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Meet K-drama actor linked to BTS' V, was diagnosed with hypothyroidism and went on break, but returned to fame with chaebol role
This K-drama actress was once in-demand child artist, however her rise to a leading lady wasn’t all smooth. From giving rise to dating rumors with BTS’ V to going on hiatus due to health, she has faced much hardships.
Today we will be exploring the life and career of such a Korean actress who once was the most sought-after child artist. However, the pathway of her rise to a star wasn’t as easy as many may think. She was once rumored to be dating BTS’ V and even took a brief career pause due to hypothyroidism. Do you have a guess yet?
Meet K-drama actress who debuted as child artist but her older sister was preferred over her for casting
If you couldn’t guess who she might be, we got you! She is none other than the superfly talented actress Kim Yoo Jung. Born on September 22, 1999, she stepped into the entertainment career at the age of four with an advertising deal for a confectionary brand.
Following her debut, she quickly became an in-demand child actress. By the time she was in fifth grade, she already starred in 13 K-dramas and 15 films. However, reports suggest she was in continuous competition with her older sister Kim Yeon Jung, who was also a child actress and was often preferred over Kim Yoo Jung.
Nonetheless, her talents still bagged her roles in many hit dramas and films including Lady Vengeance (2005), Hwang Jin Yi (2007), Iljimae (2008), Painter of the Wind (2008), Queen Seondeok (2009), Dong Yi (2010), Gyebaek (2011) among others.
For excelling in playing the childhood of the female counterparts in these dramas, she won many accolades and even earned the moniker ‘Nation’s little sister’.
This K-drama actress dropped out of college to pursue acting
After graduating from Goyang High School of Arts, she decided to advance in her acting career rather than taking the College Scholastic Ability Test. In 2012, Kim Yoo Jung became a household name after bagging the role of a young protagonist in Kim Soo Hyun starrer drama The Moon Embracing the Sun.
Just at the age of 13, she received a nomination for Best New Actress in the 48th Baeksang Arts Awards. As she advanced further in her career, she added more nominations and accolades to her acting portfolio.
In 2016, Kim Yoo Jung bagged her first adult leading role in Park Bo Gum starrer drama Love in the Moonlight. She played Hong Ra On in this historical piece, a woman raised as a boy, who later poses as the head eunuch of the crown prince of Joseon. This drama became a phenomenon in South Korea and its explosive popularity also landed the actress an array of more leading characters.
From here on, she fully transformed into a leading lady with her next role in the rom-com Because I Love You (2017).
Meet K-drama actress who was criticized for being 'distracted' during press-con and had to take a break following year due to health issues
However, her growing career suddenly faced a setback. During the press conference for Because I Love You, netizens pointed out that she was ‘distracted’ and was busy looking at her nails.
This led to attitude controversy and despite being a teenager she was strictly criticized. As an aftermath, she faced stree-shock and was even hospitalized. In the following year, she had to visit the hospital once again due to hypothyroidism (Thyroid disorder), and the actress needed to go on hiatus.
This K-drama actress gave rise to dating rumors with BTS' V for a very unexpected reason
Despite the sudden setbacks, Kim Yoo Jung continued to hone her skills as an actress. In the following years, just as when she was engraving her name in the industry, another rumor swept up the internet like a storm.
In 2020, after she took the same subway on the same day as BTS member V, many linked the two together, hoping for a romantic involvement.
Though it didn’t turn out to be true (sadly)!
More about this K-drama actress' popular works
In the following years, she headlined many more K-dramas and films including Backstreet Rookie (2020), Lovers of the Red Sky (2021), 20th Century Girl (2022), My Demon (2023), Chicken Nugget (2024). Especially with her chaebol heiress role in My Demon starring Song Kang, she rose to global fame.
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