Is Im Soo-jung the New ‘Genre Queen’? Explore Her Captivating Performance in ‘How to Become a Building Owner in Korea’

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Actor Im Soo-jung (46) has been pulling weekend viewers in with a performance that fully embraces the show’s genre. In a 2018 interview, Im revealed she had been a vegetarian for three years.

In tvN’s weekend drama How to Become a Building Owner in Korea, Im plays Kim Sun, the wife of Gi Su-jong (Ha Jung-woo) and a surprising, pivotal figure who disrupts the series’ balance. As the plot accelerates, she has emerged as a key player, offering fresh facets of the character and delivering jolts of excitement each episode.

In episodes 5 and 6, which aired on the 28th and 29th of last month, Kim Sun and her husband Gi Su-jong joined forces to contain an unintended crisis and protect their family. Kim Sun negotiated with Oh Dong-gi (Hyun Bong-sik), who knows the truth behind the kidnapping, helping to steady Gi Su-jong’s shaken resolve. She also helped carry out a plan to pin Jeon Yi-kyung’s (Jung Soo-jung) abduction on Oh Dong-gi, revealing a bold, decisive side.

Kim Sun’s secret affair with Min Hwal-seong (Kim Jun-han), and the guilt she feels toward Jeon Yi-kyung, raise the stakes as she keeps the betrayal tightly hidden. Beneath a composed surface, she reveals a ruthless streak when circumstances demand it. By actively supporting Gi Su-jong, she sustains the urgent, high-stakes cooperation that keeps the drama gripping.

Im has cemented her reputation as a “genre queen,” steering intense suspense while deftly moving between black comedy and thriller tones. She meticulously maps Kim Sun’s transformation from ordinary housewife to an accomplice in crime, tracing each emotional beat with careful precision.

Im’s quiet, commanding presence shapes the show’s atmosphere. With restrained, natural performances, she convincingly builds the character’s inner life, using subtle shifts in gaze and tone to register complex emotional currents. Her seasoned craft deepens Kim Sun’s dimensionality, and viewers are watching closely to see how Im will continue to develop this role at the center of the story.

The drama airs every Saturday and Sunday at 9:10 p.m.

TenAsia reporter Lee So-jeongn