Actor
Kim Sae Ron
Kim Sae-ron (김새론; July 31, 2000 - February 16, 2025) was a South Korean actress who built one of the most decorated careers of her generation before her passing at 24. She started as a child model at nine and made her screen debut in the French-Korean co-production A Brand New Life (2009), playing an abandoned girl left at an orphanage. A year later, she held her own opposite Won Bin in the crime thriller The Man from Nowhere (2010), earning a Grand Bell Award for Best New Actress and a Baeksang Arts Awards nomination.
Through her teens, Sae-ron transitioned from child star to lead actress with conviction. She starred in the dramas Listen to My Heart (2011), The Queen's Classroom (2013), and Hi! School: Love On (2014), and earned strong reviews for her performance in the film A Girl at My Door (2014). Her first adult lead role came with Secret Healer (2016). Later work included the romance drama My First First Love (Netflix, 2019) and the web drama Hi Bye, Mama! (2020).
In 2022, a drunk driving incident paused her career and led to her departure from the drama Trolley. She returned in 2024, appearing in the YG Stage musical MAMA, I'M A MUSICAL STAR. She passed away on February 16, 2025, in Seoul.
1 articles7 creditsDebut: January 1, 2009South Korean
Gallery
Filmography
2026
Everyday We AreFilm
Yeo-wool
2019
My First First LoveK-Drama
Nam Soo-a
2014
A Girl at My DoorFilm
Do Hee
2014
Hi! School: Love OnK-Drama
Shin Woo-hyun
2013
The Queen's ClassroomK-Drama
Shim Ha-na
2010
The Man from NowhereFilm
Park So-mi
2009
A Brand New LifeFilm
Jinhee
Fans Also Ask
What is Kim Sae-ron best known for?
Kim Sae-ron is best known for The Man from Nowhere (2010), opposite Won Bin, earning a Grand Bell Award nomination for Best New Actress. She debuted at nine in the French-Korean film A Brand New Life (2009) and became one of Korea's most celebrated child performers.
When did Kim Sae-ron debut as an actress?
Kim Sae-ron made her debut in 2009 with A Brand New Life, a French-Korean co-production where she played an abandoned girl at an orphanage. The Man from Nowhere followed in 2010 opposite Won Bin, cementing her status as one of Korea's top child actresses.
What happened to Kim Sae-ron in 2022?
In May 2022, Kim Sae-ron was involved in a drunk driving accident in Seoul's Gangnam district, halting her career. She publicly apologized and attempted a return to acting in 2024 but withdrew due to health. She passed away on February 16, 2025, aged 24.
What dramas was Kim Sae-ron in?
Kim Sae-ron appeared in The Queen's Classroom (KBS2, 2013), Hi! School: Love On (2014), and Netflix's My First First Love (2019). Her film career included A Girl at My Door (2014) and The Man from Nowhere (2010). Her screen career spanned over a decade, from age nine.
What was Kim Sae-rons final film?
Kim Sae-ron's final film was Everyday We Are (2026), a youth romance based on a popular webtoon. She played Yeo-wool, a basketball-loving teenager, opposite Lee Chae-min. Filming wrapped in 2021, and the film opened in Korean theaters on March 4, 2026, over a year after her passing on February 16, 2025.
