Veteran Korean Actress Kim Ji-mi, Called 'Korea's Elizabeth Taylor', Passes Away at 85
Creatrip Team
3 months ago
Kim Ji-mi (born Kim Myung-ja), a leading figure of South Korea’s film golden age in the 1960s–70s, has died at 85 in Los Angeles from hypotensive shock. Discovered on the streets of Myeong-dong while a high school student, she debuted in 1957 and starred in dozens of major films such as The Twilight Train (1957), The Road of Flesh (1959), Chunhyangjeon (1961), and When the Buckwheat Blooms (1967). She later founded the production company Jimi Films, collaborated with renowned director Im Kwon-taek, and imported Bernardo Bertolucci’s The Last Emperor (1987) to great domestic success. Known for a Western-influenced, striking appearance and strong acting, Kim broke traditional female roles on screen—including portraying more independent, non‑sacrificial women—and was influential among peers. Her private life was noted for high-profile relationships and marriages, earning her the nickname “Korea’s Elizabeth Taylor.” The Korean Film People’s Association will set up a memorial space rather than hold a separate film-industry funeral.
