Meet Kim Da-mi, star of Netflix’s Our Beloved Summer – the monster rookie won awards for Itaewon Class, loves binge-watching K-dramas … and ideally sleeps 15 hours a day
Netflix K-drama Our Beloved Summer has delighted audiences since its debut earlier this month thanks to the great chemistry between on screen couple Kook Yeon-soo and Choi Ung, portrayed by Kim Da-mi and Choi Woo-shik.
Kim’s dazzling performance in particular has caught the attention of many fans. By taking on the role of a fiercely independent public relations specialist, the 26-year-old actress has reinforced her “monster rookie” title.
So what do we know about the rising star?
Kim’s childhood dream was to become an actress
Kim dreamed about becoming an actress since she was a little kid. The young star revealed in an interview with W Korea that she battled her naysayers by focusing on her acting chops instead; she would spend a copious amount of time watching dramas to learn and perfect the craft of acting, according to AllKpop. She would even re-enact scenes by splashing water under her eyes to mimic crying for fun.
Her first lead roles won awards
She wanted to show a different side to herself in Our Beloved Summer
Kim said she really enjoyed reading the script for Our Beloved Summer, and decided to take on the role so that she could “show another side to herself through the character of Kook Yeon-soo”, as Soompi reports.
“Yeon-soo seems strong and tough on the outside, but she’s actually a tender-hearted character. I was captivated by the way Yeon-soo matures as she feels various emotions after meeting Woong. Since 10 years of her life is shown, I paid attention to showcasing a slightly different Yeon-soo depending on the passage of time,” she said.
Binge-watching K-dramas is her hobby
Kim hasn’t given up on her childhood habit of binge-watching films and TV shows. She once didn’t leave her house for two weeks because she got caught up in binge-watching films, the rising actress revealed in an interview with W Korea.
“Basically, I watch a movie the minute I wake up, I watch films while I eat, I just play a bunch of films all day, and time flies by. I also watch Netflix,” said Kim.
Her other hobbies are … sleeping and eating
About 15 hours is Kim’s preferred amount of sleep time. The K-drama star says she would like to sleep more, but her back starts to hurt, according to Allkpop. However, when she’s working on a TV or film set, she doesn’t get much shuteye.
She also revealed that one of the best aspects of working on the sets of Itaewon Class was eating. “On the set, I ate three meals a day without fail, and then ate late night snacks, snacks in between filming, snacks in the car, and snacks with the staff,” she said, according to Allkpop.
For a scene in The Witch: Part 1. The Subversion, Kim ended up eating around five trays of boiled eggs (90 eggs), as the scene was filmed numerous times, according to AllKpop. The actress is currently filming for the sequel – The Witch: Part 2.
- Kim plays a fiercely independent public relations specialist opposite Choi Woo-shik – a departure from her lead role in thriller The Witch: Part 1. The Subversion
- The 26-year-old, who dreamt of acting since she was a kid, swept newcomer awards at various Korean film festivals like the Blue Dragon Film Awards and Baeksang Arts Awards