Kim Ah-joong Biography

Kim A-joong (born October 16, 1982) is a South Korean actress, model and singer. She is best known for playing the main character in the 2006 critically acclaimed romance comedy 200 Pounds Beauty.

Education

Kim graduated from Korea University with a master's degree in journalism.

Career

Kim Ah-joong first rose to fame for her role in the romance film When Romance Meets Destiny (2005). Thereafter, she appeared in several commercials and landed first leading role in daily soap opera Bizarre Bunch. However, it was her role in the highly successful comedy film 200 Pounds Beauty that pushed her to stardom. For her role as an overweight girl who undergoes cosmetic surgery makeover to become a pop sensation, she was awarded Best Actress at the 2007 Grand Bell Awards. She released soundtracks of the film, "Beautiful Girl" and the Korean version of the song "Maria". "Beautiful Girl" won Digital Music Awards' "Song of the Month" by Cyworld.

Kim returned to acting three years later following 200 Pounds Beauty, starring alongside Hwang Jung-min in romantic comedy The Accidental Couple. In 2010, Kim was cast in a U.S.-Chinese film project Amazing, a sci-fi film about the development of a virtual-reality basketball game. The same year, she was cast in medical drama Sign by Kim Eun-hee, playing a forensic scientist.

In September 2011, Kim was found guilty of tax evasion. She also had to pay an additional $600,000 fine. She and her management at the time parted ways due to the verdict. Due to this scandal she was banned from TV work in South Korea from late 2011 to late 2014, and she focused on films. In December 2012, Kim co-starred with Ji Sung in the romantic comedy film My PS Partner. This was followed by another romantic comedy film Steal My Heart in 2013.

She returned to TV in legal drama Punch, where she received positive reviews for her portrayal of a prosecutor. In 2016, Kim starred in the crime thriller Wanted. In 2017, she starred in time-slip romantic comedy Live Up to Your Name alongside Kim Nam-gil.

Ambassador roles

• 2009: Goodwill Ambassador of FranceExpress
• 2009: 46th Savings Day: Prime Minister Commendation
• 2015: Ambassador for 17th Seoul International Women's Film Festival

Filmography

Film

Year	Title	Role
2005	When Romance Meets Destiny	Lee Kyung-jae
2006	200 Pounds Beauty	Kang Han-na / Jenny
2009	Present	Spy W
2010	Foxy Festival	Soo-jung, cameo
2012	My PS Partner	Yoon-jung
2013	Catch Me	Yoon Jin-sook/Lee Sook-ja
2013	Amazing	Erin
2017	The King	Sang-hee

Television series

Year	Title	Role	Network
2004	Emperor of the Sea	Ha Jin	KBS2
2005	Our Attitude to Prepare Parting	Seo Hee-won	MBC
	Bizarre Bunch	Kim Jong-nam	KBS1
2008	On Air	Cameo	SBS
2009	The Accidental Couple	Han Ji-soo	KBS2
2011	Sign	Go Da-kyung	SBS
2014	Punch	Shin Ha-Gyung
2016	Wanted	Jung Hye-in
2017	Live Up to Your Name, Dr. Heo	Choi Yeon-kyung	tvN

Music video

• Shin Hye-sung - Same thought
• Youme - ???? ?? ?? ?

Awards and nominations

Year	Award	Category	Nominated work	Result	Ref.
2005	Dong-A TV Fashion-Beauty Awards	Best Dresser
	MBC Drama Awards	Best New Actress	Our Attitude to Prepare Parting
	KBS Drama Awards	Best New Actress	Bizarre Bunch
2006	42nd Baeksang Arts Awards	Best New Actress	When Romance Meets Destiny
		Most Popular Actress
	27th Blue Dragon Film Awards	Best New Actress
2007	6th Cyworld Digital Music Awards	Song of the Month	"Beautiful Girl"
	2nd Asia Model Awards	Popular Star Award
	4th Max Movie Awards	Best Actress	200 Pounds Beauty
	30th Golden Cinematography Awards	Best New Actress
	44th Grand Bell Awards	Best Actress
		Popularity Award
	1st Mnet 20's Choice Awards	Best Actress
	15th Chunsa Film Art Awards	Best Actress
	3rd Premiere Magazine's Rising Star Awards	Rising Star
	1st Korea Movie Star Awards	Rookie Award
		Best Couple Award
	45th Motion Pictures Day	Most Promising Actress
	28th Blue Dragon Film Awards	Best Actress
		Popular Star Award
	6th Korean Film Awards	Best Actress
	22nd Golden Disc Awards	Ceci Special Award	"Beautiful Girl"
	Elle Style Award Asia	Hot Face Award
2009	3rd Andr Kim Best Star Award	Female Star Award
	7th Korea Lifestyle Awards	Best Dresser Award
	KBS Drama Awards	Excellence Award, Actress in a Miniseries	The Accidental Couple
2011	47th Baeksang Arts Awards	Best Actress	Sign
	SBS Drama Awards	Top Excellence Award, Actress in a Drama Special
2015	SBS Drama Awards	Top Excellence Award, Actress in a Drama Special	Punch
2016	5th APAN Star Awards	Excellence Award, Actress in a Miniseries	Wanted
2017	1st The Seoul Awards	Best Actress	Live Up to Your Name