Kim Yoo Jung: The national sister "sheds the label" of a good girl, causing a stir in Kbiz through "Dear X"

After two decades in the entertainment industry, Kim Yoo Jung still holds a special position that not every young artist has, being both the "darling" of the media and a name that makes the audience feel secure every time she appears.

Starting her career at the age of four, Yoo Jung grew up with the Korean screen, becoming a typical example that a child star can maintain lasting appeal and go far if she has talent, determination and the right strategy.

From the most expensive child star to the youthful icon of Korean cinema

At the age of 4, Kim Yoo Jung started modeling, acting in commercials and had her first roles in DMZ and Freezing Point . From 2005 to 2009, she appeared frequently in many television and film works, from modern to historical such as All for Love , Queen Seondeok , Unforgettable . During this period, Yoo Jung became one of the highest-paid child stars. Her chubby face, bright eyes, bright smile and cleverness quickly won the hearts of the audience.

In 2008, The Chaser marked an important step forward when Yoo Jung was only 9 years old. But the most brilliant milestone must be mentioned in 2012 with the blockbuster The Moon Embracing the Sun. At the age of 13, she became the most prominent child face thanks to her emotional, mature acting and beauty that is extremely suitable for historical films. After this success, experts predicted that Yoo Jung would soon enter the ranks of the most potential actresses of the new generation.

In 2016, Moonlight Drawn by Clouds was the work that helped Kim Yoo Jung escape her child star image, playing the female lead for the first time alongside Park Bo Gum. The film achieved a rating of 23.3%, becoming an Asian phenomenon and bringing her the Most Popular Actress award at the 53rd Baeksang Arts Awards. A year later, Yoo Jung appeared on the list of Korea's Most Powerful People voted by Forbes Korea - at the age of 17, becoming the youngest actress to appear on this prestigious list.

When the halo is not enough to find the right role

Despite her blossoming career early on, Kim Yoo Jung faced major challenges after her adulthood. The films Cleaning Girl (2018) and Convenience Store Saet Byul (2020) both failed to live up to expectations, leaving many viewers worried that she was "stuck" in a sweet, safe image.

In My Demon , Yoo Jung regained her popularity thanks to her explosive chemistry with Song Kang. Although the content was not too new, the film still helped her reaffirm her position in the romantic film genre. But to truly overcome the image of "national little sister", Kim Yoo Jung needed a breakthrough - and Dear X appeared at the right time, bringing a role that changed her entire career path.

Dear X – the spectacular turn that helped Kim Yoo Jung escape the shadow of "national sister"

Before Dear X , Kim Yoo Jung was always associated with a pure image: the innocent girl in Moonlight Drawn by Clouds , the gentle schoolgirl in 20th Century Girl . For more than a decade, the "national sister" was both her glory and the cage that held her. But Dear X broke all those limits.

In the film, Yoo Jung plays Baek Ah Jin – a perfect female star in front of the media but full of trauma, abused as a child and obsessed with power. She is beautiful but dangerous, charming but cruel, both pitiful and scary.

From the first scene, the audience realized that Yoo Jung was no longer the sweet girl she used to be. Her eyes were her strongest "weapon": sometimes empty, sometimes fiery, sometimes as if wanting to swallow the other person. Just a slight glance or a thin smile was enough to sow a feeling of insecurity.

Kim Yoo Jung doesn’t portray evil with screams or violence – she does it with terrifying silence. In close-ups, every muscle movement on her face carries psychological depth. The audience doesn’t know whether to love, hate, or fear Baek Ah Jin, as if she is being emotionally manipulated by the character herself.

This is the 19th role, the first villain, and also the most complex character in Yoo Jung's career. And she not only "overcame" it but also made viewers admire her for her courage to abandon her safe image to challenge herself.

Dear X: From Controversy to Phenomenon, Becoming Kim Yoo Jung's Springboard for Rebirth

Since its release, Dear X has caused a lot of controversy: the 19 rating, the dark image, the plagiarism of the poster, and the dating rumors between Yoo Jung and co-star Kim Do Hoon. Many people were worried that she would lose her image.

But after just the first 4 episodes, all doubts were gone. The show climbed straight to the top 1 on TVing, topped HBO Max in many Asian countries and achieved a 9.2/10 on IMDb – a rare number for a new series.

Experts consider Dear X to be the strongest push in Yoo Jung's career since Moonlight Drawn by Clouds . She is no longer confined to a sweet image, but has affirmed herself as an actress capable of taking on psychologically heavy, thriller roles.

Viewers aren't just watching Baek Ah Jin – they're watching a mature, edgy, and daring Kim Yoo Jung that goes beyond what she's ever shown.

Kim Yoo Jung's mature beauty in Dear X is no longer cute, but a dangerous hidden charm. She dares to tear off the "safe" layer, dares to become ugly and cruel to be more real. This is the sign of an actress truly entering a new chapter.

From a child taking her first steps on the red carpet, to the female lead who caused a stir in Asia, and then overcoming the "stagnation" in her twenties, Kim Yoo Jung has never stopped trying. And with Dear X , she has proven that an artist who wants to go far must dare to break the stereotype that the public has set for them.

At the age of 26, Kim Yoo Jung is no longer a "Korean treasure" - but a mature, confident actress, ready to face the dark sides of art to create a character that the audience cannot forget.

Kim Yoo Jung dates a handsome guy in Vietnam, the guy's identity is shocking Trần Mạn16:36:37 21/09/2025The love story of the national sister Kim Yoo Jung has stirred up Korean public opinion, especially after a series of love photos of her with actor Kim Do Hoon in Vietnam recently. The owner's actions have made everyone even more excited.