Kim Sejeong Reflects on Her Journey and Future Aspirations

"I don't think my married sister Mimi is on a different path from me. Even after marriage, she continues to share her life with the public and receives love and attention."

Last month, I had a round interview with Kim Sejeong at a cafe in Gangnam. Kim Sejeong, who was a member of the group Gugudan, planned by Jellyfish Entertainment in 2016, experienced the group's disbandment in 2020 after four years without significant achievements in the music industry. Among the members, Mimi, born in 1993 and three years older than Kim Sejeong, married Thunder, a member of MBLAQ and the younger brother of Sandara Park, in May 2024, becoming the first married member from Gugudan.

Kim Sejeong shared about Mimi, "As much as my sister loves music, she pursued her music career and got married. I believe I will follow a similar path someday. Watching the path my sister has paved, I think I will ask her a lot if I ever get married."

Kim Sejeong starred as the lead character Park Dali in the MBC drama 'The Moon Flows Over the River' (hereafter 'Moon River') last year. 'Moon River' is a fantasy historical romance where the souls of a crown prince who lost his smile and a merchant who lost his memory switch places.

Before 'Moon River' aired, MBC had been struggling with low ratings of 1-2% for dramas like 'Bunny and the Brothers', 'Mary Kills People', and 'To the Moon'. Amidst this, Kim Sejeong's 'Moon River' was scheduled as the last MBC Friday-Saturday drama of 2025, drawing attention. The director expressed pressure about the ratings at the production presentation, saying, "I feel like I'm going to die from the pressure." However, 'Moon River' started with a decent 3.8% rating from its first episode and concluded with a peak rating of 6.8% on its final episode aired on the 20th of last month.

Kim Sejeong, who debuted in 2016 after finishing second on 'Produce 101', has steadily built her career as a singer and actress. She proved her worth as a lead actress in the 2020 drama 'The Uncanny Counter' and gained a global fanbase with the 2022 drama 'Business Proposal'. In 2025, she expanded her filmography by taking on her first historical drama role.

Since her first appearance on 'Produce 101', Kim Sejeong has been loved for her bright and sunny image. Now, years later, she challenged herself with three roles in 'Moon River', reaffirming her presence as a 'sunshine heroine' and creating a new iconic character. Reflecting on the past, what does Kim Sejeong think?

"The past 10 years have been busy filling my inadequacies. I wanted to grow and achieve many things. In that pursuit, I realized I missed things that were already lovable as they were."

Kim Sejeong said, "I spent a long time dreaming of becoming a better person than my current self. Those moments were precious, but I feel like I didn't fully enjoy them. As I face the next 10 years, I realized I should stop focusing on my shortcomings and be content and faithful to the present." She added, "I've also realized that I can't fill all my inadequacies. I think I'll live with them for the rest of my life," she laughed.

"I've realized that 'perfection' doesn't exist in life. I'll focus on what makes me happy right now rather than trying to fill what's lacking. I plan to live contentedly without self-reproach or trying to fill gaps."

Kim Sejeong emphasized, "I don't regret the time that has passed. It's because of that time that I have these thoughts now."

"I think I've become stronger thanks to various trials and errors. As much as I've worked hard, my goal is to grow into someone who enjoys each moment more flexibly and leisurely."

Kim Sejeong said, "I've learned that when you're tired from continuous effort, you need to know how to stop and manage yourself. It's also important to observe how those who have watched over me react when they see me exhausted." She continued, "As I enter my 30s, I want to take on more diverse challenges and show different sides of myself. I think I've shown a lot of sincerity and consistency so far. It's time for something new."

Lee So-jung, Ten Asia Reporter forusojung@tenasia.co.kr