# Eugene (김유진) (actress)
**Eugene** (유진; real name **Kim Yoo-jin**, 김유진; born 1981) is a South Korean actress and singer who debuted in 1997 as a member of the girl group S.E.S. and also pursued television and film acting.[1](https://www.kmdb.or.kr/eng/db/per/00044120) • [2](https://cine21.com/db/person/info/?person_id=49849) KMDb lists her as Eugene (유진), Korean, born 1981, with film credits including a cast credit in *[The Penthouse: War in Life](https://www.edgepedia.org/the-penthouse-war-in-life)* (2020).[1](https://www.kmdb.or.kr/eng/db/per/00044120) Cine21 records her real name as 김유진 and her debut through the three-member group S.E.S.[2](https://cine21.com/db/person/info/?person_id=49849)
| Key fact | Detail |
|---|---|
| Identity | Stage name 유진 (Eugene); real name 김유진 (Kim Yoo-jin); Korean, born 1981 in Seoul[1](https://www.kmdb.or.kr/eng/db/per/00044120) • [3](https://wiki.d-addicts.com/Eugene) |
| Music debut | 1997 with S.E.S. alongside Shoo (슈) and Bada (바다) through the first album *I'm Your Girl*; group disbanded 2002[4](https://www.xportsnews.com/article/1380634) |
| Acting debut (lead) | 진다래 in KBS 2TV's *러빙유* (Loving You, 2002), after a 1998 cameo in SBS's *순풍산부인과*[4](https://www.xportsnews.com/article/1380634) |
| Career-high dramas | *제빵왕 김탁구* (2010) reached a 50% viewership rating; *백년의 유산* (2013) ended in the 30% range[4](https://www.xportsnews.com/article/1380634) |
| Top acting award | SBS Drama Awards 최우수 연기상 (Top Excellence) for *펜트하우스* Season 1 (2020)[5](http://inncompany.co.kr/EUGENE) |
| Solo albums | Two solo albums released after S.E.S. disbanded[2](https://cine21.com/db/person/info/?person_id=49849) |
| Family | Married actor 기태영 (Ki Tae-young) in 2011; two daughters, 로희 (b. 2015) and 로린 (b. 2018)[4](https://www.xportsnews.com/article/1380634) • [6](https://www.imdb.com/name/nm1951983/) |
| Recent work | 차수연 in the MBN drama *퍼스트레이디* (First Lady, 2025)[5](http://inncompany.co.kr/EUGENE) |
## Early life and debut
Eugene was born in 1981 in Seoul.[1](https://www.kmdb.or.kr/eng/db/per/00044120) Her birthdate is given as 1981.[3](https://wiki.d-addicts.com/Eugene) Her family immigrated to Guam, and she was cast by [SM Entertainment](https://www.edgepedia.org/sm-entertainment) after being spotted while interpreting for the group H.O.T. during a shoot there; Korean media dubbed her "한국의 올리비아 핫세" (Korea's [Olivia Hussey](https://www.edgepedia.org/olivia-hussey)) at her debut.[4](https://www.xportsnews.com/article/1380634)
In 1997 she debuted with S.E.S. alongside Shoo and Bada through the group's first album *I'm Your Girl*.[4](https://www.xportsnews.com/article/1380634)
## Music career with S.E.S.
S.E.S. released a run of hit songs before disbanding in 2002, including "너를 사랑해", "꿈을 모아서", "러브", "드림스 컴 트루", and "감싸안으며", and the group ranked among the most popular acts of its day.[4](https://www.xportsnews.com/article/1380634) IMDb describes S.E.S. as one of South Korea's best-selling artists.[6](https://www.imdb.com/name/nm1951983/)
## Solo music career
After S.E.S. disbanded, Eugene released two solo albums and then concentrated on drama and film acting.[2](https://cine21.com/db/person/info/?person_id=49849) Her solo albums include *My True Style...* (May 30, 2003, under F&M Entertainment) and *810303* (August 18, 2004, under PFull Entertainment),[3](https://wiki.d-addicts.com/Eugene) as well as "THE BEST", "차차", and "Windy", with "차차" presenting a sexier image than her S.E.S. persona.[4](https://www.xportsnews.com/article/1380634)
## Acting career
**Transition from idol to actress.** Her path into acting ran through a 1998 cameo in SBS's *순풍산부인과* and a 2002 single-episode SBS drama, *남과 여*, before her first lead role as the Jeju woman 진다래 in KBS 2TV's *러빙유* (2002), which completed her image transition from singer to actress.[4](https://www.xportsnews.com/article/1380634) Her agency profile records the subsequent television roles: 정세진 in *원더풀 라이프* (2005), 여봉순 in *진짜 진짜 좋아해* (2006), 송나영 in *아빠 셋 엄마 하나* (2008), 한상은 in *인연 만들기* (2009), 윤정완 in JTBC's *우리가 사랑할 수 있을까* (2014), and 이진애 in KBS's *부탁해요 엄마* (2015).[5](http://inncompany.co.kr/EUGENE)
**Career-high dramas.** In KBS 2TV's weekend drama *제빵왕 김탁구* (2010), which aired amid attention and recorded a 50% viewership rating, she played 탁구's first love.[4](https://www.xportsnews.com/article/1380634) She followed it as 민채원 in MBC's *백년의 유산* (2013), which ended in the 30% ratings range; both are described as her career-high dramas.[4](https://www.xportsnews.com/article/1380634) • [5](http://inncompany.co.kr/EUGENE)
**펜트하우스 and recognition.** In SBS's *펜트하우스* (2020, 2021) she played 오윤희, a mother striving to enter high society for her daughter 배로나, who is revealed as the killer of 민설아; the role won her the SBS 연기대상 최우수상.[4](https://www.xportsnews.com/article/1380634) KMDb independently credits her in the 2020 series.[1](https://www.kmdb.or.kr/eng/db/per/00044120)
**Film work.** Her film credits include 은호 in *못말리는 결혼* (2007), 조은수 in *그 남자의 책 198쪽* (2008), 유가영 in *로맨틱 아일랜드* (2008), 효정 in *요가학원* (2009), and 고은숙 in *종이꽃* (2019).[5](http://inncompany.co.kr/EUGENE) • [1](https://www.kmdb.or.kr/eng/db/per/00044120) *종이꽃*, co-starring 안성기, marked her first screen appearance in ten years since *요가학원*.[4](https://www.xportsnews.com/article/1380634)
## By the numbers
The quantified markers of her career are these: a 50% viewership rating for *제빵왕 김탁구* (2010) and a 30%-range finish for *백년의 유산* (2013), the two highest-rated dramas she has appeared in;[4](https://www.xportsnews.com/article/1380634) two solo albums released after S.E.S. disbanded;[2](https://cine21.com/db/person/info/?person_id=49849) and an active span running from her 1997 debut to the present, with awards recorded across the SBS and KBS Drama Awards, and the Mnet KM Music Video Festival.[5](http://inncompany.co.kr/EUGENE) • [2](https://cine21.com/db/person/info/?person_id=49849) For *화평공주 체중감량사* (2011), her prosthetic fat-suit makeup took 10 hours in total, 4 hours per session, with a 30-million-won investment.[4](https://www.xportsnews.com/article/1380634)
## Awards and recognition
Her agency profile attaches awards to specific roles: the SBS 최우수 연기상 for *펜트하우스* Season 1 (2020); 우수 연기상 for *부탁해요 엄마* (2015), *제빵왕 김탁구* (2010), and *화평공주 체중감량사* (2011); 신인 연기상 for *마지막 춤은 나와 함께* (2004); and 인기상 for *러빙유* (2002).[5](http://inncompany.co.kr/EUGENE) Her award record is itemized with ceremony names as: the 2020 28th SBS Drama Awards Top Excellence Award, Actress in a Mid-Length Drama (*Penthouse*); the 2015 KBS Excellence Award, Serial Drama; the 2011 KBS One Act Special Award; the 2010 KBS Excellence Award, Mini Series; the 2004 SBS New Star Award; and the 2002 KBS Popularity Award.[3](https://wiki.d-addicts.com/Eugene) Cine21 additionally records a 2002 KBS 연기대상 신인상 and 인기상 and a 2005 Mnet KM 뮤직비디오 페스티벌 PD선정 특별상.[2](https://cine21.com/db/person/info/?person_id=49849)
## What has changed since 2023
She made a 2023 Netflix cameo in *[Love to Hate You](https://www.edgepedia.org/love-to-hate-you-tv-series)* (episodes 9 and 10).[3](https://wiki.d-addicts.com/Eugene) Her agency profile records her most recent role as 차수연 in the MBN drama *퍼스트레이디* (2025).[5](http://inncompany.co.kr/EUGENE) Her representation is reported as C9 Entertainment by DramaWiki,[3](https://wiki.d-addicts.com/Eugene) while her official profile is hosted on INN Company's site.[5](http://inncompany.co.kr/EUGENE)
## Personal life
She married actor 기태영 (Ki Tae-young), her co-star from *인연 만들기* (2009), in 2011; the couple have two daughters, 로희 and 로린, and have appeared as a family on the programs *슈퍼맨이 돌아왔다* and *공부가 머니*.[4](https://www.xportsnews.com/article/1380634) IMDb dates the announcement to May 11, 2011, and the wedding to July 23, 2011, at the Seoul Central Church in [Anyang, Gyeonggi](https://www.edgepedia.org/anyang-gyeonggi)-do;[6](https://www.imdb.com/name/nm1951983/) DramaWiki gives the venue as Joong Ang Church in [Gyeonggi Province](https://www.edgepedia.org/gyeonggi-province).[3](https://wiki.d-addicts.com/Eugene) IMDb records the daughters' births as Ro-Hee on April 12, 2015, and Ro-Rin on August 18, 2018.[6](https://www.imdb.com/name/nm1951983/)
## References
1. [KMDb – 한국영화데이터베이스: Eugene 유진](https://www.kmdb.or.kr/eng/db/per/00044120)
2. [씨네21 – 유진 인물 정보](https://cine21.com/db/person/info/?person_id=49849)
3. [DramaWiki – Eugene](https://wiki.d-addicts.com/Eugene)
4. [엑스포츠뉴스 [그때 그 시절] 유진, 韓 올리비아 핫세…'펜트하우스'까지 롱런](https://www.xportsnews.com/article/1380634)
5. [인컴퍼니 – 유진 공식 프로필](http://inncompany.co.kr/EUGENE)
6. [IMDb – Kim Yoo-jin (I)](https://www.imdb.com/name/nm1951983/)
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*Topic: Encyclopedia › Arts and culture › Screen and stage › Film and television › Screen people and creators › Screen actors of East and Southeast Asia › South Korean actors, 2000s onward › Surnames A to H*
*Initially written Sep 17, 2026 · Reviewed: Sep 17, 2026; Sep 18, 2026; Oct 25, 2026 · Edited: Sep 18, 2026; Oct 12, 2026; Oct 15, 2026; Oct 25, 2026 · Last review: Oct 25, 2026*
*Copyright 2026 EdgeChat AI, a subsidiary of Biostate AI.*
License: Edgepedia Community License 1.0, https://www.edgepedia.org/edgepedia/license