Former LE SSERAFIM Member Kim Garam Moves Into Acting

Author David Kim

Update September 10, 2026

Date September 10, 2026

Kim Garam unveils new profile photos as she prepares for an acting career (Photo / Managament Koo)

Former LE SSERAFIM Member Kim Garam Takes First Major Step Toward Acting Career

Former LE SSERAFIM member Kim Garam is moving closer to a full-scale return to the entertainment industry, this time as an actress.

Management Koo unveiled a new set of profile photos for Kim on September 10, offering the clearest look yet at how the former K-pop idol is repositioning herself four years after her brief career with LE SSERAFIM.

The agency said the new profile was designed to showcase Kim’s range and potential as an actress. It also said she is expected to meet audiences through future projects and content, although her first acting role has not yet been announced.

The profile release matters for more than its new images. It represents the latest step in a career reset that has been developing away from the K-pop spotlight.

A Very Different Second Start

Kim debuted with LE SSERAFIM in May 2022, but her time with the group lasted only about two months.

Allegations concerning school bullying emerged around her debut, prompting a suspension of activities. Source Music subsequently terminated her exclusive contract in July 2022, and Kim left LE SSERAFIM.

She then remained largely outside the entertainment industry rather than immediately attempting another idol debut.

That makes her current path notable.

Kim entered Konkuk University in 2024 to study media acting and opened her own YouTube channel in March 2026, where she has shared glimpses of her acting practice and daily life. Reports surrounding her new agency say she has also been studying English and Japanese while continuing acting training.

In June, she signed an exclusive contract with Management Koo, formally signaling that acting — rather than another K-pop debut — would be the focus of her next career chapter.

Why Her First Role Will Matter More Than the Profile Photos

For many idols, acting is an extension of an already established entertainment career. Kim Garam is starting from a very different position.

Her idol career ended before she had time to build a substantial body of work or an individual public identity outside LE SSERAFIM. Four years later, acting gives her an opportunity to be introduced to audiences in an entirely different context.

That also means her first project will carry unusual weight.

A supporting role could allow Kim to establish herself gradually through performance, while a high-profile lead role would inevitably bring much greater scrutiny because of her past controversy.

For now, Management Koo has not announced what that first project will be. The agency says it plans to support Kim as she continues to develop as an actress.

There is already evidence that international K-pop fans are paying attention. A post featuring Kim’s new Management Koo profile photos drew hundreds of votes and a substantial discussion on Reddit’s r/kpop within hours. Many comments focused on her return and prospective acting career. That reaction should not be treated as representative of the wider public. But it does suggest that her name still carries recognition among international K-pop followers.

Kim Garam’s return, then, is not simply a former idol releasing new profile photos.

It is an attempt to build a second public identity — and her first acting role will show whether audiences are ready to see her as Kim Garam the actress rather than primarily as a former LE SSERAFIM member.