Born in Seoul, Korea, Yunjin Kim grew up in New York City. Although she shares the surname 'Kim' with her Lost on-screen husband, Daniel Dae Kim, they are neither related nor married.
As a child, Yunjin decided to get over her natural shyness by taking drama classes in the seventh grade. She was immediately cast in a musical and fell in love with acting and the theatre.
Her blossoming talent gained her entry into New York's prestigious High School of Performing Arts – forever immortalised in the film Fame – and she went on to earn a BFA in acting from Boston University.
Her career took off in 1999 with her leading role in the film Shiri, which made her a star in her native Korea and all over Asia. More Korean features followed, including starring roles in Ardor, Yesterday, Iron Palm and Ginko Bed 2 – and now Lost is making her a household name among western audiences.
She was born on 7 November 1973. She lives in South Korea with the love of her life – her 14-year-old dog, Tobi.