The 7 Best Kim Go-eun Films and Series to Watch If You Love Great Acting

There are certain actors that everyone knows deserve all the accolades they can get. Actors like Will Smith, Samuel L. Jackson, Leonardo DiCaprio… performers whose presence alone already promises quality.

One actress who absolutely belongs on that list, especially if you’re even remotely into Korean cinema and television, is Kim Go-eun. Kim Go-eun is an actor who disappears into her roles so completely that you forget you’re watching the same person from project to project.

When she’s playing a grieving teenager, a cursed shaman, a woman tangled in corruption, or a hopeless romantic just trying to get through life, she brings depth, vulnerability, and an almost uncomfortable honesty to the screen.

Kim Go-eun made her acting debut while still in university, starring in Jung Ji-woo’s A Muse. What makes that even more impressive is that she had no formal acting background at the time, with no TV roles and no film experience, just student productions and school plays. Yet her performance was so striking that it immediately put her on the map and earned her a Baeksang Arts Award for Best New Actress.

Since then, she’s continued to collect praise and awards, including another Baeksang win for Cheese in the Trap. Aside from her trophies, what truly sets Kim Go-eun apart is her range. Over the years, she’s played wildly different characters across genres, from fantasy, romance, thriller, slice-of-life, and horror, and somehow makes every single one feel lived-in and real.

If you’re looking to explore the very best of Kim Go-eun’s filmography, here are the standout projects that truly show why she’s one of the finest actresses of her generation.

Exhuma is not your average horror film, and Kim Go-eun is a big reason why. She plays Hwa-rim, a shaman called in to deal with a terrifying curse haunting a wealthy family’s bloodline. From the opening moments, the film signals that it’s interested in more than cheap scares. It’s about history, legacy, and the things that refuse to stay buried.

Hwa-rim is sharp, composed, and deeply intuitive, straddling the line between spiritual belief and practical survival. Kim Go-eun plays her with quiet authority, never overdoing it, even when the film dives into unsettling territory. As the story unfolds and the exhumation of a grave uncovers far more than expected, her character becomes the emotional and moral anchor of the film.

What makes Exhuma especially compelling is how it blends folklore with Korea’s historical wounds. Kim Go-eun’s performance grounds all that complexity, making the supernatural feel personal rather than abstract. 

If you want to see Kim Go-eun at her most emotionally raw, Little Women is essential viewing. She stars as Oh In-joo, the eldest of three sisters living on the edge of poverty. In-joo isn’t glamorous or particularly ambitious; she just wants security and a life where money isn’t a constant source of fear.

That desire pulls her into a dangerous situation involving a mysterious death, a suspicious fortune, and a powerful family with far too many secrets. Kim Go-eun captures In-joo’s vulnerability beautifully… her fear, her confusion, and her quiet resilience as things spiral out of control.

Unlike traditional crime dramas, Little Women feels intimate and suffocating. The stakes are personal, and Kim Go-eun excels at portraying a woman who is in over her head but refuses to back down. 

READ ALSO: As a Die-Hard K-Drama Lover, These Are the Romances You NEED to See

This series is messy, and that’s exactly what makes it work. You and Everything Else explores a long, complicated female friendship filled with love, jealousy, resentment, and deep emotional dependence. Kim Go-eun plays Eun-jun, a writer whose relationship with her best friend-turned-rival spans decades.

The show isn’t interested in making its characters likeable all the time. Instead, it leans into awkwardness, humiliation, and emotional imbalance. Kim Go-eun’s Eun-jun is restrained, observant, and quietly wounded, especially when faced with her friend’s constant emotional breakdowns and betrayals.

What makes her performance shine is how understated it is. She doesn’t beg for sympathy; instead, she lets silence, discomfort, and small reactions do the work. It’s rare to see female friendships portrayed with this level of honesty, and Kim Go-eun handles it with maturity and nuance.

This is the role that introduced Kim Go-eun to a global audience. As Ji Eun-tak, a teenager burdened by loss and loneliness, she brings warmth and sincerity to a fantasy story that could have easily felt over-the-top.

Opposite Gong Yoo’s immortal goblin, Kim Go-eun balances humour, sadness, and youthful optimism effortlessly. Her chemistry with the cast, especially Gong Yoo and Lee Dong-wook, gives the series its emotional core.

Tune in for Love is soft, slow, and deeply nostalgic, and Kim Go-eun fits perfectly into that mood. She plays Mi-soo, a young woman whose life becomes quietly intertwined with Hyun-woo’s over several years and missed connections.

Their relationship unfolds gently, shaped by timing, circumstance, and emotional distance. Kim Go-eun’s performance is subtle and tender; she doesn’t rush Mi-soo’s emotions, allowing the character to grow naturally over time.

The film captures how love doesn’t always arrive dramatically; sometimes it lingers, fades, and returns when you least expect it. Kim Go-eun makes those emotional gaps feel real, especially in scenes where years pass but unresolved feelings remain.

READ ALSO: From Bullies to Betrayers: 7 K-Dramas That Serve Revenge Piping Hot

If you want something lighter but still thoughtful, Yumi’s Cells is a joy. Kim Go-eun stars as Yumi, an ordinary woman navigating work, love, and self-doubt, except we also get to see her emotions personified as animated “cells” inside her mind.

What could have been gimmicky turns out to be charming and surprisingly relatable. Kim Go-eun brings warmth and humour to Yumi, which makes her everyday struggles feel meaningful. Whether she’s falling in love, dealing with heartbreak, or simply trying to survive adulthood, her performance feels honest and comforting.

It’s one of her most accessible roles, and a reminder that great acting isn’t always about intensity; sometimes it’s about making ordinary life feel seen.

In The Price of Confession, Kim Go-eun steps into darker territory once again as Mo Eun, a mysterious woman imprisoned for murder. Paired against another powerful female lead, the series becomes a psychological chess match where nothing is as it seems.

Kim Go-eun plays Mo Eun with eerie calm, keeping viewers constantly guessing. Is she manipulative? Is she innocent? Or something else entirely? Her performance thrives on ambiguity, proving just how skilled she is at holding tension without over-explaining her character.

What makes Kim Go-eun special is her fearlessness. She takes risks, chooses unconventional roles, and never seems interested in playing it safe. When she’s in a blockbuster fantasy, a quiet romance, or a disturbing thriller, she commits fully.

If you’re looking for performances that feel real, flawed, and emotionally layered, Kim Go-eun’s filmography is a goldmine. Once you start watching her work, it’s hard not to become a fan, and even harder to forget her characters once the screen fades to black