Actress Kim Hye-jun stands in front of the camera of fashion magazine Cosmopolitan.

Her diverse sides, having played psychopaths, immortals, and villains in various works, also stood out in the pictorial. From cute cat knits to mature skirt sets, she fully displayed her photogenic charm by expressing the look that matches the outfit.

It is not easy to associate Kim Hye-jun‘s clean and youthful appearance with a venomous character like the serial killer Kay in ’Gugyeong-i‘ or the venomous queen in ’Kingdom‘. We asked her why she has been approached by such ’strong characters‘ one after another. “These characters’ madness is often revealed as a twist. When you think they are ordinary but find out they are not, the impact is stronger. I think they found a cool side in my innocence.”

She also expressed interest in new genres. “I want to try a romantic comedy or melodrama. It‘s a piece that portrays subtle emotions and the inner workings of a human being.”

Kim Hye-jun’s next work is the Netflix series “Cashier.” “Cashier” is a superhero film based on a webtoon of the same name. In the film, Kim Hye-jun plays the long-time lover of the main character Kang Sang-woong (played by Lee Jun-ho), Kim Min-sook. “Because it‘s a piece featuring someone with superpowers, we prepared a lot for each scene, and a lot of CG was used. Not only my scene, but I’m also really curious and excited to see how the scenes in which I didn‘t appear were completed,” she said, expressing her excitement.

Kim Hye-jun has been recording everything from filming sets to her daily life on Instagram. When asked why she keeps such consistent records, she said, “I’m the type to forget things I don‘t like or like without keeping them,” and added, “When I suddenly look at my past records, I wonder if I’ve ever had such a hard time? But I don‘t remember a single thing, so I think, ’Then, the hardships that come will all pass,‘ and that comforts me,” she revealed.

She also captures moments she’ll miss, such as the actors on set, the backs of the staff, and even props, on film. Kim Hye-jun‘s strong determination to live her daily life well rather than chasing after something special can be seen in her New Year’s resolution.

When we asked her about her thoughts on turning 30 in 2025, she said, “I secretly expected that I would become more relaxed and cool when I turned 30, but in reality, I‘m just Kim Hye-jun who’s lived a few months longer.” She added, “There are times when I feel empty that I don‘t live up to expectations, but I think I’ve become stronger through that. Rather than being tied down by those thoughts, I also feel like I should just live today. “I think that repeating an ordinary today and tomorrow will eventually become something solid for me,” she said.

Kim Hye-jun looks back on the year-end of 2024, a year in which she ran breathlessly from filming “Killers’ Shopping Mall” to “As a Cashier.” “Every year at the end of the year, I tend to regret the things I didn’t do more than the things I did. However, there are things I think are special about myself. This year, I didn’t break down or hurt others, and I did well with a smile.”

You can see more pictorials and interviews with Kim Hye-jun in the January issue of Cosmopolitan and on the Cosmopolitan Korea website.

Jeon Hyo-jin, Donga.com reporter jhj@donga.com