South Korean actress Kim Sae Ron was found dead in her home, according to reports on February 16.

Kim Sae Ron | Photography by 리에 via @ron_sae

She passed away at 24, and though there are said to be no signs of foul play, police are currently investigating the cause of her death.

Kim, who started acting at nine, was last seen in a supporting role in the 2023 K-drama Bloodhounds. She is also known for her portrayals on TV and web series Hi! School: Love On, Love Playlist, and The Great Shaman Ga Doo-shim. In memory of Kim, we list some of her most notable career milestones.

At nine, Kim debuted in this film, which also happened to be the debut film of South Korean-born French film director and screenwriter Ounie Lecomte. Inspired by Lecomte’s life experiences, the movie starred Kim as a kid left in an orphanage by her father. Critically acclaimed, the movie received the Best Asian Film Award at the 22nd Tokyo International Film Festival and the jury award at the 2009 Cinekid Festival in Amsterdam. Through this film, Kim got to attend the Cannes Film Festival.

One of Kim’s most memorable projects was this neo-noir action-thriller film, which cast her alongside Korean actor Won Bin. In the film, Kim’s character, So Mi, is kidnapped and her neighbor, Won Bin’s Cha Tae Sik, goes through a series of obstacles to rescue her. Award-winning and critically acclaimed, The Man From Nowhere was also the highest-grossing South Korean film that year. For this, Kim won Best New Actress at the 8th MaxMovie Awards and 8th Korean Film Awards.

Based on Kang Full’s webtoon, this movie is about the residents of an apartment building who suspect one of their neighbors may be a serial killer, and Kim’s character is one of the victims. The top-grossing film received multiple nominations and awards.

A remake of the popular Japanese drama of the same title, this school drama zooms in on a teacher’s strict teaching methods that don’t sit well with her sixth-grade students; Kim’s character is one of the students. With her performance here, she received a Best Young Actress nomination at the 6th Korea Drama Awards and a Best Young Actress award at the 2013 MBC Drama Awards.

In this movie, which underscores LGBT themes, Kim breathed life into the character of an abused teen. Its bold approach to storytelling earned it multiple nominations and awards, including Best Supporting Actress, Best New Actress, and Best Actress nominations for Kim, as well as the Best New Actress award at the 35th Blue Dragon Film Awards. The movie premiered at the Un Certain Regard section of the Cannes Film Festival, marking Kim’s second time attending the prestigious international film festival.

Kim starred in this historical rom-com alongside Yoon Shi Yoon. Her character, a princess, is abandoned due to what is believed to be a curse that causes everyone she loves to die an awful death. She meets a young scholar (Yoon Shi Yoon) who helps lift the curse. The 20-episode series earned Kim a Best New Actress award at the 9th Korea Drama Awards.

This historical drama explores the story of two teenage girls’ fate as comfort women during the Japanese occupation of Korea. Showcased at the 16th Jeonju International Film Festival, Kim was noticed for her remarkable performance, earning her the Best Foreign Actress award at the 24th Golden Rooster & Hundred Flowers Film Festival.

In November last year, Kim was confirmed to return to acting via the movie Guitar Man after figuring in a DUI (driving under the influence) incident in May 2022. She then wrote an apology, which she shared on Instagram. 2018’s The Villagers was her last film.

Lead photo by 리에 via @ron_sae