Kimberly Kim never set out to follow anyone else’s script. In fact, her greatest breakthrough didn’t come from landing a high-profile role or signing with a powerful agent; it came from within.
“Later in life, I finally became the most comfortable in my own skin I’d ever been,” Kim says. “Realizing that I am good enough and deserve to give myself a great life changed everything. All that matters is that I try, and that mindset was so freeing. It allowed me to chase my goals and have a blast doing it.”
That mindset shift has fueled the latest chapter of Kim’s career, one that stands proudly against the outdated notion that actresses are supposed to fade from the spotlight after 40.
“I pinch myself every day,” she says, marveling at the cultural shift that has kept women like Jennifer Lopez, Demi Moore, and now Kim thriving onscreen.
“The paths our sisters have paved, and how society has evolved, have allowed audiences to want to see older women on screen, and wow, we have such amazing stories to tell,” Kim notes. “We don’t just have to disappear as we get older, which was the case for a long time. I hope it continues, because there is a huge market for us. We matter, and that has allowed us to become a driving force in the world.”
Kim’s drive is as sharp as ever. With recent credits in Modi and How to Divorce a Billionaire, she approaches each project with a mix of artistry and business savvy, thanks to her background in finance.
“I’m not discriminatory when it comes to booking jobs. The majority of the work is actually booking the job… auditioning, preparing, networking, creating a product to sell,” she says. “And I do consider myself a product because in the end, this is a business, and you better have a darn good product that people will pay to see.”
Kimberley Kim attends the 2nd Annual Gurus Awards—photo by Josh Fogel.
That mindset, equal parts grit and gratitude, shows up in her work ethic on set.
“I want to entertain and bring value to the production, so I need to be on my A-game. That means being prepared, professional, flexible, reliable, and fun to be around,” Kim says. “And bringing that grit to the character, only the uniqueness of me can bring, that’s what every actor should try to do.”
It’s that same dedication that’s helped Kim carve out space in a newer corner of the industry in the United States: verticals.
“The best way to describe them is a cheaper version of soap operas,” she explains. “It’s a great way to learn to be sharp and quick, probably more than you ever thought. This type of work moves really fast. There’s a lot of dialogue that’s very similar, and a lot of characters interacting. You might get one blocking rehearsal, and that’s it.”
In recent years, the vertical short-drama market, also known as micro-dramas or duanju, has exploded, especially in China, where it surpassed ¥50 billion (around US $6–7 billion) in 2024, overtaking the country’s theatrical box office in scale. Platforms like GoodShort, which brought the format to Western audiences, have since seen downloads surge nearly 1,000 percent year over year. As global viewership shifts toward mobile storytelling, verticals are proving to be more than a passing trend; they represent a new, fast-paced entertainment economy that rewards efficiency, creativity, and adaptability, qualities Kimberly has mastered before it became popular here in the U.S.
Kimberly Kim stars with an ensemble cast in the vertical drama Make My Mom Bloom Again, exclusively on GoodShort.
