Following a gripping performance in the Netflix hit The Glory, the spotlight has landed on Korean actress Kim Hieora.
The star first found her roots on the stage as a theater actor, and later shifted to the screen with the most recent addition, The Uncanny Counter Season 2. However, the 34-year-old actress was recently placed under a different limelight, after bullying allegations against her emerged in news reports.
But who exactly is the name behind the headlines? Ahead, here are 10 things to know about the controversial actress.
1. Kim Hieora is a Pisces.
The actress was born on March 18, 1989 in Wonju, Gangwon Province, South Korea.
2. Kim Hieora was a musical and theater major.
For her college education, Kim Hieora entered the Chungkang College of Cultural Industries, a private technical college in Icheon City, Gyeonggi province in South Korea.
The school, which opened in 1996, offers three- and four-year programs across divisions like Games and Animation, Industrial Design, Food and Human Care, Information and Communications, and Hieroa’s Performing Arts.
During her time at the school, the actress was part of the college’s School of Musical and Theater. The rest of Chungkang College’s known alumni include Yoon Kye Sang of K-pop boy group g.o.d.
3. Kim Hieora made her acting debut in a musical.
In 2009, the then 20-year-old Hieora started off her professional acting career in a Korean staging of the musical Jack the Ripper. Originally adapted for the musical stage in 1964, Jack the Ripper delved into the titular historic figure of the United Kingdom, best known for the series of East End murders in 1888.
4. Kim Hieora is managed by Gram Entertainment.
After parting ways with Purple Entertainment in March 2023, Hieora signed an exclusive contract with Gram Entertainment. The agency was founded by her long-time manager, with the company taking note of her “mysterious aura and solid acting skills.”
5. Kim Hieora gained prominence for her role in “The Glory.”
Hieora shot to stardom after a starring role in the Netflix original The Glory, co-starring the likes of Song Hye Kyo and Lim Ji Yeon. In the popular revenge drama, the actress portrayed Lee Sa-ra, one of the school violence perpetrators against Hye Kyo’s Moon Dong-eun, who also happened to have a drug-laced history.
6. Kim Hieora starred in several other hit K-dramas.
Before getting her big break in The Glory, Hieora had her share of cameos in several hit K-dramas. Her TV filmography includes Beyond Evil, Hospital Playlist, Bad Prosecutor, Forecasting Love and Weather, and Extraordinary Attorney Woo.
The actress gained another starring role in the second season of Netflix favorite The Uncanny Counter, where she portrayed the eyepatch-clad Gelli Choi. In the drama, the role is a third-level evil spirit who specializes in speed, with a knack for killing and manipulating memories.
7. Kim Hieora received acting awards and nominations for her roles across theater and TV.
With her roots in theater, the thespian garnered attention and accolades for her roles onstage. In 2013, she bagged the Best Supporting Actress award for You&I at the Daegu International Musical Festival and later won other Best New Actress awards in 2017 for History of Losers at Yegreen Musical Awards and for Behemoth at the StageTalk Audience Choice Awards.
After making her way to the K-drama scene, Hieora received nods for her work in The Glory and Bad Prosecutor, with nominations from Baeksang Arts Awards and Director’s Cut Awards.
8. Kim Hieora portrays celebrated artist Frida Kahlo in a stage play.
Her latest project on stage is a production of Frida, a musical that chronicles the life of the titular Mexican artist Frida Kahlo. The latest run follows its original premiere in 2022, with the 110-minute show framed with Frida reflecting on the most significant moments of her life.
Hieora is joined by her fellow actresses Kim So Hyang and singer-songwriter Ali, who all portray the iconic painter.
9. Kim Hieora faced bullying allegations.
Shortly after the season two finale of The Uncanny Counter, the actress was embroiled in bullying allegations after a report released by the Korean news outlet Dispatch. The source reported about her alleged affiliation with a school bullying group in middle school, which the actress and her agency later denied.
However, Dispatch later revealed a transcription of a phone call between Hieora and an alleged victim, which appeared to depict the actress apologizing to the unnamed woman. Accounts from those who claimed to be her schoolmates have claimed to have been “hit” by the actress, while some claimed to have had money extorted by Hieora. However, other informants have also claimed that she was innocent.
10. You can follow Kim Hieora on Instagram.
Kim Hieora’s official Instagram is @hereare0318, where she currently has almost 1 million followers, as of writing.
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