Jin Ki Joo once shared about his special career journey when participating in the program "You quiz on the block" in 2021.
After graduating with a degree in Computer Science from Chung-Ang University, she joined Samsung SDS as an information technology engineer. However, later she realized she was not suitable for this job and could not give up her dream of becoming an actress.
Jin Ki Joo said that her mother realized her daughter's increasing fatigue, so she advised her to do what she wants.
At that time, the job market in Korea was fiercely competitive, making the decision to quit even more difficult.
After leaving Samsung SDS, Jin Ki Joo pursued journalism and worked as a reporter for Gangwon Broadcasting - a local television station belonging to the SBS network.
Jin Ki Joo's father is a journalist and he inspired her to love journalism from a young age. But the reality is extremely harsh.
During my internship as a reporter, my most private time was when I washed my hair. I was so exhausted that I felt like vomiting while shampooing," she recalled. In the end, she also quit journalism.
The next turning point came quite unexpectedly when her older sister encouraged her to participate in a model contest. She used profile photos taken when preparing to take the entrance exam to journalism and passed the preliminary round.
Experience participating in company performance groups while working at the business also helped her stand out in talent evaluation rounds. This opportunity paved the way for Jin Ki Joo to step into showbiz.
The real turning point came in 2015 when she passed the audition for the TV series "Twenty again", thereby realizing her dream of becoming an actress.
Even after her acting debut, Jin Ki Joo still encountered many failures because some casting directors thought she was older than the typical rookie actress. However, she received encouragement from the director of "Twenty again".
He said to her: "You have talent. Why worry so much about what others think?". Those words added confidence to her to continue pursuing acting.
Looking back at her journey, Jin Ki Joo shared: "Acting is the most precarious job and also more likely to hurt my self-esteem than any other profession I have ever done. But it is also the most interesting job and the job I love the most.
She also shared her personal views on career reorientation: "If you want to change careers, you must be willing to give up something. Even without any guarantee that things will get better, you still have to ask yourself if that is really what you want to do, even if you have to trade what you have.
Currently, Jin Ki Joo is a favorite face on screen thanks to her role as investigator Im Han Rim in the Netflix hit movie "Teach you a lesson".
Impressive action scenes and stable acting have helped her reach a wider global audience. Meanwhile, her inspiring career journey continues to motivate those who are considering major changes in life and work.
