Info & updates courtesy Kim So Yeon soompi thread /rubie / katt Assalamualaikum wbr
Date of Birth: November 2, 1980
Place of Birth: Seoul, South Korea
Stats: 167cm, 46kg
Blood type: A
Family: Parents, two older sisters, brother-in-law, nephew
Hobbies: Listening to the radio, computer games and cartoons / Taekwondo
Musical talent: plays the chang-gu (a drum shaped like an hourglass)
Fave Actors: Lee Byung Hun, Jeon Do Yeon, Kim Seung Woo, Song Kang Ho
Her song for boyfriend: 'Eurachacha' from 'Rumble Fish' X
Personal hompage: minihp.cyworld.com
Debut: 1994
Education:
Elementary School - Cheongdam Elementary School
Middle School - Cheongdam Middle School
High school - Ilsandong High School
University - Dongguk University Movie Theater
Management Agency: Namoo Actors since April 6, 2006
1994 KBS Child Actor Award
2000 MBC Character Award (All About Eve)
2008 SBS Supporting Role (Gourmet) captures
2009 KBS Drama Awards Emcee + Popular Choice Awards (IRIS) Red Carpet l Presentation l X l mj07 l lilcrash
KBS-LBH Daesang 2009 feat. KSY youtube l Popularity Award youtube l youtube l The Rapper Yeon
Music Album
2010 'Love Tree Project' Kim So-yeon sings for charity l dramabeans l X
Namoo Actors 'Love Tree Project' charity event l X l Lots of KSY Photos X l VOD
KSY-Love Tree Audio Clip full download l Mediafire l youtube l Lyrics
Love Tree Photos l X l X l X l Cover l BTS l lilcrash l So Hye Yeon
Music Video
KCM Trilogy Classic 2008 feat. Kim Seung Woo & Kim So Yeon Part 1 l Part 2 l Part 3
Cosmetics endorsement captures X l X
2010 'COREANA' Cosmetics Filming BTS Interview12 l 3 l 4 l 5 l 6 l 7 l 8 l 9 l KSY Baidu
Coreana OVLEAU Streaming l captures l gifs l KSY BaiduBar l cyworld/SHV01124 l Promo Pics
Coreana Calendar wallies X l X l X l X l mooneyeland/KSY BaiduBar
[INTERVIEW] Actress Kim So-yeon: Part 1-3
Reporter : Choi Ji-Eun Photographer : Lee Jin-hyuk Editor : Lee Ji-Hye Editor : Lynn Kim
Korean actress Kim So-yeon [photographed by Lee Jin-hyuk/10Asia]
Actress Kim So-yeon says "feels like I am back at the starting line"
Out of three Wednesday/Thursday evening dramas, which all premiered on the same day last March, SBS TV series "Princess Prosecutor" never scored the No. 1 viewership rating during its run. However, the show remained a well-made drama till the end with its tight storyline, unique characters played by all the right actors. It would not be an exaggeration to say that actress Kim So-yeon, who played the title character, displayed such impressive acting skills that might perhaps be the biggest achievement anyone has made in the first half of the year. Even though it wasn't the so-called "possessed acting," Kim So-yeon created an interesting chemistry seen in the perfect match-up of an actress and her character. After a long hiatus and challenging times, the actress, who used to be the representative star of trendy dramas in the 90s, the actress is back at a brand new starting line. And she is more hungry for acting now more than ever, she says. 10Asia interviewed Kim So-yeon, whose sincerity shone through during the interview and touched hearts at unsuspecting moments.
10: It has been quite a while since "Princess Prosecutor" ended but its popularity still seems to be lingering.
Kim: Yes, the show ended with the sixteenth episode but fans posted a trailer video for episode 17! I heard that they are still writing fictional scripts, haha. When I first started working on the show, there was so much responsibility and stress that I was very worried. But I am really grateful that so many people are still in love with "Princess Prosecutor."
10: The expectation for "Princess Prosecutor" was very high because it was going to a collaboration between director Jin Hyuk and writer So Hyun-kyung, who worked together on SBS TV series "Shining Inheritance." How did you feel when you were first offered the role?
Kim: When KBS drama "IRIS" ended, I really wanted to a completely different character, a very cheerful one. But I thought I wouldn't get offers to do a cheerful character because I played Sun-hwa in "IRIS." In fact, there was a role that I turned down because she was so similar to Sun-hwa. I was worried about my next acting project because didn't want to take a break from work, and that is when I got the synopsis [for "Princess Prosecutor." Director Jin Hyuk was actually an assistant director on SBS' "2004 Human Market," in which I played a cold, femme fatale character. I loved the script and I was so happy that someone who knew my real personality sent it to me, so I said I would do it right away. I had to wait about a month afterwards and I knew why. Not everyone thinks of me as the main lead so there must have a lot of worries about hiring me as the title character. So even when I heard rumors that someone else was cast for the role, I thought, "Ah, I didn't get it." but I wasn't disappointed. Then when I heard that I got the part, I felt like I had received a huge present.
Actress Kim So-yeon [Lee Jin-hyuk/10Asia]
10: It is surprising that you thought so yourself, "Not everyone thinks of me as the main lead."
Kim: When you look at comments on the Internet, you could see that many people were worried whether Kim So-yeon could really play a cheerful, adorable female character who is the essence of a romantic comedy. When I was in middle schol and high school, I too grew up watching Meg Ryan or Julia Roberts movies and I loved them. Romantic comedy was a genre that I really wanted to take on but I can't judge myself as an actress so I had doubts and worries about whether I could do a good job. And in a way, I'm not what people call a lovely-faced actress because I have strong facial features. And from a certain point on, I began to think that romantic comedy was not something that I could dare dream of doing.
10: The success of romantic comedy definitely depends on how convincingly the loveliness of its main character is conveyed to viewers.
Kim: I really loved the character Ma Hye-ri and that is why I was even more worried. That I wouldn't be able to convince people of playing this character because Kim So-yeon has a certain fixed image. I played a North Korean spy [in "IRIS"] and the character Heo Young-mi in MBC's "All about Eve" followed me around for ten years.
10: So then how did you try to approach the character Ma Hye-ri?
Kim: My biggest concern was to break free from conventional stereotypes. Every character is different but there is a certain fixed rule about the characters in scripts. In the past, I tended to stay faithful to these rules and played my characters according to how they were written in scripts. But this time I think I ignored all those rules because I wanted to try stuff that was only possible when playing Ma Hye-ri. I would try to soften some aspects, go up a notch sometimes, and even applied my usual way of speech and my own laughs too. I was scared if it was okay to do that but the writer used my speech style in the script and the director was very open to my attempts as well. I think that is why I was able to feel comfortable in front of the camera for the first time. In that sense, "Princess Prosecutor" is a coming of age story about Ma Hye-ri but it also made me very happy because I had a hard time over what people thought about me as an actress.
10: You are well-known for playing cold, arrogant characters like you did in "All About Eve" and "IRIS." But you also showed an off-the-wall, cheerful side of yourself on variety shows "Happy Together" and "Win Win," similar to your character in "Princess Prosecutor."
Kim: To be honest, I was scared of going on such variety shows. I thought an actress should show herself through her acting and often times I didn't like my hectic personality. My first "Happy Together" appearance was in 2008, but it took me a year before I actually went on the show. My manager told me, "You always say that you want loosen up and do a romantic comedy, but you are always hiding yourself from people. Who is going to use you when they don't see that side of yourself?" That is how he convinced me and I got up the courage to do it. Before the show I kept telling myself, "Just be myself. Even if people hate it, I would feel less bad if I was just myself. If I think something is funny, I'll laugh. If not, I won't. And if I don't get it, I'll just say I don't get it." I had a really tough time shooting the episode but I was surprised that people thought it was entertaining. And that is when I started to reveal other parts of myself, little by little, and that is how I came about doing "Princess Prosecutor."
10: You had some romantic storylines in your previous dramas, but in "Princess Prosecutor" the storyline between Ma Hye-ri and lawyer Seo (played by Park Shi-hoo) was particularly intense. Is there any difference in how you expressed your emotions?
Kim: I was totally absorbed in my character so it wasn't too difficult. And sometimes I think, I don't like being this old. (laugh) The ability to express emotions would have been different one year before or any time before that. You can't ignore your previous experiences or your first-sided loves. I remembered some things while I was shooting, and I think those helped me a lot. If I do something next year, it will probably be different too. Haha.
Korean actress Kim So-yeon [photographed by Lee Jin-hyuk/10Asia]
10: You have been a star since your teenage years. In certain times when you didn't have any work, it must have been easy for you, both emotionally and financially, to choose to do projects that didn't suit you but you never did. How were you able to turn them down?
Kim: Many times I came close to doing them, haha. I don't think there was anything that was completely out of the question for me to do. But there were times when I would have done a not-so-great drama but it got flopped. There was one drama that I wasn't so crazy about but thought, 'I'll just do it anyway." But they ended up casting someone else and I was humiliated. When you are forced to go on a hiatus like that, you begin to feel very determined afterwards. A part of me thought that I should just wait for something else to come along. You tell yourself, 'This is not the end of me" and endure it. When I look back at such times, I think those experiences helped me in the end but back then it was really difficult! (laugh)
10: I heard that when you debuted at the age of fifteen, you didn't think seriously about being an actor but that you just liked the idea of being one. But you got great reviews for "All About Eve," which you did when you were in your early twenties. People thought you looked like a real anchorwoman and that your pronunciation and vocalization were solid. Your unique and clear speech in "Princess Prosecutor" was also impressive.
Kim: When I was doing "All About Eve," I really practiced a lot, saying my lines with a pencil in my mouth. Even now when there is something I can't pronounce clearly, I put a pencil between my teeth and practice. There aren't many opportunities nowadays to practice with older veteran actors because we have a different system for making dramas. But back when I was young, there were many veteran actors on the set and I was able to acquire certain things naturally. You know, like on the dramas I did when I was in high school. For MBC TV series "Mother and Sister," I had act face-to-face every day with veteran actresses Na Moon-hee and Go Doo-shim. I didn't have a particular obsession about pronunciation or vocalization, but it's just that viewers can hear me better if I say my words clearly.
10: I thought you would make a great narrator for documentaries.
Kim: I would love to do that! I really wish they would hire me. (laugh) I am very interested in things I can do with my voice. I want to do voice-overs for animations and it is my dream to host KBS music show "Open Concert." I want to be a deejay for late-night radio shows but I don't know if they will hire me for late-night programs. Because I am so scatty. I might wake people up! Haha.
Actress Kim So-yeon [Lee Jin-hyuk/10Asia]
10: You seem to watch all kinds of TV programs. From what you've said on talk shows, you seem to know a lot of idol group singers too.
Kim: Ahaha, I know all about them! I watch SBS' "Inkigayo" every day at home. I watch a lot of old dramas and shows on cable and my favorite show is SBS' "Wowhow." Observing how people live their lives is very entertaining, but there are many inspiring and heartbreaking stories on the show as well. I think it's the best show, really.
10: There seems to be a little gap between how you look and how you sound. You look like an urban, intelligent woman but you sound like a very lively person.
Kim: I tried to lower the tone of my voice in the past. When I would laugh out loud and say hello to the president of my agency, he used to tell me "Change your voice. Act like how you look!" But one day he gave up and now he imitates my laugh. The funny thing is, the things that I had been trying to hide, fix or get rid of for a long time has now become acceptable after playing Ma Hye-ri.
10: Because now you have been accepted for being you?
Kim: Yes. I got a negative criticism right after I did "All About Eve." People said that I was pretentious and trying to act cute, and it hurt me so badly that I avoided doing video interviews for a long time. I do interviews with many different media outlets and whomever I met, I would think it was fate in some way and try to be nice to them. But people misunderstood me in various ways and that was very upsetting. I still remember my make-up artist telling me, "Someday people will know the real you." And exactly ten years later, I was able to go from being Heo Young-mi to being Ma Hye-ri. I love that I can be so comfortable doing this interview right now. That is why I am so grateful to Hye-ri. I was able to start over by playing her and now I don't get just one type of character. And even if I go back to playing such characters, I am thankful that people will know that it is "acting" and not the real me. I really feel like I am back at the starting line and like I finally have done and away with something I was supposed to do.
10: You received the People's Choice award for "IRIS" at the KBS Acting Awards last year. It was funny to see you so much more ecstatic than I thought you would be. Do you wish you had more star power as an actress?
Kim: I would be lying if I said I didn't because I do feel happier when I have more star power. But I don't want to chase after empty goals like being the most-searched celebrity on the web or being in the spotlight. I used to desire such things in the past but now I know how easily they vanish and you can't see anything else if you are too caught in that. These days I am trying to be indifferent to things like that.
10: It took exactly ten years to go from being Heo Young-mi to being Ma Hye-ri. Now that you have entered your thirties, is there anything you want to achieve?
Kim: This might make you cringe but really, my head is full of thoughts about acting right now. So much that I feel like the actress Kim So-yeon has eaten up the human being Kim So-yeon. So I want to keep working non-stop and do everything that I can possibly do. I don't have plans of becoming a certain actress by doing this and that. I want to be a truly great actress who works hard, plays all kinds of characters and can always do the work that she wants to do. Because I know that waiting around is really hard. (laugh)
Korean actress Kim So-yeon [photographed by Lee Jin-hyuk/10Asia]
10: Your actual personality of being unpredictable and vivacious, that you showed on the talk show, often also shows in your portrayal of your character Ma Hae-ri. Have you considered yourself to be similar to her?
Kim So-yeon (Kim): Of course. From the start the director and writer told me to be myself and it was to the point where in the beginning, I became worried thinking 'Is this okay? I don?t feel like I?m acting.' The scenarist wrote the script incorporating my original form of speech and laughter and I think I couldn?t tell the difference between me and my character Hae-ri toward the end. I have two older sisters and I am the youngest of the three but I was the only who had a very cheerful personality ever since I was young. My dad even really really liked it when I would act in the most coquettish way and both my mom and dad see me as a little girl. Have you ever held hands with a boy? When did you ever kiss someone? They ask me these questions thinking I don't know how to. (laugh)
10: However, it may seem like Hae-ri is thoughtless girl trying to act cute so what are some of the things you paid particular attention to in order to portray her as a loveable person for the female viewers?
Kim: I think from the first episode up till the fifth episode [about the child molester case of Ji-min] was about showing the extent of Hae-ri?s thoughtlessness. Honestly, she's the kind of person who lives strictly in her own world, loves herself a lot and has no intentions of hurting anyone on purpose so I thought really hard about how I would be able to express this character who you should not hate. More so because I knew she?s not but it could easily seem like there?s nothing more to her than the fact that she?s thoughtless. But I think it came to me in a flash while I was playing with my eight-year-old niece. When you ask the question "Do you like this person or that person?" adults would hesitate to answer but children answer right away saying "This person!" and when I ask "Do you think I'm pretty or not?" they would answer honestly, "No, you're not pretty!" But whether she answers in this way or that, I just couldn?t stop thinking how loveable she is. So I thought that the audience was unable to hate Hae-ri because of how honest and naive she is, like a child.
Korean actress Kim So-yeon [photographed by Lee Jin-hyuk/10Asia]
10: Which scene was the hardest to take on?
Kim: When I was reading the synopsis I really liked the part where Hae-ri is shown as being very fat while in high school and I wanted to highlight those scenes so suggested ideas like ?How about I stand in front of the mirror and dance or dance while cleaning the house?" to the director. I felt that her not having had much social interaction and being doped over and over again in the past was a crucial factor to what her current personality turned out to be like. It took about seven to eight hours to put on the special disguise for the scenes where Hae-ri reminisces about the past and we had to do it several times because it kept melting down. My hands and face were really heavy and I don't usually sweat but after putting on the disguise, it was so hot to the point where drops of sweat would fall. At the time, we were several weeks into shooting the drama without sleep, so the director said he thought I could even collapse because he knew how hard those shoots [in special effect make-up] were. For me it wasn't really that hard so thanks to that I was told I have ?heaven-sent physical strength.? I was fine, other than the fact that my whole body felt like it had gotten beaten up and I had trouble walking the next day. (laugh)
10: After Hae-ri goes on a diet, her trademark becomes wearing extravagant clothes and killers heels. But what is your everyday style like?
Kim: A long time ago I really liked dressing up and it was almost like a hobby because I would try on clothes when I get bored at home. In a way, I was thought I was creating my style and wrote down 'this outfit matches with these shoes and that outfit goes with those shoes' and I would refer to it whenever I go out. There was a time when I couldn't just walk past bags, shoes and accessories [without buying something] but now I think I'm less greedy and don't think about it as much. I will sometimes give my bags to my sister or mom because it's such a waste to have it laying around and most of the time I dress in comfortable clothes. Since I am girl I will probably want to dress up again but sometimes I feel it's a waste of energy
10: How did Ma Hae-ri's unique hairstyle come about? It was quite popular.
Kim: I had short hair, a different style for the first shoot but when I took a photo [with my mobile phone] and sent it to the scenarist, she suggested that Hae-ri would look better in a prettier and cheerful type of hairstyle. So after we wrapped up shoot that day, we created my hairstyle with its bangs and drizzling curly hair through a ten-hour process. Hye-ri hinks she is pretty and because she loves dressing up, she would spend the morning curling her hair but I thought that the character itself shouldn?t actually be pretty ? it could rather make Hae-ri less attractive to the viewers. So, I just pushed forward with that and I felt that I became Ma Hae-ri whenever I wore that hairstyle.
Korean actress Kim So-yeon [photographed by Lee Jin-hyuk/10Asia]
10: After KBS' "IRIS" finished its run, you appeared on talk show "Win Win" and said that your family finally boasts about your success. What did your family have to say about "Princess Prosecutor?"
Kim: Of course my mom really liked [my character] Sun-hwa in "IRIS" but this time she loved "Princess Prosecutor" so much that she would stay home all day to watch it. To the extent where she would call SBS Plus to find out the times of the reruns. (laugh) She especially likes the scenes where Hae-ri imitates the tone of Seo In-woo (played by Park Si-hoo).
10: There are many people who envy you for your great body. What are your secrets to staying in shape?
Kim: Haha. Great body! I don't have a great body! But I used to be very skinny before. I weighed five kilograms less than I am now so they had to pin my clothes because even the smallest sizes were too big for me -- 'skeleton-like' would be the very expression for it. But what was strange was that I didn't even know I was skinny. But I became much healthier while preparing for "IRIS" because I worked out, was on a different diet and so I wear different size clothes now. But I like the way I look now and I used to think that skinny girls looked pretty before but I think girls who look fit look prettier now. Of course, I won't try to fool myself -- it's tough working out and the diet doesn't taste good but I think I've become much healthier mentally. What is important is that you shouldn't become stressed while working out. I'm lucky in that sense because my trainer taught me to exercise while having fun.
10: Is there an actor who serves as your role model?
Kim: Everyone that I meet in everyday life is my role model, rather than it being someone in particular. Like my manager, stylist... I even practice my acting while playing with my nephew. Everyone is different when they're watching TV too so I think that's its' important to be open-minded when it comes to judging people.
10: Many people are looking forward to the second season of "Princess Prosecutor." What are your thoughts on this?
Kim: I'd definitely be happy to do it! I'm not looking forward to it because the director told me it would be unlikely to happen but I think there is no reason at all that I wouldn't be able to work with such enjoyable people again. There are a lot more detailed stories to tell about prosecutors so I really wish it would happen! Haha.
Reporter: Choi Ji-Eun five@ Photographer: Lee Jin-hyuk eleven@ Editor: Lee Ji-Hye seven@, Lucia Hong luciahong@ <ⓒ10Asia All rights reserved> 10Asia 1 l 2 l 3
Posted on 03.27.09 to Star News by hanfever Kim So Yeon Spreads Her Love In Mexico
[O'live TV 2009] A Beautiful Day
For a teenage girl living in a slum in Mexico, actress Kim So Yeon had spent several sleepless nights practicing guitar. On the cable Olive TV, Kim So Yeon has displayed a heart-warming act where she had volunteered to help a 13-year-old teenage girl "Hudiseu" in the two weeks that she was in Mexico early this year.
Hudiseu lost her father at the age of 5. Hence her family's situation became increasingly difficult and she couldn't afford to play the violin that she had interest in as and when she likes. So for her, Kim So Yeon made her first guitar performance with Mexico Mariachi (a small local band group, and includes Hudiseu) at a popular event in Mexico.
Kim So Yeon said: "I wish to attempt difficult challenges, so as to stimulate a greater courage in me," expressing her motive for helping the teenage girl.
However, the local organizing committee was initially displeased with Kim So Yeon's poor guitar performance and even wanted to deny her from performing. They said: "Such a novice guitar performance would be hard to be moved to the stage especially when the event would be attended by many prominent locals." After knowing about the situation, Kim So Yeon began to spend the next several nights practicing her guitar, till the point where her hand bleeds.
Apart from this, she also gave Mariachi some T-shirts that she had brought from Korea. She told them: "Let's wear the shirts together for our performances." She also went to the church early in the morning to pray Mariachi, wishing that the band can achieve their dreams ultimately.
Finally, Kim So Yeon with an enhanced guitar skills over the course of few days, played her own version of "Besame Mucho" beautifully and won the praises and cheers of the locals. After the performance, she gave Hudiseu who used to rent violin for practice, a brand new violin.
The locals had compliments for Kim So Yeon. One of them said: "Kim So Yeon?s sincerity touched all of us." Hudiseu also expressed her gratitude towards Kim So Yeon and said: "Sister is my most precious friend. Her actions have made me learned a lot things. In order to fulfill my dreams, I will be sure to work even harder in the future."
Lastly, Kim So Yeon expressed her thoughts about this meaningful trip. She said: "I feel very happy in helping Hudiseu to realize her dreams. Even though my help might be significant, but the thought of being able to be a role model for her makes me even happier."
This Mexico trip recorded in the program "Olive Special - Beautiful Day In Slow Life" will be broadcast on the 27th March and 3rd April, 2009.
Posted on 11.03.08 to Star News by hanfever Kim So Yeon in Wedding Gown
Kim So Yeon transformed into gorgeous bride when she did a photo shoot with a Korean wedding magazine recently. These photos were taken at Guam, a beautiful island in the western Pacific Ocean. Kim So Yeon in wedding gown together with the beautiful scenery of the island in the background has left a deep impression for many.
The photographer responsible for the photo shoot expressed, ?Kim So Yeon?s perfect body shape truly enhances the wedding gowns. Especially for the pink wedding gown, apart from Kim So Yeon, it is hard to find another suitable model.?
Kim So Yeon expressed: ?I have had the experience of putting on the wedding gowns in the past. However compared to previous times, I feel that I?m more suitable to put on a wedding gown now. Although I still do not have the plan to get married yet, but I get very excited after putting them on, as though I?m really a bride about to get married.?
She looks gorgeous, doesn?t she? I can?t believe she is only 167cm because she looks extremely tall in these photos.
All About Eve memang Kdrama classic because of Kim So Yeon, masa tu dia baru je 20 tahun tapi acting first-class. Terlampau bagus sampai production takut ambil dia berlakon jadi baik. Kira macam "curse" lah jugak. Nasib baik, dia sabar, tak give up and tak memilih, lepas Gourmet dapat offer IRIS supporting role and sanggup potong rambut pendek -- itu yang nampak dia punya passion and commitment.
Honestly, kita jarang nak suka actress (like really2 follow) compared to some of the actors but So Yeon memang worth it!
Post time 28-6-2010 02:20 PM
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Post time 28-6-2010 02:29 PM
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