[Interview] Kim Min-ha-I, "I've Learned a Lot Through "Typhoon Family""

Oh Mi-seon, an employee in the sales department of the popular tvN drama "Typhoon Family", resembles the actress who played her, Kim Min-ha-I (30), in many ways. Both are diligent, warm, and full of human charm. "I think the way she runs straight toward her goals like a racehorse is what I relate to the most. I used to think I was pretty diligent myself, but compared to Mi-seon, I'm nowhere close", Kim Min-ha-I said with a laugh.

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When we met Kim Min-ha-I on the 26th of last month at a café in Yongsan, Seoul, she described the character with the wistful affection one might have for an old friend. "As the quintessential 'K-eldest daughter'. Mi-seon gives up even her dream of going to college to take care of her family", she explained. "Watching her quietly accept her circumstances and push forward into the next day felt incredibly reassuring".

Set during the IMF financial crisis, "Typhoon Family" follows rookie CEO Kang Tae-poong (Lee Junho) and his employees as they rise above hardship to rebuild their company. Born in 1995, Kim Min-ha-I said she immersed herself in the era by researching and asking those around her. "I think the breadwinners who endured the IMF period were truly incredible. Surviving that era while holding onto oneself might be the greatest achievement of all", she said.

Though she has appeared in several OTT series such as "Light Shop" (Disney+, 2024) and "Way Back Love" (TVING, 2025), this was her first lead role in a television drama. "It was fascinating to see viewers' reactions in real time. The ratings coming out the next day, like a report card made my heart race", she recalled. "Waiting each week for the next episode, that's the unique charm of TV dramas. I learned so much".

Kim Min-ha-I first received broad public attention through the 2022 Apple TV+ series "Pachinko". She was praised for her portrayal of Seon-ja, who moves from Japanese-occupied Korea to Osaka and endures crushing discrimination and hardship. Her unadorned, fresh features give her characters a sense of reality, she portrays people who feel like they could exist right around us.

"When bringing a character to life, I try to portray them with relentless realism. They need to feel like a real person for their emotions and story to be convincing. It's both my preference and belief as an actor", she said. "Maybe that's why audiences respond well when I tell stories of ordinary people overcoming hardship, like in "Pachinko" or "Typhoon Family".

In most of her roles, Kim Min-ha-I appears with minimal makeup, not even fully covering her freckles. She avoids the stereotypical beauty standards often expected of actresses, flawless, porcelain skin, and an extremely thin frame. "I'm grateful that people love me as I am", she said. "Everyone has their own unique beauty and charm".

She added, "When I first started acting, people told me, 'Get rid of your freckles and lose weight, or you won't debut'. If a role demands weight loss, I'm of course willing to do it, but comments like 'Why is an actress so fat?' are hard to accept. Actors are supposed to tell stories about diversity, so why should everyone follow the same standard? I hope we'll see a culture that truly respects diversity".

Kim Min-ha-I's daily life revolves around efforts to improve her acting. Reading more books, listening to more music, traveling whenever she can, all of it is connected. "Acting is a field of imagination, so I chase things that inspire me to broaden that imagination", she said. "Creating something in your mind that doesn't exist in reality, that's the beauty of acting".

Her ambition and passion for acting run deep. When asked what roles she wants to try next, she said, "I love stories set in the medieval era, so I'd love to do something like Netflix's "Bridgerton". I also want to take on roles that expose the raw depths of the inner self-like in Kokuho or Black Swan. I'd love to do a Tim Burton-style fantasy too". Laughing, she added, "I wish I had two bodies. There's just so much I want to do".