Photo: 롯데엔터테인먼트 / CC BY 3.0 (source: Wikimedia Commons)
Kim Young-ok is a film actor, television actor and dub actor, born on January 6, 1938 in Seoul, South Korea. As of 2026, Kim Young-ok is 88 years old. Schooling on record includes Gyeseong High School. Recorded honors include Order of Cultural Merit, 3rd class (2018).
My Take
Kim Young-ok is genuinely one of those performers who earns the title "National Grandma" not through a PR campaign but through sheer decades of showing up and being real on screen. Born in 1938 in Seoul, she debuted in 1957 and has been a fixture in Korean film and television ever since — the kind of face that makes any scene feel instantly warmer and more grounded. What I love about her is that she never needed a flashy gimmick; she just brings this deep, lived-in authenticity to every grandmother role, and audiences across generations respond to it without even thinking twice. Receiving the Order of Cultural Merit in 2018 felt like the industry finally putting a formal stamp on what everyone already knew: this woman is a cornerstone of Korean entertainment. Respecting her craft for that long, that consistently, is its own form of greatness.
This take was written by generative AI, one per person, from publicly reported facts (editorial policy). It is a reading of the record, not reporting.
1. Profile
- Name (English)
- Kim Young-ok
- Name (Japanese)
- キム・ヨンオク
- Reading
- きむ・よんおく
- Born
- January 6, 1938 (age 88)
- Origin
- Seoul, South Korea
- Occupation
- actor / film actor / television actor / dub actor
- Zodiac / Chinese zodiac
- Capricorn / Tiger
2. Background
- High school
- Gyeseong High School
Awards & achievements
- 2018 Order of Cultural Merit, 3rd class
3. Links
4. About this entry
Tags
- Last updated
Only publicly available facts are listed; non-public or unconfirmed items are omitted. Base data was compiled from Wikidata from June 2026 onward; ages are recalculated daily and deaths are checked against Wikidata on an ongoing basis. English text is machine-assisted (facts translated by Sonnet, "My Take" written by Opus 4.8). The Japanese page is the source of record.
Frequently asked questions
When was Kim Young-ok born?
Kim Young-ok was born on January 6, 1938 and is 88 years old.
Where is Kim Young-ok from?
Kim Young-ok is from Seoul, South Korea.
What does Kim Young-ok do?
Kim Young-ok works as actor, film actor, television actor, dub actor.
Which high school did Kim Young-ok attend?
Kim Young-ok attended Gyeseong High School.
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