a rigid doctor in sports drama Dr. Champ. In 2012, Kim appeared on the big screen as a royal barista embroiled in a plot to assassinate Emperor Gojong in Gabi, adapted from the historical fiction novel by Kim Takhwan. She spent months studying the Russian language and coffee brewing even before shooting began. Gabi was Kim's first Korean feature film in 15 years, since Change in 1997. This was followed by another period drama The Great Seer, where she played a healer in Goryeo. Kim reunited with Prosecutor Princess screenwriter So Hyun-kyung in Two Weeks (2013), in the role of a prosecutor who teams up with a fugitive to bring down a corrupt politician and her gangster henchman. In 2014, she played a fashion merchandiser who falls for her much younger childhood friend in I Need Romance 3. Kim then appeared in the "Female Soldier Special" of military boot camp reality show Real Men. In 2015, she starred in her second cable series Beating Again, about a businessman who falls for his secretary after he gets a heart transplant. Kim also joined the fourth season of We Got Married, pairing up with Kwak Si-yang. In 2016, Kim starred MBC's weekend drama Happy Home, playing a mother who has lost her son in an accident. In March 2018, Kim left her previous agency Namoo Actors and signed an exclusive contract with J Wide Company on April 3, 2018. She was then cast in SBS weekend drama Secret Mother. In March 2019, Kim returned to small screen with the KBS weekend drama Mother of Mine. In 2020, she starred in the SBS TV series The Penthouse: War in Life, playing the role of a wicked but famous soprano and musical school director. Kim compared the role to her famous villain role in All About Eve 20 years earlier, commenting "The goal for this drama is that when people think of a female villain, they think of Cheon Seo-jin, just like how Heo Young-mi was remembered." The series drew a peak viewership rating of 28.8% nationwide, and was renewed for 2 more seasons, where Kim reprised her role. Additionally, Kim won the Award for Best Actress – Television at the 57th Baeksang Arts Awards and the Grand Prize (Daesang) at 2021 SBS Drama Awards. Personal life Kim married actor Lee Sang-woo in June 2017. Their romantic relationship started in 2016. The pair met