The Pulse of K-Entertainment

Kim Min-ju
ArtistManagement Soop

Kim Min-ju

Kim Min-ju (김민주) did not treat post-IZ*ONE life like a cooldown. She moved straight into acting and kept picking projects that asked for more than a familiar face. The Forbidden Marriage gave her a first true breakout, Connection showed she could hold tension inside an ensemble, and the JTBC melodrama Still Shining pushed her into full lead territory opposite Park Jinyoung. That climb looks even sharper when you line up the timing. Min-ju joined Management Soop after IZ*ONE, then built an acting run that moved from promise to proof without the usual dead space. The agency still lists Undercover High School and Beauty in the Beast in her active slate, which fits the bigger picture: broadcasters and streamers now see her as a bankable young lead, not a former idol trying out a second career. What makes the page work in 2026 is the balance. She still carries the polish and camera instinct that made her stand out in idol-era content, but the acting lane is what defines her now. On JTBC and in productions tied to STUDIO329, she reads like an actress whose ceiling keeps moving upward.
3 articles5 creditsSouth Korean

Gallery

Kim Min-ju at Undercover High School promotions, 2025. CC BY 3.0 via YouTube/Wikimedia Commons.

Filmography

2026
Still ShiningK-Drama
Lead actress (Mo Eun-ah)Park Jinyoung
2024
ConnectionK-Drama
Supporting actress
2023
D.P. Season 2K-Drama
Supporting actress
2022
The Forbidden MarriageK-Drama
Supporting actress

Other Credits

2018
IZ*ONE (project group)K-Pop Group
Member (2018-2021)

Fans Also Ask

What is Kim Min-ju best known for in 2026?
Kim Min-ju is best known in 2026 for turning her post-IZ*ONE profile into a serious acting run. After breaking through with The Forbidden Marriage in 2022, she kept building with D.P. Season 2, Connection, and the JTBC melodrama Still Shining, where she stepped into a full lead role opposite Park Jinyoung.
Was Kim Min-ju in IZ*ONE before acting full time?
Yes. Kim Min-ju debuted as a member of IZ*ONE after Produce 48 and promoted with the project group from October 2018 to April 2021. After the group ended, she signed with Management Soop and committed to acting, which quickly became the main engine of her public profile.
What awards has Kim Min-ju won as an actress?
Kim Min-ju won Best New Actress at the 2022 MBC Drama Awards for The Forbidden Marriage. Management Soop also lists an SBS Drama Awards Best New Actress win for 2024 on her official profile, reinforcing how quickly she moved from promising crossover case to properly recognized young television lead.
What role does Kim Min-ju play in Still Shining?
In Still Shining, Kim Min-ju plays Mo Eun-ah, the emotional center of a JTBC melodrama about grief, recovery, and second chances. The role matters because it is not a supporting showcase. It is a lead-part test of whether she can carry a network drama, and the industry clearly believes she can.
What agency represents Kim Min-ju?
Kim Min-ju is represented by Management Soop, one of Korea's best-known acting agencies. The fit has been obvious in the projects she has taken since joining: drama-heavy, actor-first choices that prioritize long-term screen credibility over quick idol nostalgia or low-stakes celebrity visibility.

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