Kim Young-ok

For other uses, see Kim Young-ok (disambiguation).

In this Korean name, the family name is Kim.

Kim Young-ok (Korean: 김영옥; born January 6, 1938)^[1] is a South Korean actress who debuted in 1957.^[2] She is known as South Korea's "National Grandma" for her many portrayals of grandmothers in film and television.^[3][4]

Kim Young-ok
Kim in July 2019
Born	(1937-12-05) December 5, 1937 (age 87) Keijō, Korea, Empire of Japan
Occupations	Actress voice actress entertainer
Years active	1959–present
Spouse	Kim Young-gil ​ (m. 1960)​
Children	2
Awards	Bogwan Order of Cultural Merit (2018)
Korean name
Hangul	김영옥
Hanja	金英玉
RR	Gim Yeongok
MR	Kim Yŏngok

Career

In 1959, Kim joined the Chuncheon Broadcasting Station as an announcer through open recruitment. In 1960, She re-entered the CBS Christian Broadcasting Company as a voice actor for the 6th term. A year later, in 1961, she officially debuted as a voice actor for the 1st round of MBC Cultural Broadcasting, and in 1969 appeared in MBC TV drama for the first time.

Kim Young-ok is one of Korea's representative actors who has been active without a hiatus since her debut. Currently, she is the oldest active actress in Korea.^[5]

Filmography

Film

Year	Title	Role	Notes	Ref.
1957	Farewell Sorrow!
1958	Open the Door to a Pure Heart
1959	Bear
	Even the Clouds Are Drifting
1961	A Shoeshine Boy
1963	The Mistress
1966	Have Cake and Eat It, Too
1967	Flame in the Valley
1968	A Young Bride
	A Young Zelkova
1970	Mi-ae
1980	Man-suk, Run!
1986	No Woman Is Afraid of the Night	Housekeeper
1987	The Chef of 8 Provinces	Mokpo chef
1988	Puppy Love
1990	Watercolor Painting in a Rainy Day	Nanny
	The Lovers of Woomook-baemi	Il-do's mother
1999	White Valentine	Flower shop lady
2003	Spring Breeze	Seon-guk's mother
	A Man Who Has Been Revealed	Middle-aged woman
2004	Springtime	Jae-il's grandmother
2006	Old Miss Diary: The Movie	Young-ok		[6]
2007	Big Bang	Yang Chul-gon's mother
	Soo	Police officer Seo's grandmother	Cameo
2008	Public Enemy Returns	Kang Chul-joong's mother
	Our School's E.T.	Chun Sung-geun's mother
2010	Le Grand Chef 2: Kimchi Battle	Yeo-sang's mother
2011	Sunny	Im Na-mi's grandmother
2012	Spring, Snow	Mother
2013	Fists of Legend	Mother-in-law
2015	Casa Amor: Exclusive for Ladies	Chairwoman Yeon
	Granny's Got Talent	Grandmother shaman	Cameo
	Makgeolli Girls
	Bean Sprouts	Gong Na-mul's mother	Cameo
2017	Snowy Road	Choi Jong-boon (adult)
2021	Nothing Serious	Ja-young's grandmother
2022	Take Care of Mom		Lead Role	[7]
2024	Picnic	Geum-soon		[8]

Television series

Year	Title	Role	Notes	Ref.
1978	Master
	I Sell Happiness
1981	Se-ah
1985	The Seaside Village
1986	Love and Ambition	Hae-young's aunt
1988	Forget Tomorrow
	Teacher, Our Teacher
	The Last Idol
1989	Wang Rung's Kin
	Flowering Nest
	Carousel
	Armband
1990	That Woman
	My Mother
1991	Yesterday's Green Grass
1993	Long Time Ago When I Was Young
	Wild Chrysanthemum
	To Live
	3rd Republic	Paek Namŭi [ko], Park Chung Hee's mother
	Sergeant Oh
	MBC Best Theater: "Sundal, Byeonggu, and Okju"	Ms. Yeo
1994	MBC Best Theater: "Street Sign Buddha"	Abandoned grandmother
	The Woman in the Matchbox
1995	The Road	Mrs. Song
	Another Beginning
1996	Wealthy Yu-chun
	The Most Beautiful Goodbye in the World	Sang Joo-daek
	Until We Can Love
	The Scent of Winter
1997	Golden Feather
	The Reason I Live	Kim Sook-hee
	Beautiful Crime
	Bridal Room
1998	A Bird's Gift	Maternal grandmother
	Love is All I Know
	Please Find My Dad
	You and My Song
2000	Wang Rung's Land	Oh Ran
	Ajumma	Sam-sook's maternal grandmother
2001	Wonderful Days	Grandmother
	Morning Without Parting	Kim Kyung-hee
2002	Successful Story of a Bright Girl	Cha Yang-soon's grandmother
	Since We Met	Kang Min-seok's grandmother
	Solitude	Kim Il-soon
	The Maengs' Golden Era	Han Eul-soon
2003	Yellow Handkerchief	Grandmother Son
	Bodyguard	Na-young's maternal grandmother
	Pearl Necklace	Kim Ki-nam's grandmother
2004	More Beautiful Than a Flower	Woo-sik's grandmother
	Tropical Nights in December	Hospice patient	Cameo
	Old Miss Diary	Young-ok
	Toji, the Land	Gan-nan's grandmother
2005	Take My Hand
	Bizarre Bunch	Seo Mal-ja
	Let's Marry	Jung Jae-won's grandmother
2006	Special of My Life	Jung Hyung-seok's mother
	Snow Flower	Lee Kang-ae's mother
	Miracle	Jang Young-chul's mother
2007	Dal-ja's Spring	Lee Kkeut-soon
	Crazy in Love	Han Bok-ja
	Coffee Prince	Choi Han-kyul's grandmother
	Fly High	Jo Ok-young
	Likeable or Not	Mrs. Choi
	New Heart
2008	Aster	Ulgeum woman
	Chil-woo the Mighty	Woman from Mungdung
	Family's Honor	Yoon Sam-wol
2009	Glory of Youth	Bae Yong-jin's mother
	Boys Over Flowers	Head maid
	Partner	Go Myung-ja	Cameo (Episode 9)
	Children of Heaven
	Jolly Widows	Park Jung-nyeo
	Assorted Gems	Kyul Myung-ja
2010	Master of Study	Lee Boon-yi
	The Slave Hunters	Hwang Chul-woong's mother
	Gloria	Oh Soon-nyeo
	All My Love For You	Kim Young-ok
2011	Paradise Ranch
	My Bittersweet Life	Choi Jung-ok
	Bravo, My Love!	Nam Da-reum's grandmother	Cameo
	Protect the Boss	Mrs. Song
	Just Like Today	Oh Gap-boon
	Brain	Sa Bong-ja	Cameo
	Saving Mrs. Go Bong-shil	Kim Geum-shil
2012	The Strongest K-Pop Survival	Kwon Ji-woo's grandmother
	Love, My Love	Lee Geum-nyeo
	Standby	Young-ok, Park Joon-geum's mother	Cameo
	Lovers of Haeundae	Shim Mal-nyun
	My Lover, Madame Butterfly	Yoo Geum-dan
	Here Comes Mr. Oh	Chun Geum-soon
2013	Ruby Ring	Jo Il-soon
	KBS Drama Special: "Yeon-woo's Summer"	Lee Yeon-woo's grandmother
2014	Beyond the Clouds	Hong Soon-ok
	Make Your Wish	Chairman Choi
	Marriage, Not Dating	Noh Geum-soon
	Rosy Lovers	Jo Bang-shil
	Birth of a Beauty	Lee Kang-joon's grandmother
2015	KBS Drama Special: "Snowy Road"	older Choi Jong-boon
	The Return of Hwang Geum-bok	Wang Yeo-sa
	Reply 1988	Duk Seon's grandmother
	All About My Mom	Song Ki-nam
2016	Dear My Friends	Oh Ssang-boon
	Blow Breeze	Dal-rae
	Shopping King Louie	Choi Il-soon
	Listen to Love		Cameo
	Sweet Stranger and Me	Grandma Oh Rye	Cameo (Episode 7)
2017	Sister-in-Law	Kang Hae-Soon
	Manhole	(voice only)
	Live Up to Your Name	Kkot-boon
	The Most Beautiful Goodbye	Grandma
2018	Welcome to Waikiki	Jang-gun's grandma	Cameo (Episode 4)
	Tempted	Grandma
	The Rich Son[9]	Park Sun-ok
	Ms. Hammurabi	O-reum's grandma
	Witch's Love[10]	Maeng Ye-soon
	KBS Drama Special: "My Mother's Third Marriage"	Bang Cho-rong
	My Strange Hero	Lee Sun-hye
2019	The Light in Your Eyes	Lee Joon-ha's grandmother
	Her Private Life	Deok-Mi's grandmother
	The Golden Garden	Kang Nam-doo
	Love with Flaws	Chairwoman Han
2020	The King: Eternal Monarch	Noh Ok-nam
2021	Mouse	Grandmother who lives alone with Oh Bong-i		[11]
	Jirisan	Lee Moon-ok
	Hometown Cha-Cha-Cha	Kim Gam-ri		[12]
2021–2022	Young Lady and Gentleman	Jin Dal-rae		[13]
2022	Bravo, My Life	Seo Dong-hee's grandmother	Cameo	[14]
	Tomorrow	Lee Jeong-moon	Cameo (Episode 13)	[15]
	The Law Cafe	Wol-seon	Cameo	[16]
2022–2023	Vengeance of the Bride	Park Yong-ja		[17]
2023	King the Land	Cha Soon-hee
2024	The Midnight Studio	So Geum-soon		[18]
	Iron Family	Ahn Gil-rye		[19]
	The Judge from Hell	Oh Mi-ja		[20]

Web series

Year	Title	Role	Notes	Ref.
2019–2021	Love Alarm	Jo-jo's grandmother	Season 1–2
2021	Squid Game	Seong Gi-hun's mother
2022	Pachinko	older Bokhee		[21]
2023	Not Others			[22]

Television show

Year	Title	Role	Ref.
2013	Mamado ("Mama, Too")	Cast member	[23]
2016	Tribe of Hip Hop	Participant	[24]
2022	Attack on Grandma	Host	[25]
	Hot Singers	Cast member	[26]
	Prefabricated Family	Host	[27]

Voice acting

Year	Title	Role
1975	Mazinger Z	Soe-dol ("Juzo Kabuto")
1976	Robot Taekwon V	Kim Hoon
1977	Paul's Miraculous Adventure	Paul
1987	Esteban, a Boy from the Sun	Esteban

Awards and nominations

Year	Award	Category	Nominated work	Result	Ref.
1979	15th Baeksang Arts Awards	Grand Prize (Daesang) for Television	I Sell Happiness	Won
1992	28th Baeksang Arts Awards	Most Popular Actress (TV)	Yesterday's Green Grass	Won
1993	KBS Drama Awards	Top Excellence Award, Actress	Wild Chrysanthemum, Love and Farewell	Won
2005	KBS Entertainment Awards	Achievement Award	Old Miss Diary	Won
2007	44th Grand Bell Awards	Best Supporting Actress	Old Miss Diary: The Movie	Nominated	[28]
2009	MBC Drama Awards	Golden Acting Award, Actress in a Serial Drama	Assorted Gems	Won	[29]
2011	SBS Drama Awards	Achievement Award	Protect the Boss	Won	[30]
2015	KBS Drama Awards	Excellence Award, Actress in a One-Act/Special/Short Drama	Snowy Road [ko]	Won
2018	11th Korea Drama Awards	Lifetime Achievement Award	Kim Young-ok	Won	[31]
2016	Scene Stealer Festival			Won	[32]
2024	SBS Drama Awards		The Judge from Hell	Won	[33][34]

State honors

Name of country, award ceremony, year given, and name of honor

Country	Award Ceremony	Year	Honor	Ref.
South Korea	9th Korean Popular Culture and Arts Awards[a]	2018	Bogwan Order of Cultural Merit (3rd Class)	[38]

Notes

1. Honors are given at the Korean Popular Culture and Arts Awards, arranged by the Korea Creative Content Agency and hosted by the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism.^[35][36] They are awarded to those who have contributed to the arts and South Korea's pop culture.^[37]