Kim Ji-won’s rise to peak popularity: The journey of a leading actress

Kim Ji-won’s rise to peak popularity: The journey of a leading actress

Kim Ji-won is experiencing her peak popularity since her debut. After gaining recognition as the fresh-faced “Oran C-girl” in 2010, she left a solid mark with dramas like “Descendants of the Sun,” “Fight for My Way,” and “My Liberation Diary.” Now, she has solidified her representative work with “Queen of Tears.” With four episodes remaining, surpassing tvN’s highest ratings record set by “Crash Landing on You” is now just a matter of time.

She possesses exceptional beauty, near-perfect character immersion skills, and a wholesome and upright image, coupled with an unwavering favorable reputation. By embodying Hong Hae-in in “Queen of Tears” with depth, Kim Ji-won has demonstrated her value as if to prove her worth.

Naturally, she can expect a flood of work proposals, and advertising offers, which are a measure of popularity, are already concentrated on her. After overshadowing Han So-hee, who caused a stir with her love story, she has been selected as the new face of a soju brand, following her selection as the face of a finance company and cosmetics brand.

In particular, given Kim Ji-won’s portrayal of a responsible and capable chaebol heiress in the drama, it is expected that she will follow with advertisements in the financial sector, which values trustworthiness and reputation. The interest lies in which financial company Kim Ji-won will model for next, following her role with Hanwha General Insurance. There are rumors that banks, credit card companies, and fintech firms are actively considering changing their models.

In the cosmetics sector, top stars take on the basic sector. This is because the basic skincare market, which emphasizes moist hydration, is overwhelmingly larger compared to color cosmetics. Areas specializing in color makeup, such as lips and eyebrows, are mostly handled by idol singers for short periods, ranging from 3 to 6 months. Considering the topic of conversation around Kim Ji-won’s beauty in each episode of “Snowdrop,” a two-year contract is a foregone conclusion, and the guarantee is expected to be around 2 billion won. If she also takes on a global modeling role with a Netflix halo effect, her guarantee could easily double.

A representative from an advertising agency stated, “Contracts between top stars and cosmetic companies are typically for two years, with extensions of one year thereafter,” and mentioned, “There are actresses rushing to secure drama contracts so as not to lose their place to Kim Ji-won.”

Usually, advertisers prefer their models to be constantly active. Whether in acting or entertainment, they need to be exposed on TV to achieve marketing synergy. Therefore, from three months before the contract expires, agents through their agencies begin checking on the actor’s upcoming works. This is also why actors appear on unrelated programs such as “Yoo Quiz” or entertainments like Han Gain’s “Beyond the Tent in Europe.

In the outdoor sector, where IU and Suzy have long dominated, Kim Ji-won is expected to join in. Targeting women in their 20s and 30s, the outdoor sector has already established serious contenders like Kim Tae-ri, Son Na-eun, IZ*ONE’s Lee Chae-yeon, and Jeon So-mi.

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