Actress Kim Ji-won: From 'Queen of Tears' to 'Dr. X', a Look at Her Character Evolution Through Her Filmography
Actress Kim Ji-won has built her unique filmography by creating distinct characters in every project. After reaching a pinnacle with her role as 'Hong Hae-in' in "Queen of Tears," which became tvN's all-time highest-rated drama in 2024, she is taking on a new challenge as the genius surgeon 'Gye Soo-jeong' in SBS's "Dr. X: Age of the White Mafia," which premieres today (October 9), 2026. We will explore the evolution of her characters through her major works.
At a Glance: Kim Ji-won's Representative Characters
Kim Ji-won, who debuted in a 2010 commercial, initially took on roles with an aloof and cold image. She later expanded her acting spectrum by playing characters in various professions, such as a military doctor and an aspiring announcer. Notably, she showcased profound internal acting in "My Liberation Notes" and proved both her popular appeal and acting skills with "Queen of Tears." Her current agency is HighZium Studio. (As of October 2026)
2026 Latest Work: "Dr. X: Age of the White Mafia"
Kim Ji-won's latest work in 2026 is "Dr. X: Age of the White Mafia," a remake of a popular Japanese drama. Shedding the glamour of her previous role, she has transformed into a genius surgeon with short hair and a doctor's gown.
- Drama Title: "Dr. X: Age of the White Mafia" (SBS Fri-Sat Drama)
- First Broadcast: October 9, 2026, at 9:50 PM
- Original Work: Japanese TV Asahi drama "Doctor-X: Surgeon Michiko Daimon"
- Role: Gye Soo-jeong (A freelance genius surgeon dispatched to Guseo University Hospital)
- Characteristics: She plays a professional character who relies solely on her skills, a 180-degree turn from the third-generation chaebol heiress 'Hong Hae-in' in "Queen of Tears."
Comparative Analysis of Characters by Major Works
The major characters played by Kim Ji-won show distinct changes in terms of profession, personality, and social status. This reveals how she has expanded her acting range.
| Title (Year Aired) | Role | Profession and Status | Character Traits |
|---|---|---|---|
| "The Heirs" (2013) | Yoo Rachel | Apparel company heiress, high school student | A cold and aloof chaebol daughter, nicknamed the 'Ice Princess' |
| "Descendants of the Sun" (2016) | Yoon Myeong-ju | Army surgeon (First Lieutenant), orthopedic specialist | A confident and straightforward soldier |
| "Fight for My Way" (2017) | Choi Ae-ra | Aspiring announcer, information desk employee | The epitome of a cheerful and lovable, everyday youth |
| "My Liberation Notes" (2022) | Yeom Mi-jeong | Contract designer at a card company | An introverted character dreaming of liberation from her colorless life |
| "Queen of Tears" (2024) | Hong Hae-in | Queens Group's 3rd-gen heiress, department store CEO | A prickly chaebol character with inner pain |
| "Dr. X" (2026) | Gye Soo-jeong | Freelance genius surgeon | A person of overwhelming skill, unbound by any organization |
The Phased Flow of Character Evolution
Kim Ji-won's filmography can be divided into several stages.
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Early Stage (2013): The Imprint of a Cold Heiress 'Yoo Rachel' in "The Heirs" was the character that imprinted Kim Ji-won on the public. She began to gain attention by perfectly portraying the distinctively cold and aloof image of a chaebol heiress.
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Transition Period (2016-2017): Professional and Everyday Youth She challenged herself with a professional role as army surgeon 'Yoon Myeong-ju' in "Descendants of the Sun," and succeeded in transforming her acting by realistically portraying an underprivileged youth as 'Choi Ae-ra' in "Fight for My Way." During this period, she shed her previous heiress image and proved she was an actress capable of handling a wide range of roles.
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Deepening Period (2022): The Pinnacle of Internal Acting 'Yeom Mi-jeong' in "My Liberation Notes" was a crucial turning point in Kim Ji-won's acting career. She received great acclaim for delicately expressing the character's complex inner world more through her expressions and gaze than through dialogue. Her acting synergy with actor Son Suk-ku in this drama also became a hot topic.
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Golden Age (2024-Present): The Era of Well-Rounded Characters 'Hong Hae-in' in "Queen of Tears" brought back the chaebol image from her early role as 'Yoo Rachel' but portrayed her as a multi-dimensional character who realizes the meaning of love and life while terminally ill, gaining syndrome-like popularity. And in her new work "Dr. X," she takes on another professional role as a doctor, showing a continuous transformation much like actor Namkoong Min, who creates a new character every time.
Background: The "Queen of Tears" Syndrome, tvN's All-Time No. 1
In Kim Ji-won's career, the 2024 drama "Queen of Tears" is an indispensable work. Playing 'Hong Hae-in,' the third-generation heiress of Queens Group, she captivated viewers with a performance that vacillated between prickly and poignant. The drama's finale achieved a nationwide viewership rating of 24.9% (Nielsen Korea, paid platform households basis), setting a new record as the highest-rated drama in tvN's history, surpassing the previous record held by "Crash Landing on You." (As of April 2024)
Frequently Asked Questions
Q. When and with what work did actress Kim Ji-won debut? A. She officially debuted in the entertainment industry in 2010 through the 'Lollipop 2' commercial, filmed with BIGBANG. Her drama debut was in the 2011 sitcom "High Kick: Revenge of the Short Legged."
Q. What kind of drama is the new 2026 work "Dr. X"? A. It is a remake based on the popular Japanese series "Doctor-X: Surgeon Michiko Daimon." Kim Ji-won plays 'Gye Soo-jeong,' a genius freelance surgeon who rejects organizational structures and conventions, and it began its first broadcast on SBS on October 9, 2026.
Q. What is the viewership record set by "Queen of Tears"? A. The final episode, which aired on April 28, 2024, recorded a nationwide viewership rating of 24.9% based on paid platform households. This is the highest viewership rating among all dramas ever aired since the tvN channel's launch.
