In the realm of K-drama, Kim Go-eun is one of those actresses that are not only adored for her excellent acting abilities, but also her silly and lovable sense of humor. No one can deny that she has a contagious laugh and is quite down to earth. Which is likely why she has so many people who love her and so many followers around the world. The fact that Kim Go-eun started acting by randomly giving an audition and getting selected, shows some people are destined to reach where they are today. With her latest work, Little Women reaching new heights, fans are looking forward to more of her acting skills. She has been giving the world nothing but her best performances and work. To celebrate her reign, here are some of her best performances, ranked.
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6 Cheese in the Trap (2016)
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It is a webtoon turned K-drama, where Kim Go-eun plays Hong Seol, who is a typical university student trying to make ends meet by working numerous part-time jobs. Not only this, but she is working hard to be a good daughter. Things take a turn when she meets the man she despises, who suddenly proposes to her. Kim Go-eun blessed the world of K-drama with Cheese in the Trap. Her admirers were ecstatic to see her on television because she had already appeared in several critically acclaimed films that had played at film festivals. Many people identify with Kim Go-eun’s portrayal of Hong Seol because she acts like a clumsy university student quite naturally. When she gets drunk and falls off the table, the audience will find themselves relating to her extremely realistic acting of young students.
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5 Eungyo (2012)
Lotte Entertainment
Eungyo revolves around the story of a high school girl played by Kim Go-eun, who ends up being at the door of a poet who is 70 years old, played by none other than Park Hae II. He chooses to create a literary work about her after getting extremely infatuated with Go-eun to the point of obsession. It’s difficult to forget Kim Go-eun’s portrayal of Eungyo, the impassioned but naive student. This could be seen throughout the film, especially when Park Hae II shows her the story, and she innocently thanks him for making her pretty as she never knew she was one. This scene screams how naive and young Eungyo is who hasn’t even seen the world, and it was only believable because of Go-eun’s raw performance. Especially the fact that it was her first acting part gig, and she took such a demanding role while doing proper justice to it is unfathomable in itself. She was able to depict Eungyo so effortlessly that it hardly seemed like her first acting experience. Due to her outstanding acting, she was able to win numerous new actress awards which include the most renowned Best New Actress Award at the Blue Dragon Film Awards.
4 Canola (2016)
Culture Nandakinda Mirovision Inc.
Canola tells the tale of a little girl named Hye-ji, played by Kim Go-eun, who goes missing. She is miraculously found after 12 years of disappearance and is reunited with her grandma, who resides on Jeju Island. The grandmother is overjoyed to have her granddaughter back in her life and tries to get to know her, but Hye-ji finds adjusting to her new life to be a little more challenging. This movie is an ideal pick if one is searching for a family movie to bawl their eyes out at. Yoon Yuh-jung, a renowned actress, especially asked for Kim Go-eun for this role as she believed nothing else would be perfect for it. And she was completely right! Go-eun does a remarkable job as a confused and overwhelmed girl, who is having a hard time settling in. Her expressive eyes make the audience feel for her struggles even more. Her chemistry and scenes with her grandmother will definitely make the audience shed pools of tears.
3 Coin Locker Girl (2015)
CJ Entertainment
Kim Go Eun co-stars in Coin Locker Girl with several A-list actors, including Kim Hye Soo, Park Bo Gum, Go Kyung-pyo, and Um Tae Goo. She portrays a destitute girl named Il Young who performs risky and unlawful tasks for her mother, to whom she was sold when she was just ten years old. However, things change for her when she begins to feel attracted to Suk Hyun, played by Bo Gum. The fact that Kim Go-eun was playing a part like this only strengthens her standing in the entertainment business. Kim Go-eun acts as a cold, gloomy teenager who couldn’t give a damn about anybody else’s life. When she crushed the head of one man with an ashtray will send a shiver down the audience’s spine, as she seems that terrorizing. However, soon in the movie, Go-eun will also turn into a sweet young woman who only wants to be loved, something no viewer has ever seen before.
2 Guardian: The Lonely and Great God/Goblin (2016-2017)
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Kim Go-eun plays the role of Ji Eun-tak, a high school student who can see dead people. Things take a turn, or a series of turns, when she encounters Kim Shin (Gong Yoo), who happens to be a goblin. Goblin was a huge step for Kim Go-eun, in terms of her acting career on the small screen. This is a series written by Kim Eun-sook, a reputable writer in the Kdrama world, which is why Kim Go-eun starring in one of her works was a big deal. Go-eun does an appalling job of portraying an adorable school-going student, despite being much older in real life. Often times seeing actresses play such cute roles can be irritating; however, Go-eun makes it charming. From mannerisms to the small quirks of being young, she effortlessly pulls off them all. Whether it is her innocent confession to Gong Yoo or her bickering, the audience will find themselves falling for her myriad charms even more.
1 Monster (2014)
In Monster, Kim Go-eun plays the role of a developmentally disabled girl named Bok Soon. She works at a street stall and is barely scraping by to support herself and her younger sister. Because of her eccentricity and propensity to snap at anyone at any time, a majority of the residents avoid her. Things take a turn when Tae Soo murders her younger sister. This leads to Bok Soon choosing to take matters into her own hands and seek out Tae Soo to kill him.
No one who has seen Monster can ever forget Go-eun’s vicious and terrorizing depiction of Bok Soon. Her performance is straight-up bone-chilling, especially when she turns her grief into a rage after hearing her sister’s parting news. It was nearly impossible for the audience to imagine soft goofy Kim Go-eun could ever act this insane for a role. After all, it was such a 180-turn from her previous acting roles, but it helped viewers see her diverse acting range. Her expressions and performance are by far the main reason Monster is critically acclaimed, especially after hearing about her sister; how she breaks down has to be one of the most heart-wrenching scenes. This role was extremely difficult and required serious acting abilities to pull it off. However, Kim Go-eun made it seem like a walk in the park. It definitely helped the audience see her in a different light.
