teen star to earn more than ₩100 million from commercial modeling.[2] Because of her preternaturally mature looks and poise, she was often cast in older roles notably as a manipulative, villainous, anchorwoman in All About Eve, which drew a peak viewership rating of 45.2% when it aired in 2000.[3]
However, being typecast as prim, cold-hearted characters had a negative effect on Kim's career, and her fame went downhill in the mid-2000s. Her attempt to crossover to China via Hong Kong director Tsui Hark's wuxia film Seven Swords (in which she played a Joseon noblewoman-turned-slave) and the Chinese dramasJust Like a Beautiful Flying Butterfly[4] and Anhui Merchants[5] also proved unsuccessful.[6][7] Kim took a break for three years, questioning whether she wanted to continue being an actress.[8] She returned to television in 2008 with Gourmet (adapted from Huh Young-man's titularmanhwa).[9]
A year later, Kim's career saw a resurgence with the 2009 high-budget series Iris.[10][9] She cut her trademark long hair and worked hard on her action scenes in order to look convincing in her role as a North Korean spy, drawing praise for her portrayal of a tough woman conflicted about her loyalty to her country and her love for a South Korean agent.[11][12]Kim later reprised the role in the re-edited cut Iris: The Movie, the series' spin-offAthena: Goddess of War (2010) and sequelIris II (2013).[13][failed verification]
Kim was cast in the leading role in romantic comedy Prosecutor Princess in 2010 and showcased her versatility by playing a Legally Blonde-inspired newbie district attorney who's initially more interested in shopping and dating, yet surprises her colleagues with her intelligence and learns to strive for justice.[14][15][16] Kim said that the cheerful, unpredictable character was similar to her own real-life personality.[17][18][19] Later in the year, she played a rigid doctor in sports drama Dr. Champ.[20]
Kim reunited with Prosecutor Princess screenwriter So Hyun-kyung in Two Weeks (2013), in the role of a prosecutor who teams up with a fugitive to bring down a corrupt politician and her gangster henchman.[8][27]
In 2014, she played a fashion merchandiser who falls for her much younger childhood friend in I Need Romance 3.[28][29][30] Kim then appeared in the "Female Soldier Special" of military boot campreality showReal Men.[31]
In 2016, Kim starred MBC's weekend drama Happy Home, playing a mother who has lost her son in an accident.[34]
In March 2018, Kim left her previous agency Namoo Actors and signed an exclusive contract with J Wide Company on April 3, 2018.[35] She was then cast in SBS weekend drama Secret Mother.[36][37]
In 2020, she starred in the SBS TV series The Penthouse: War in Life,[40] playing the role of a wicked but famous soprano and musical school director.[41] Kim compared the role to her famous villain role in All About Eve 20 years earlier, commenting "The goal for this drama is that when people think of a female villain, they think of Cheon Seo-jin, just like how Heo Young-mi was remembered."[42] The series drew a peak viewership rating of 28.8% nationwide,[43] and was renewed for 2 more seasons,[44] where Kim reprised her role. Additionally, Kim won the Award for Best Actress – Television at the 57th Baeksang Arts Awards and the Grand Prize (Daesang) at 2021 SBS Drama Awards.
Kim married actor Lee Sang-woo in June 2017.[49] Their romantic relationship started in 2016. The pair met on the set of MBC's weekend drama Happy Home.
^Kim Chae-yeon (April 16, 2023). "마의 20% 넘었다..'모범택시2' 자체 최고 시청률로 종영, 시즌3 나올까?" [It exceeded 20% of Ma.. 'Exemplary Taxi 2' ended with its own highest ratings, will Season 3 come out?] (in Korean). OSEN. Retrieved April 16, 2023 – via Naver.
^ abLee Kyung-ho (May 3, 2022). "구미호뎐1938', 이동욱X김소연X김범X류경수 출연..2023년 방송[공식]" [Gumiho 1938', Lee Dong-wook X Kim So-yeon X Kim Beom X Ryu Kyung-soo appeared.. Broadcast in 2023 [Official]] (in Korean). MT Star News. Retrieved May 3, 2022 – via Naver.
^ abCho Yoon-seon (October 19, 2023). "김소연, '7인의 탈출' 특별출연..전남편 윤종훈과 재회 '美친 활약' 예고" [Kim So-yeon makes a special appearance in ‘Escape of the Seven’… Reunification with ex-husband Yoon Jong-hoon, heralding ‘pro-American activities’] (in Korean). Sports Chosun. Retrieved October 19, 2023 – via Naver.
^ abMyeong-eon, Oh (July 22, 2024). "'정숙한 세일즈'에 김소연·김성령 출연…성인용품 방판나선 주부 역" [Kim So-yeon and Kim Sung-ryung appear in 'Quiet Sales'… Playing the role of a housewife who sells adult products] (in Korean). Yonhap News. Retrieved July 22, 2024 – via Naver.
^Moon Ji-yeon (February 18, 2022). "[공식] '펜하' 김소연→이지아 다시 뭉쳤다..주동민 감독 '숏버스터' 호흡" [[Official] ‘Penha’ Kim So-yeon → Lee Ji-ah reunited.. Director Joo Dong-min’s ‘Short Buster’ breathing] (in Korean). Sports Chosun. Retrieved February 18, 2022 – via Naver.
^Lee, Ji-young (September 20, 2005). "MBC 새 수목극 '가을 소나기' 21일 첫 방송" [MBC's new Wednesday-Thursday drama 'Autumn Rain' premieres on the 21st]. The JoongAng (in Korean). Retrieved January 2, 2022.
^Park Ah-reum (March 21, 2023). "남궁민→김소연 '모범택시2' 탑승 "방송으로 확인해달라" [Namgoong-min→Kim So-yeon boarded ‘Exemplary Taxi 2’ “Please check the broadcast] (in Korean). Newsen. Retrieved March 21, 2023 – via Naver.
^Lee Seul-bi (August 31, 2022). "김혜수→이준호 '2022 APAN STAR AWARDS' 수상 후보 공개" [Kim Hye-soo → Lee Jun-ho’s ‘2022 APAN STAR AWARDS’ nominees revealed] (in Korean). Sports Donga. Retrieved August 31, 2022 – via Naver.
^Do Hye-rae (August 13, 2021). "한국방송대상 첫 인기상 온라인 투표...오는 22일까지" [Online voting for the first popularity award at the Korea Broadcasting Awards... Until the 22nd]. newsfreezone (in Korean). Retrieved August 13, 2021.
^Cha, Soo-hyun (December 22, 2016). "〈2016 MBC 연기대상〉 올해를 빛낸 '최고의 커플&드라마'는?" [<2016 MBC Drama Awards> What is the 'best couple & drama' that shined this year?] (in Korean). iMBC. Retrieved September 10, 2022 – via Naver.
^Lee, Jihyun (January 1, 2019). [SBS 연기대상] 감우성·김선아, 공동 대상..베스트 커플상까지(종합) [[SBS Drama Awards] Gam Woo-sung, Kim Sun-ah, co- grand prize.. Best Couple Award (Comprehensive)]. News1 (in Korean). Archived from the original on December 31, 2018. Retrieved June 26, 2020.
^Lee, Ga-eun (January 1, 2022). ""멘토 ♥이상우 고마워" 김소연, 눈물의 '대상' 수상...이하늬X이상윤은 '최우수상' [SBS연기대상]" ["Thank you for mentor ♥ Lee Sang-woo" Kim So-yeon won the 'Grand Prize' in tears...Lee Ha-nui X Lee Sang-yoon 'Best Excellence Award' [SBS Acting Grand Prize]] (in Korean). Sports Chosun. Retrieved January 1, 2022 – via Naver.
^Jung Hee-yeon (January 1, 2022). "이제훈-김유정 장르/판타지 최우수상 [SBS 연기대상]" [Lee Je-hoon-Kim Yoo-jung Genre/Fantasy Grand Prize [SBS Acting Awards]] (in Korean). Sports Donga. Retrieved January 2, 2022 – via Naver.
^Kim Chaeyeon (December 17, 2021). ""홍천기-원더우먼→그해 우리는"…SBS, '2021 연기대상' 베스트 커플상 후보 공개" ["Chunki Hong - Wonder Woman → That year we were"... SBS unveils nominations for Best Couple Award at '2021 Acting Awards']. Top Star News (in Korean). Retrieved December 17, 2021.
^Lee Han-lim (August 20, 2021). "'서울드라마어워즈 2021', 한류드라마상 온라인 투표 진행" [Seoul Drama Awards 2021', online voting for Hallyu Drama Awards] (in Korean). The Fact. Retrieved August 20, 2021 – via Naver.
^Kim Ji-hye (September 10, 2021). "서울드라마어워즈 2021, 본심 진출자·작 발표..'펜트하우스' 4개 부문 노미" [Seoul Drama Awards 2021, finalists and works announced.. Nominees for 'Penthouse' in 4 categories]. heraldcorp (in Korean). Retrieved September 10, 2021 – via Naver.
^Park, Ji-hyun; Kim, Min-soo; Shin, Yoon-ae (April 23, 2021). 2021 포브스코리아 선정 파워 셀럽 40 [2021 Power Celebrity Selected by Forbes Korea 40]. JoongAng Ilbo (in Korean). Archived from the original on April 28, 2021. Retrieved May 21, 2021 – via Joins.