Deceased Kim Soo-mi: Who She Was... A 'Master-Level Star' Crossing TV, Film, Business, and Writing

Debuted in the Entertainment Industry through MBC Open Recruitment in 1970
Swept Various Movies, Dramas, and Variety Shows

Actor Kim Soo-mi, who passed away on the 25th

Actress Kim Sumi, known by nicknames such as ‘Daily Mother’, ‘National Scold’, ‘National Grandmother’, and ‘Entrepreneur and Writer’, passed away on the 25th at the age of 75. She was born on October 24, 1949, in Gunsan, Jeonbuk, as the youngest of five siblings. Her real name was Kim Young-ok (金英玉).

She debuted as part of MBC’s 3rd public recruitment talent class in 1970 and is one of Korea’s representative actresses, having won awards such as the Grand Prize at the 1986 MBC Drama Awards and Best Supporting Actress at the 32nd Blue Dragon Film Awards. Starting with the role of ‘Daily Mother’ in the TV drama Jeonwon Ilgi, she portrayed various mother characters and became recognized by the public as a mother-specialized actress.

Wanting to feed those around her well, she began making food herself and gifting it, leading to an increasing number of celebrities calling her ‘mother.’ Her cooking skills also became well-known, and by sharing various side dishes, she became known as the ‘National Mother.’ She never formally learned cooking.

She ventured into the kimchi business to share her kimchi with more people. She was not only an actress but also an entrepreneur and writer. Her published works include the Sumi’s Side Dishes series, Kim Sumi’s Elegant Baby Food, Kim Sumi’s Si-bang Counseling Center, Food, and Longing, I Love You, Mom, Kids, Contact Me When You’re Struggling!, You Can Eat Freely Without Gaining Weight, That Spring I Wanted to Become a Monk, Kim Sumi’s Jeolla Province Food Stories, Sorry, I Love You, Sometimes I Want to Run Away, I Won’t Speak of What I Miss, and When I See You, I Want to Live, among others.

In 2019, she made headlines by welcoming Seo Hyo-rim, a close junior in the entertainment industry, as her daughter-in-law. After their marriage, Seo Hyo-rim and Kim Sumi’s son, Jung Myung-ho, also shared their married life through broadcasts.

Last September, Kim Sumi appeared on a home shopping channel with a swollen face and slurred speech, sparking rumors about her health. At that time, her son Jung Myung-ho told a media outlet, “She stayed up all night before the broadcast, and since it was just before Chuseok, the filming was rushed. She was not feeling well, so she appeared that way,” firmly denying any health issues.