Kim Yunjin Takes Advantage of Success to Help Children in Need

Actress Kim Yunjin touched hearts with her role in "Ode to My Father", playing the wife of a man who sacrifices himself for his family in the vortex of the Korean War.

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She falls in love under difficult circumstances while working as a nurse in Germany alongside Korean miners. The film's emotional storyline and nostalgic scenes resonate with viewers, especially older people who lived through the time.

"Many people said they watched the film twice -- once with their friends and again with their parents", Kim said. "I asked my fans to take their parents, and I'm glad to say they did".

Though Kim played several strong maternal figures in films like "Seven Days" and "Harmony", they were not that explosively successful.

"As the title suggests and the director also said it is dedicated to his father, the film conjures memories among older people and reminds them of their own past when they struggled to survive but were happy because they had dreams".

Before the film was released, Kim promised to donate W12 million (US$1=W1,090) to help children in need should more than 12 million people see the film. When that target was reached on Jan. 22, she raised the stakes with a promise to donate an amount equivalent to total viewership.

Kim will leave for the U.S. in late February to get ready for the third season of ABC soap "Mistresses".