Kim Sun Ah
Encyclopedia
Kim Suna is a South Korea
n actress best known for her role as Kim Sam Soon in My Lovely Sam Soon
.
and then spent much of her school years in Chōfu, Tokyo
(she speaks Japanese fluently). After first appearing in a music video by Kim Hyun-cheol, she started appearing often on TV but did not emerge as a star. She would first become well known as a film actress, debuting in the big-budget box office failure Yesterday
but going on to play a lead role as a student teacher in the unexpected hit Wet Dreams.
Following this, Kim began to establish a niche for herself in comedies, often appearing as a straight-talking and not particularly demure comic heroine. She appeared in three films in 2003: a memorable cameo appearance in the period comedy Once Upon a Time in a Battlefield, opposite Im Chang-jung in the strong hit The Greatest Expectation
, and together with Cha Tae-hyun
in the little-watched Happy Ero Christmas
. In 2004 she took the lead role in S Diary
as a jilted woman who decides to get revenge on her ex-boyfriends.
The early part of 2005 saw her star in the action-comedy She's on Duty
, but she would follow this up by returning to the realm of TV dramas. It proved to be the best move of her career, as My Lovely Sam Soon
ended up becoming the most-watched drama of 2005. The forthright, independent personality she displayed in her leading role as a woman who finds unexpected success in life as a baker endeared her to women across Korea, and later Asia, establishing her as an top star.
Kim then re-enrolled in college at Ball State University
in the US as a piano major, presumably also brushing up on her English skills in order to further her career.
Her first post-Sam Soon project was supposed to have been the movie Thursday's Child, but the project ran into problems midway through filming. The film production company Yoon and Joon sued Kim for breach of contract and damages worth 1 billion won, claiming that the actress was liable for their losses of more than 2.3 billion won. She won the lawsuit in 2007, with the Seoul Central District Court ruling that Kim bore no responsibility for the shutdown of the movie. After undergoing script revisions and a change of director and lead actress, Thursday's Child eventually became the Yunjin Kim-starrer Seven Days
.
In early 2008, Kim was involved in another controversy. Na Hoon-a
, a successful trot singer with a career spanning over 40 years, was falsely rumored to had been castrated by yakuza
, because he was having an affair with the mistress of a gang boss. The mistress was wildly guessed at, with the names of actresses Kim Hye-soo
and Kim Suna thrown around (both issued official denials). Na ended up holding a press conference in which he almost stripped in order to prove the rumor was untrue, and demanded that the media apologize to the two actresses.
After her three-year hiatus caused by legal and contractual disputes, Kim finally got back to work in 2008, starring in the big-screen comedy Girl Scout
and the poorly-received TV drama When It's At Night. 2009's City Hall
, where she played a low-ranking official whose life takes a turn when she wins a pageant and later becomes the mayor, was a modest hit, with fans crediting its success to Kim's chemistry with her co-star Cha Seung-won
.
Originally cast as the lead actress for 2010's I Am Legend
, Kim quit before filming started due to issues with the production (she was replaced by her good friend Kim Jung-eun
). Instead she chose the 2011 drama Scent of a Woman
, which centers on an old maid who, after slaving herself at a travel agency for many years, is diagnosed that she only has six months left to live, and decides to live the rest of her life happily, turning in her resignation and leaving for a vacation of luxury. She next starred in the movie Fighting Spirit in which she plays the supportive wife of a second string baseball pitcher (Kim Joo-hyuk
).
South Korea
The Republic of Korea , , is a sovereign state in East Asia, located on the southern portion of the Korean Peninsula. It is neighbored by the People's Republic of China to the west, Japan to the east, North Korea to the north, and the East China Sea and Republic of China to the south...
n actress best known for her role as Kim Sam Soon in My Lovely Sam Soon
My Lovely Sam Soon
The My Lovely Sam Soon soundtrack was released on June 18 2005. A famous Korean electronica band Clazziquai contributed two songs on its soundtrack: "Be My Love" and "She Is", the former of which became the show's theme song...
.
Biography
Kim Suna was born in DaeguDaegu
Daegu , also known as Taegu, and officially the Daegu Metropolitan City, is a city in South Korea, the fourth largest after Seoul, Busan, and Incheon, and the third largest metropolitan area in the country with over 2.5 million residents. The city is the capital and principal city of the...
and then spent much of her school years in Chōfu, Tokyo
Chofu, Tokyo
is a city located in the western end of Tokyo Metropolis, Japan. As of 2010, the city has an estimated population of 224,878 and a population density of 10,440 persons per km². The total area was 21.53 km². Tokyo Stadium in Chōfu hosts soccer games for two J. League teams: F.C...
(she speaks Japanese fluently). After first appearing in a music video by Kim Hyun-cheol, she started appearing often on TV but did not emerge as a star. She would first become well known as a film actress, debuting in the big-budget box office failure Yesterday
Yesterday (2002 film)
Yesterday is a 2002 science fiction/action movie set in a unified Korean peninsula in the year 2020. An agent from the Special Investigations Unit tries to locate and take down a serial killer, who is known only by the alias "Goliath"...
but going on to play a lead role as a student teacher in the unexpected hit Wet Dreams.
Following this, Kim began to establish a niche for herself in comedies, often appearing as a straight-talking and not particularly demure comic heroine. She appeared in three films in 2003: a memorable cameo appearance in the period comedy Once Upon a Time in a Battlefield, opposite Im Chang-jung in the strong hit The Greatest Expectation
The Greatest Expectation
The Greatest Expectation is a 2003 South Korean romantic comedy film.- External links :* at HanCinema...
, and together with Cha Tae-hyun
Cha Tae-hyun
Cha Tae-Hyun is a South Korean movie star, television actor, and singer. He started his acting career in a 1995 KBS television drama. He appeared in his first movie, Hallelujah, in 1997, also making his debut as a singer in 2001...
in the little-watched Happy Ero Christmas
Happy Ero Christmas
Happy Ero Christmas is a 2003 South Korean romantic comedy film that offers non-stop laughter in the run-up to Christmas...
. In 2004 she took the lead role in S Diary
S Diary
S Diary is a 2004 South Korean romantic comedy film about a woman who decides to interrogate her past lovers about why their relationships failed - then hatches a plot to take revenge on them....
as a jilted woman who decides to get revenge on her ex-boyfriends.
The early part of 2005 saw her star in the action-comedy She's on Duty
She's On Duty
She's on Duty is a 2005 South Korean film about a police detective who goes undercover in a high school to befriend the daughter of an elusive gangster. Despite being heavily marketed the film was generally considered a box office disappointment...
, but she would follow this up by returning to the realm of TV dramas. It proved to be the best move of her career, as My Lovely Sam Soon
My Lovely Sam Soon
The My Lovely Sam Soon soundtrack was released on June 18 2005. A famous Korean electronica band Clazziquai contributed two songs on its soundtrack: "Be My Love" and "She Is", the former of which became the show's theme song...
ended up becoming the most-watched drama of 2005. The forthright, independent personality she displayed in her leading role as a woman who finds unexpected success in life as a baker endeared her to women across Korea, and later Asia, establishing her as an top star.
Kim then re-enrolled in college at Ball State University
Ball State University
Ball State University is a state-run research university located in Muncie, Indiana. It is also known as Ball State or simply BSU.Located on the northwest side of the city, Ball State's campus spans and includes 106 buildings...
in the US as a piano major, presumably also brushing up on her English skills in order to further her career.
Her first post-Sam Soon project was supposed to have been the movie Thursday's Child, but the project ran into problems midway through filming. The film production company Yoon and Joon sued Kim for breach of contract and damages worth 1 billion won, claiming that the actress was liable for their losses of more than 2.3 billion won. She won the lawsuit in 2007, with the Seoul Central District Court ruling that Kim bore no responsibility for the shutdown of the movie. After undergoing script revisions and a change of director and lead actress, Thursday's Child eventually became the Yunjin Kim-starrer Seven Days
Seven Days (film)
Seven Days is a 2007 South Korean film. During 2008 Grand Bell Awards Yunjin Kim won the prize as the best actress for her role in this film. She was also nominated as the best actress in 2008 Asian Film Awards.- Plot :...
.
In early 2008, Kim was involved in another controversy. Na Hoon-a
Na Hoon-a
Na Hoon-a is a Korean trot singer who began singing in the 1960s and 70s. Born Choi Hong-ki on February 2, 1947, in South Korea, he released numerous solo albums and special duet albums with other trot singers....
, a successful trot singer with a career spanning over 40 years, was falsely rumored to had been castrated by yakuza
Yakuza
, also known as , are members of traditional organized crime syndicates in Japan. The Japanese police, and media by request of the police, call them bōryokudan , literally "violence group", while the yakuza call themselves "ninkyō dantai" , "chivalrous organizations". The yakuza are notoriously...
, because he was having an affair with the mistress of a gang boss. The mistress was wildly guessed at, with the names of actresses Kim Hye-soo
Kim Hye-su
-Career:Kim Hye-su debuted in the 1986 film Ggambo when she was a first year high school student. Over two decades she amassed a sizeable filmography of leading and supporting roles, notably in the TV dramas Did We Really Love? with Bae Yong Joon and Revenge and Passion with Ahn Jae Wook, as well...
and Kim Suna thrown around (both issued official denials). Na ended up holding a press conference in which he almost stripped in order to prove the rumor was untrue, and demanded that the media apologize to the two actresses.
After her three-year hiatus caused by legal and contractual disputes, Kim finally got back to work in 2008, starring in the big-screen comedy Girl Scout
Girl Scout (film)
Girl Scout is a 2008 South Korean comic criminal drama film.- Plot :When the head of a credit union disappears with the credit union's money, four women create a team called Bong Chon Girl Scouts Troop #3 to recover the stolen money, and chaos ensues.- Cast :* Kim Suna ... Cho Mi-kyeong* Nah...
and the poorly-received TV drama When It's At Night. 2009's City Hall
The City Hall (SBS)
The City Hall is a South Korean romantic drama. The story revolves around Shin Mi Rae , as she turns from a low-grade govenment clerk into the youngest Mayor of Inju City...
, where she played a low-ranking official whose life takes a turn when she wins a pageant and later becomes the mayor, was a modest hit, with fans crediting its success to Kim's chemistry with her co-star Cha Seung-won
Cha Seung-won
Cha Seung-won is a top South Korean actor and former fashion model.- Career :Cha Seung-won dropped out of Sungkyunkwan University and began a successful career as a fashion model in 1988...
.
Originally cast as the lead actress for 2010's I Am Legend
I am Legend (TV series)
I am Legend is a South Korean drama produced and broadcast by the SBS TV network.The series is shown in the Philippines and debuted on May 1, 2011 on ABS CBN On its Primetime block its tagline was "Kim Jung Eun is back to her home network ABS-CBN Primetime Asian Novela Home" the network mostly...
, Kim quit before filming started due to issues with the production (she was replaced by her good friend Kim Jung-eun
Kim Jung-eun
Kim Jung-eun is a South Korean film and television actress most famous for her roles in Lovers in Paris and Marrying the Mafia...
). Instead she chose the 2011 drama Scent of a Woman
Scent of a Woman (TV series)
Scent of a Woman is a South Korean television drama series starring Kim Sun Ah, Lee Dong Wook, Uhm Ki Joon and Seo Hyo Rim. It premiered on July 23, 2011 on SBS.-Synopsis:...
, which centers on an old maid who, after slaving herself at a travel agency for many years, is diagnosed that she only has six months left to live, and decides to live the rest of her life happily, turning in her resignation and leaving for a vacation of luxury. She next starred in the movie Fighting Spirit in which she plays the supportive wife of a second string baseball pitcher (Kim Joo-hyuk
Kim Joo-hyuk
Kim Joo-hyuk is a South Korean actor.- Filmography :-Awards:*2008 Blue Dragon Awards - Best Couple Award with Son Ye-jin *2006 Baeksang Arts Awards - Best Actor for TV...
).
Drama
- Scent of a WomanScent of a Woman (TV series)Scent of a Woman is a South Korean television drama series starring Kim Sun Ah, Lee Dong Wook, Uhm Ki Joon and Seo Hyo Rim. It premiered on July 23, 2011 on SBS.-Synopsis:...
(SBS, 2011) - City HallThe City Hall (SBS)The City Hall is a South Korean romantic drama. The story revolves around Shin Mi Rae , as she turns from a low-grade govenment clerk into the youngest Mayor of Inju City...
(SBS, 2009) - When It's At Night (MBC, 2008)
- My Lovely Sam SoonMy Lovely Sam SoonThe My Lovely Sam Soon soundtrack was released on June 18 2005. A famous Korean electronica band Clazziquai contributed two songs on its soundtrack: "Be My Love" and "She Is", the former of which became the show's theme song...
(MBC, 2005) - Golden Era (MBC, 2000)
- Joa, Joa (SBS, 2000)
- Love Story - "Sunflower" (SBS, 1999)
- JumpJump (TV series)Jump is a South Korean sitcom produced by MBC and broadcasted in 1999.- External links :*...
(MBC sitcom, 1999) - Love and Success (MBC, 1998)
- Forever Yours (MBC, 1998)
- Her Flower Pot No. 1 (MBC Best Theater, 1998)
Films
- Fighting Spirit (2011)
- Attack the Gas Station! 2 (2010) - cameoCameo appearanceA cameo role or cameo appearance is a brief appearance of a known person in a work of the performing arts, such as plays, films, video games and television...
- Lost and Found (2008) - cameoCameo appearanceA cameo role or cameo appearance is a brief appearance of a known person in a work of the performing arts, such as plays, films, video games and television...
- Girl ScoutGirl Scout (film)Girl Scout is a 2008 South Korean comic criminal drama film.- Plot :When the head of a credit union disappears with the credit union's money, four women create a team called Bong Chon Girl Scouts Troop #3 to recover the stolen money, and chaos ensues.- Cast :* Kim Suna ... Cho Mi-kyeong* Nah...
(2008) - The Worst Guy Ever (2007) - cameoCameo appearanceA cameo role or cameo appearance is a brief appearance of a known person in a work of the performing arts, such as plays, films, video games and television...
- She's on DutyShe's On DutyShe's on Duty is a 2005 South Korean film about a police detective who goes undercover in a high school to befriend the daughter of an elusive gangster. Despite being heavily marketed the film was generally considered a box office disappointment...
(2005) - S DiaryS DiaryS Diary is a 2004 South Korean romantic comedy film about a woman who decides to interrogate her past lovers about why their relationships failed - then hatches a plot to take revenge on them....
(2004) - Happy Ero ChristmasHappy Ero ChristmasHappy Ero Christmas is a 2003 South Korean romantic comedy film that offers non-stop laughter in the run-up to Christmas...
(2003) - The Greatest ExpectationThe Greatest ExpectationThe Greatest Expectation is a 2003 South Korean romantic comedy film.- External links :* at HanCinema...
(2003) - Once Upon a Time in a Battlefield (2003) - cameoCameo appearanceA cameo role or cameo appearance is a brief appearance of a known person in a work of the performing arts, such as plays, films, video games and television...
- Wet Dreams (2002)
- YesterdayYesterday (2002 film)Yesterday is a 2002 science fiction/action movie set in a unified Korean peninsula in the year 2020. An agent from the Special Investigations Unit tries to locate and take down a serial killer, who is known only by the alias "Goliath"...
(2002)
Awards
| Years | Awards |
|---|---|
| 2005 |
|
| 2009 |
|
External links
- Kim Sun A at Kingkong Entertainment
- Kim Suna at Yedang Entertainment
- Kim Seon-ah at HanCinema
- Kim Seon-a at the Internet Movie DatabaseInternet Movie DatabaseInternet Movie Database is an online database of information related to movies, television shows, actors, production crew personnel, video games and fictional characters featured in visual entertainment media. It is one of the most popular online entertainment destinations, with over 100 million...
- kimsuna's weibo