Since her on-screen debut in 2012, Kim Go-eun has continued to show her versatility as an actor through incredible and varied performances in both K-dramas and in movies. Born in South Korea in 1991, Kim Go-eun stumbled into the world of acting by chance, yet has not looked back since. Now over a decade into her career, Kim Go-eun has been involved in some of the best K-dramas and South Korean movies to date and does not show any signs of slowing down.

Kim Go-eun’s commitment to her roles throughout the years has made her one of the hottest names in the South Korean entertainment industry as she continues to improve and challenge herself with every new project. From fan-favorite fantasy K-drama Goblin to the latest South Korean horror phenomenon Exhuma, Kim Go-eun’s filmography is full of breathtaking performances that always seem to show a new side of the now veteran actress. Though with an impressive filmography to her name, here are just some of Kim Go-eun’s best works to date that truly show Kim Go-eun’s prowess as an actress.

10

Monster (2014)

Bok-soon

After stepping away from acting for some time to finish her studies, Kim Go-eun’s second movie, Monster is a stark contrast from her first and proves just how versatile Kim Go-eun’s acting skills really are. Monster sees Kim Go-eun toying the line between thriller and comedy as the quick-tempered Bok-soon, who will do anything for her younger sister, including killing the man who kidnapped her.

Despite tonal inconsistencies and the overuse of gore in Monster, Kim Go-eun anchors the film with her heart-warming yet violent portrayal of Bok-soon. Kim Go-eun makes Bok-soon a vibrant character by truly committing to each moment, and shows a deft mastery of both comic timing and intense emotion as the movie’s leading character. Though still early in her career, Kim Go-eun’s performance is an impressive shift from her debut while also showing the foundations of the acting skills she would soon build upon in the later works of her career.

9

Cheese in the Trap (2016)

Hong Seol

Following success on the big screen, Cheese in the Trap is Kim Go-eun’s first K-drama, which would see her win her first Baeksang award for Best New Actress. Based on a webtoon of the same name, Cheese in the Trap follows university student Hong Seol (Kim Go-eun) and her relationship with senior Yoo Jung (Park Hae-jin), who is both wealthy and manipulative, yet has an interest in her. Kim Go-eun navigates Seol’s difficult situations with ease to bring an iconic performance that helms this drama.

Cheese in the Trap is full of big characters and actors who would soon become big names in the K-drama world, such as Lee Sung-kyung and Nam Joo-hyuk, yet Kim Go-eun holds her own on screen. Hong Seol acts as a glue for the drama, and Kim Go-eun’s performance of the university student is deeply relatable. However, compared to other works in her career, Cheese in the Trap showcases less of Kim Go-eun’s outstanding abilities than other works do.

8

Tune In For Love (2019)

Mi-soo

Tune In For Love is a movie full of subtleties, and Kim Go-eun excels in expressing the smaller moments in Mi-soo’s love affair with Jung Hae-in’s Hyun-woo. Tune In For Love takes a slower pace than some of Kim Go-eun’s other works, but this allows her to take her time and craft each of Mi-soo’s emotions carefully, making each moment more impactful than the last. Her on-screen chemistry with co-star Jung Hae-in also flourishes in Tune In For Love, allowing the natural rise and fall of Mi-soo and Hyun-woo’s relationship to soar.

Mi-soo’s character progression in Tune In For Love is a further testament to Kim Go-eun’s abilities as an actor, as Hyun-woo and Mi-soo continually cross paths throughout their lifetimes. The youthful energy Mi-soo once possessed slowly disappears as she yearns for more from life, with Kim Go-eun expressing the changes in Mi-soo’s personality perfectly. Unlike some of Kim Go-eun’s other works, there aren’t many significant events that occur in Tune In For Love. However, Kim Go-eun expresses the subtle progression of Mi-soo’s life with ease.

7

Coin Locker Girl (2015)

Il-young

Kim Go-eun never tackles the same role twice, and her venture into the world of violent crime in 2015 thriller Coin Locker Girl is no exception. Kim Go-eun’s Il-young is thrust into the world of gangs after being abandoned in a coin locker as a baby and carries out missions for her loan shark mother as she gets older. Much like many of her other roles, Coin Locker Girl sees Kim Go-eun balances many powerful emotions at the same time to concoct a performance that is a highlight of the movie.

Alongside Kim Hye-su, who plays Il-young’s adoptive mother, Kim Go-eun keeps an impeccable poise that allows her to run shoulder-to-shoulder with the leading actress. The chemistry and performances by Kim Go-eun and Kim Hye-su are the best part of Coin Locker Girl, with Kim Go-eun flawlessly echoing the veteran actor in every movement. However, an overuse of violence and a lackluster second half dulls the otherwise outstanding performances in Coin Locker Girl, making it less of a standout hit than Kim Go-eun’s other works.

6

Eungyo (2011)

Han Eun-gyo

Kim Go-eun’s debut performance in Jung Ji-woo’s Eungyo (also known as A Muse) saw her beat out 300 hundred actresses for the titular role of 17-year-old student Han Eun-gyo. Based on Park Bum-shin’s novel of the same name, Eungyo follows the story of 70-year-old poet Lee Jeok-yo (Jung Hae-il) and the relationship he builds with the innocent yet spontaneous Eun-gyo, who becomes a muse for his latest novel before it is stolen by his assistant Seo Ji-woo (Kim Mu-yeol).

Despite a controversial premise that can be hard to watch, Kim Go-eun makes Eun-gyo bounce off the screen in a performance that depicts the carefree nature of youth, whilst delving into darker undertones that force Eun-gyo to mature and gain her own self-worth. To date, Kim Go-eun’s performance in Eungyo remains her most awarded role with 8 awards and 3 nominations, with her even winning Best New Actress at the coveted Blue Dragon Awards in 2012.

5

The King: Eternal Monarch (2020)

Jeong Tae-eul/Luna

2020 saw Kim Go-eun return to the small screen alongside K-drama veteran Lee Min-ho for one of the year’s most highly anticipated K-dramas, The King: Eternal Monarch, written by Goblin and Descendants of the Sun writer, Kim Eun-sook. In The King: Eternal Monarch, Kim Go-eun plays a high-ranking police officer named Jeong Tae-eul and becomes embroiled with Lee Gon (Lee Min-ho), a King claiming to be from a parallel universe. Together, they navigate alternate realities.

One of the highlights of Kim Go-eun’s performance in this fantasy K-drama is her ability to make Tae-eul’s reactions to adverse situations seem natural. Multiple times throughout The King: Eternal Monarch Kim Go-eun showcases her superb crying skills, which ground Tae-eul’s crazy circumstances firmly in reality as every tear is incredibly believable. However, despite a strong start, The King: Eternal Monarch cannot maintain its momentum, making Tae-eul’s circumstances feel too repetitive and blunting Kim Go-eun’s performance from shining further.

4

Yumi’s Cells (2021-2022)

Kim Yu-mi

Kim Go-eun’s performance in Yumi’s Cells is a fresh comparison to some of her other works, but it is still just as impactful. Kim Go-eun takes the role of the titular Kim Yu-mi and returns back into the world of dating and love, hoping that her love cell will return. Yumi’s Cells is a K-drama based on a webtoon of the same name that balances humor with sincerity as Yu-mi navigates the world of love and heartbreak. As the heart of the show, Kim Go-eun excels, making Yu-mi’s cells’ work pay off in her every expression.

Yumi’s Cells isn’t a complicated premise, but Kim Go-eun’s performance is fraught with detail. Yumi’s shy nature yet yearning for a life of love is deeply relatable and makes her forays into the world of love even more entertaining. Though Yumi’s Cells mixes both live action and animation, the melodramatics of Yu-mi’s cells’ are never present in Kim Go-eun’s performance, keeping the K-drama firmly rooted in reality and making it such a joy to watch.

3

Exhuma (2024)

Lee Hwa-rim

Once again, Kim Go-eun’s character-driven performances have found her in the spotlight, as her performance as the shaman Lee Hwa-rim in South Korean horror Exhuma has gripped audiences globally, and become South Korea’s biggest movie of the year so far. It has also seen Kim Go-eun win Best Actress at the Baeksang Arts Awards this year, with her fierce commitment to her role creating an incredible on-screen performance that echoes her years of experience in the acting world.

Kim Go-eun is at her best in Exhuma when Lee Hwa-rim is performing shamanic rituals. The first ritual in particular is an incredible highlight, as Kim Go-eun deftly dances around the screen with a commanding presence that is hard to look away from as the intensity builds to a final climax. However, although Exhuma is a great horror that allows Kim Go-eun to demonstrate a new side to her acting skills, as a movie led by narrative rather than character, Lee Hwa-rim’s character feels more underexplored.

2

Goblin (2016-2017)

Ji Eun-tak

Goblin (also known as Guardian: The Lonely and Great God) is a K-drama classic that is not to be missed, and Kim Go-eun is a key reason why. Kim Go-eun’s portrayal of the optimistic and bubbly Ji Eun-tak is infectious, making every moment she is on-screen a delight to watch, and her chemistry with her fellow co-stars Gong Yoo and Lee Dong-wook seem effortless. Kim Go-eun’s comedic talents also shine throughout Goblin, as some of the most awkward moments between Eun-tak and Kim Shin (Gong Yoo) are easily the funniest thanks to Kim Go-eun’s expressive performance.

Ji Eun-tak’s darkest moments are just as vibrant as her brightest thanks to Kim Go-eun’s detailed performances. Eun-tak’s youthful energy never ceases, but peppered through tears, her unceasing optimism makes Goblin‘s most emotional moments hit even harder. Kim Go-eun never shies away from any scene, and allows Ji Eun-tak’s true nature to flourish under any circumstances, making Goblin such an incredible piece of work to watch.

1

Little Women (2022)

Oh In-joo

Throughout her career, Kim Go-eun has proven that she is a master at character acting, and can easily blend into any environment and excel. However, her performance in Little Women, South Korea’s twist on the Louisa May Alcott novel of the same name, showcases Kim Go-eun’s acting ability at its best and demonstrates how much her abilities have grown since her debut.

From Oh In-joo’s bumbling beginnings to her explosive downfall, Kim Go-eun’s portrayal of the oldest and most morally ambiguous Oh sister is breathtaking. One glance is all that is needed to read a multitude of emotions, and Kim Go-eun’s ability to switch between emotions feels so natural that Oh In-joo feels like an integral yet sinister part of the mystery that encapsulates Little Women. Even Oh In-joo’s smallest moments are incredibly captivating, and the build to In-joo’s biggest outbursts feels natural, solidifying Little Women as Kim Go-eun’s best work to date.