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Meet Korean actress who sold soy milk for cash, beat 1500 auditioners to debut in Park Chan Wook film and achieved global fame with athlete role
Meet this Korean actress, who overcame many obstacles to reach where she is today. Before basking in global fame, she had faced many rejections at auditions. Read on to know who is this star.
Korean film and TV industry gives birth to many stars every day. Some of them continue to march forward for a brighter future, while some struggle. Today, we will take a closer look at such an actress’ life and career who overcame many obstacles in her career. From taking up odd jobs to staying afloat to winning against many auditioners for the debut film, her ambitious journey in the realm of the competitive Korean entertainment industry is bound to inspire others. Do you have a guess yet? If not, let’s discover together who is this talented star with a bunch of high-profile projects in her portfolio.
Meet K-drama actress who briefly dreamed of becoming announcer before pursuing acting
Yes, if you have guessed it, you are right. She is none other than the incredibly talented actress Kim Tae Ri, who is highly regarded for her meticulous character synchronization skills. Born on April 24, 1990, she hails from Seoul’s Jungnag District.
After completing her school, she took an interest in art, but soon realized it didn’t sit with her well. In 2008, she enrolled in Kyung Hee University’s Journalist and Mass Communications Department with a brief dream of becoming an announcer. But fate has something else planned for her. Soon, she found herself joining the theatre club in the second year of her university.
This Korean actress once sold soy milk and took up many odd jobs to stay afloat
Previously, she told in interviews that her parents were supportive of her decision to pursue acting. However, coming from a financially challenged family, she had to take up odd jobs to keep her dreams alive.
From her school years only, she started working part-time in fast food joints, selling soy milk in convenience stores, and even waitressing in cafes.
Did you know this Korean star competed against 1500 auditioners before bagging lead role in her debut film?
From 2012 to 2015, Kim Tae Ri honed her acting skills with a bunch of theatre plays and short films. However, she didn’t seem to advance in her career. During this time, she faced multiple rejections at many auditions, but still kept her hopes up.
It was in 2016, that she landed her breakthrough in the mainstream Korean film industry. In that year, she made her feature film debut, bagging a lead role in the acclaimed director Park Chan Wook’s The Handmaiden.
Reportedly, for her role, she auditioned with 1500 others and was able to secure the opportunity for herself.
For her outstanding performance in The Handmaiden, she grabbed many nods, taking home big wins from the Blue Dragon Film Awards, the Busan Film Critics Awards, and more prestigious ceremonies.
Catch up on this Korean actress' career graph
As a newcomer, she wanted to thrive further in her career and decided not to look back. In the following year, she joined the star-studded cast lineup of the popular political thriller 1987: When the Day Comes. For her performance in this film, she bagged the Best Actress nomination at that year’s Grand Bell Awards.
From here, Kim Tae Ri kickstarted a swift journey as a rising Korean star and soon shot to global fame with a bunch of super-hit projects.
In 2018, she headlined Little Forest, a Korean big-screen adaption of a Japanese manga of the same name. In this film, she co-starred Reply 1988 actor Ryu Jun Yeol.
In the same year, she made her K-drama debut in the Lee Byung Hun starrer historical series Mr.Sunshine. Her next big project was the 2021 Korean blockbuster Space Sweepers, where she starred alongside Song Joong Ki.
At this point, Kim Tae Ri was already unstoppable, but her lead role in the 2022 super hit drama Twenty-Five Twenty-One elevated her career to a new level, earning her massive global fame.
Co-starring Nam Joo Hyuk, Kim Tae Ri embodied the character of an aspiring fencer named Na Hee Do. At the brink of 30, the way she portrayed a high-schooler’s role absolutely won the hearts of viewers, leading him to win the Best TV Actress at the 58th Baeksang Arts Awards.
In the following years, she led films and series like Allenoid (2022), Revenant (2023), and Allenoid: Return to the Future (2024). Very soon, she will make her small-screen return with a lead role in a brand-new K-drama titled Jeong Nyeon.
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