The best roles of Goblin star Kim Go-eun, who returns in upcoming K-drama, The King: Eternal Monarch
The Korean actress has starred in the dark sensual drama A Muse, won numerous awards and has other great roles under her belt
Many know Kim Go-eun as the Goblin girl, but the 28-year-old actress has had numerous critically-acclaimed works that won her acting awards before appearing in television dramas. As Kim returns to the small screen with her third drama in The King: Eternal Monarch, together with Lee Min-ho, we look back at her best roles and career highlights so far:
Smashing film debut
Kim had no experience when she landed the main role in 2012 dark sensual drama A Muse, besting 300 other hopefuls who auditioned to play Han Eun-gyo, a high school student who gets into a complicated sexual relationship between a respected poet in his 70s and his 30-something year-old apprentice.
For a debut role, it was a daring move for the then 21-year-old actress as she had to film provocative and nude scenes. Kim’s performance did not go unnoticed and the rookie actress became known as the new muse of director Jung Ji-woo, who, according to The Korea Herald, is known for spotting talented actresses and his ability to bring out their best performances. Kim’s portrayal of Eun-gyo earned her numerous Best New Actress awards that year.
More film accolades
After a career hiatus to finish her studies, Kim made her comeback in the 2014 dark thriller film Monster, where she played the role of a mentally disabled character who seeks revenge after her younger sister is murdered by a psychopathic serial killer. In 2015, Kim received recognition and acting awards for her performance in the crime thriller Coin Locker Girl. The film became a box office hit and was screened at the Cannes Film Festival that year.
Before her small screen debut, Kim would gain more acting experience in films. She would star in Memories of a Sword as a sword-fighter during the Goryeo dynasty, in The Advocate: A Missing Body as a prosecutor, and in Canola as a troubled teen who reunites with her grandmother.
Breakthrough television roles
As with her film debut, Kim’s first foray into television dramas was a breakthrough. In 2016, she was given the lead role in webtoon-based drama Cheese in the Trap, where she was lauded for her excellent acting and won awards. Portraying her character as a hardworking college girl who falls in love with her senior, Kim’s co-star Park Hae-jin had only compliments for her. In an interview with Yonhap News, Park praises Kim’s versatility as an actress and her determination to analyse the motivations of her character well.
Kim’s television debut was met with acclaim and more offers. In the same year, Kim was paired with Gong Yoo as his love interest in fantasy drama Goblin. The mega-hit series catapulted the young actress to greater fame. To date, Goblin is currently the fourth highest rated drama in cable television and remains popular even outside Korea.