Veteran actress Kim Ji-mi (born Kim Myung-ja) died, and the cause of death was reported as hypotensive shock.
Kim Ji-mi, known as "Korea's Elizabeth Taylor," who embodied the era's sorrow and hope and the strength and beauty of women across more than 700 works from the 1950s to the 1980s, died in Los Angeles, U.S., at 4:30 a.m. Korea time on the 7th. She was 85.
The Korean Federation of Film Workers said Kim Ji-mi died in the United States and expressed deep condolences. The late actress, whose health reportedly worsened after complications from shingles, had long-standing heart problems, and the immediate cause of death was reported to be shock from low blood pressure.
The Korean Federation of Film Workers said the actress was cremated locally in the United States and, considering that the funeral procedures are expected to conclude on the 12th, decided not to hold a separate film-industry funeral rite. Instead, they plan to create a memorial space to honor her.
Born in Daedeok, Chungnam, in 1940, she was unexpectedly discovered by director Kim Ki-young at age 17 and debuted as an actress. After her debut in Twilight Train (1957), she rose to stardom with Byeola nae gaseume (1958) and went on to lead the golden age of Korean cinema with major box-office hits such as Afternoon at 3 on a Rainy Day, Jang Hee-bin, and Firefly.
With her sophisticated beauty, fresh sensibility and screen-filling presence, Kim Ji-mi was the first icon to symbolize the dreams and aspirations embodied by Korean cinema of that era.
She worked with masters such as Kim Soo-yong (land, Panama International Film Festival·Grand Bell Awards best actress), Kim Ki-young (Promise of the Flesh, Grand Bell Awards best actress) and Im Kwon-taek (Gilsotteum, Grand Bell Awards best actress), showcasing deep acting ability. In particular, Gilsotteum, a masterpiece of the era portraying the pain of separated families, highlights her poignant yet restrained performance.
She continued her activities even after peers of her generation retired, founded the production company Jimmy Films in 1985, and served as a commissioner of the Korean Film Council (KOFIC) and as chairman of the Film Association board. In this way, she played the role of a producer and industry leader as well as an actress, serving as a pillar of Korean cinema.
[Photo] OSEN DB
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