Kim Tae-Hee: Biography and Career of the South Korean Actress
Kim Tae-Hee is a prominent South Korean actress recognized for her television and film work. Born on March 29, 1980, in Ulsan, South Korea, she grew up alongside an older sister and a younger brother, actor Lee Wan. During her school years, she achieved strong academic results while attending middle school and high school in her hometown.
She later moved to Seoul to attend Seoul National University, where she majored in fashion design. While studying at the university, she was scouted in a subway station by an advertising designer, leading to early part-time modeling work. In 2000, she made her formal debut as an advertising model for a commercial product, quickly gaining recognition in the advertising industry.
Acting Career
Kim transitioned into acting with a supporting role in the 2001 film Last Present. She gained wider public attention in 2003 through her roles in television dramas such as Screen, Stairway to Heaven, and A Problem at My Younger Brother's House. Although her early career was defined by high-profile advertising contracts and prominent television roles, her acting skills initially drew criticism from critics and viewers alike.
Following a hiatus from acting in 2008, she returned to television in the 2009 blockbuster action drama IRIS, portraying NSS profiler Choi Seung-Hee. The series achieved high viewership ratings and became a commercial success across Asia, with Kim later noting that the project marked a turning point in her professional career.
Her subsequent film and television projects included leading roles in the 2010 sports film Grand Prix, the romantic comedy series My Princess (2011), the historical drama Jang Ok Jung, Sarange Salda (2013), and the medical thriller Yong-Pal (2015), for which she received multiple accolades at the SBS Drama Awards and the Korea Drama Awards. Her later credits include television appearances in Hi Bye, Mama! (2020) and Lies Hidden in My Garden (2023).
Personal Life
Kim married South Korean singer and actor Rain on January 19, 2017, following a public relationship.