Early life and education
Career
2012–2016: First television appearances and debut with I.O.I
At the age of 16, Sejeong participated in the second season of the competition television show K-pop Star 2 in 2012. Although she did not make it through the second-round ranking audition, she was brought back as a wildcard for the casting round by Yang Hyun-suk after performing a duet of Taeyang's "I Need a Girl" with fellow contestant Jo Yoo-min. Yang cast them both and grouped Sejeong with contestants Nicole Curry and Lee Soo-Kyung for the final casting round. Unfortunately, she was eliminated from the competition. [7]
In January 2016, Sejeong represented Jellyfish Entertainment on the reality survival show Produce 101 alongside fellow trainees Kim Na-young and Kang Mi-na. They competed for the opportunity to debut in a Mnet project girl group. Sejeong achieved first place ranking on several episodes, earning the nickname "God Sejeong".
The show concluded on April 1, 2016, and the final line-up of I.O.I was announced, consisting of the top 11 poll winners. Sejeong was the runner-up contestant, receiving 525,352 votes, and officially became a member of the girl group I.O.I. They debuted on May 4, 2016, with the lead single "Dream Girls" from the album Chrysalis. However, I.O.I was promoted for less than a year and disbanded in January 2017, with the members returning to their respective agencies at the end of their contracts.
2016–2018: Gugudan and early acting roles
Kim Se-Jeong is a South Korean singer, songwriter, and actress who was born on August 28, 1996, in Gimje, North Jeolla Province, South Korea. She first gained popularity as a contestant on the survival reality show Produce 101 in 2016, where she finished in second place, earning a spot in the project girl group I.O.I.
After I.O.I disbanded, Kim returned to her agency and debuted as a member of Gugudan in June 2016. She also released the single "Flower Way" under Jellyfish Entertainment's music channel project Jelly Box in November 2016, which was produced by Zico and peaked at number two on the Gaon Digital Chart. The same year, she collaborated with Lee Tae-il of Block B for the digital single "I Like You, I Don't" and with NCT's Doyoung for SM Station Season 2's music project titled "Star Blossom".
Apart from her music career, Kim is also recognized as a variety show "ace" for her multiple guest appearances on popular entertainment programs. She hosted the KBS show Talents for Sale and received a "Rookie Variety" nomination in the 15th KBS Entertainment Awards. Kim also joined the reality-documentary Law of the Jungle in Sumatra and displayed her athletic and survival skills, earning her a "survival ace" nickname and the Best Challenge Award on the 11th SBS Entertainment Awards. She later joined the cast of Netflix's first Korean variety show, busted! and became a permanent MC for OnStyle's Get It Beauty.
In July 2017, Kim landed her first major acting role as the lead, Ra Eun-ho, in KBS2's teen drama School 2017, for which she won a "Best New Actress" award at the 31st KBS Drama Awards. She also sang the soundtrack for the series with Gugudan titled "Belief in this Moment". In September 2018, Kim released the song "Paramour" for the soundtrack of the drama Mr. Sunshine.
In June 2018, Kim was cast as a member of the MDRS team for tvN's sci-fi variety program Galileo: Awakened Universe, which explored the idea of life on Mars. She also debuted as a member of the Gugudan subgroup Gugudan SeMiNa with fellow Produce 101 alumni Mina and Nayoung, releasing their single "SeMiNa" in July 2018.
Overall, Kim Se-Jeong has established herself as a multi-talented artist in the South Korean entertainment industry, with successful careers in singing, acting, and variety show hosting.
2019–present: Solo career, musical debut, and success as an actress
Other ventures
Kim is a highly sought-after advertising model and has been recognized as 2021's Top CF star for her work in various fields such as food, architecture, home appliances, games, and public service advertisements. She has also won several awards for her outstanding contributions to the advertising industry, including being named the Female Advertising Model Brand Reputation survey winner for the month of June and July 2017.
Throughout her career, Kim has endorsed a diverse range of products and campaigns. She was the Global Advertising Model for Crocs Come as You Are campaign alongside international actors such as Natalie Dormer, Zooey Deschanel, Gina Jin, and Japanese model Suzu Hirose.
In addition, she was the brand model for Coca-Cola's Spring Summer campaign with actor Park Bo-gum and the exclusive model for Lotte High-Mart. She has also endorsed various beauty products, food and beverage products, online and RPG games, and other popular advertisements such as Samsung's virtual assistant Bixby and GH Basic Housing.
Aside from commercial endorsements, Kim has also participated in several social campaigns, including the "Online Smoking Cessation" for Korea Health Promotion and Development Institute, the Korea Creative Content Agency's Campaign to "Eradicate the use of Illegal Webtoon Distribution Sites", and the National Health Insurance Corporation's "Smoking Cessation Treatment". [1][2][3]
In 2022, Kim continued her endorsement work and was the endorser for cosmetic and clothing brands O! get, Julie's Choice, and Roem, as well as food and beverage products such as Goobne Chicken and Lotte's Starlight Cheongha Sparkling Alcohol. She also endorsed Living Workshop Household Goods and was chosen to sing the theme song for Cygnus Knights in Nexon's popular video game, MapleStory.
Ambassadorship
In addition to her various endorsements, Kim Se-Jeong has also been selected for several ambassador roles. In 2022, she was chosen as an ambassador for the Hanoi Hallyu Expo. Later that year, she was also selected alongside Ahn Hyo-seop as a brand ambassador for the Indonesian food and drink product Realfood, collaborating with Indonesian actor Chicco Jerikho for a series of mini-commercial episodes to promote the brand.
In February 2023, it was announced that Kim Se-Jeong had been selected as the first Asian Global Ambassador for the French luxury brand Longchamp. This appointment marks a significant achievement for Kim, as she joins the ranks of other global celebrities such as Kendall Jenner and Kate Moss who have previously served as ambassadors for the brand.
Philanthropy
Kim has been actively involved in charitable activities and has made several donations to various organizations. On March 8, 2022, she donated ₩10 million to the Hope Bridge Disaster Relief Association to support victims of the massive wildfire that spread from Uljin to Samcheok. Later that month, on March 31, she donated ₩10 million to the Fruit of Love, Community Chest of Korea, to help refugees of the war in Ukraine.
In August 2022, Kim donated ₩20 million to the Hope Bridge Korea Disaster Relief Association to assist those affected by the devastating floods that hit South Korea. On September 7, she also donated ₩10 million to the same organization to support those who suffered damages due to Typhoon Hinnamnor.
On February 10, 2023, in response to the devastating 2023 Turkey-Syria earthquake, Kim donated ₩40 million to the Hope Bridge National Disaster Relief Association to provide assistance to the victims. Kim's continuous philanthropic efforts demonstrate her compassion for those in need and her commitment to making a positive impact on society.
Image and influence
Kim Se-Jeong is known for her sweet and powerful raspy voice as well as for her emotional healing songs. She was the main vocalist for both I.O.I and Gugudan, and she cites IU, Girls' Generation's Taeyeon, and Ailee as her role models in singing, often using their songs in her practice sessions. Kim is often called the icon of "Flower Way" through broadcasts and media after her famous speech to her mother, "I will only let you walk on the flower road from now on," during the first elimination round of Produce 101 where she won first place. Her first solo song "Flower Way" was based on the letter Kim wrote for her mother in Talents for Sale where she was a host.
In August 2021, Kim won the Multi-trainer Award at the 2021 Brand of the Year Awards for her works in various entertainment fields such as music, drama, variety, and musicals.
Aside from singing and acting, Kim is also a sports enthusiast, known for her athletic skills and strong physique, and has been featured on various entertainment shows and headlines, receiving the tag "Strong Female Idol."
Kim, together with her group Gugudan, are three-time gold medalists and record holders for the Women's Archery Competition in Idol Star Athletics Championships. She is also a gold medalist and record holder with her I.O.I and Gugudan member Mina in the Women's Bowling Competition.
Discography
Extended plays
Singles
Other charted songs
Soundtrack appearances
Compilation appearances
Filmography
Television series
Television shows
Web shows
Hosting
Awards and nominations
2016: Won 1st place on "Produce 101" and became a member of I.O.I
2016: Won the "New Artist Award" at the Melon Music Awards as a member of I.O.I
2016: Won the "Best New Female Artist" award at the Mnet Asian Music Awards as a member of I.O.I
2017: Won the "Female Idol Award" at the Brand of the Year Awards as a member of Gugudan
2017: Nominated for the "Rising Star Award" at the Asia Artist Awards
2017: Nominated for the "Best New Actress" award at the KBS Drama Awards for her role in "School 2017"
2018: Nominated for the "Female Idol Award" at the Brand of the Year Awards as a member of Gugudan
2019: Nominated for the "Best Supporting Actress" award at the KBS Drama Awards for her role in "I Wanna Hear Your Song"
2021: Won the "Multi-trainer Award" at the Brand of the Year Awards
2021: Nominated for the "Best Actress" award at the Korea Drama Awards for her role in "The Uncanny Counter"
2022: Nominated for the "Most Popular Actress" award at the Baeksang Arts Awards for her role in "The Uncanny Counter"
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