Jina Lim is the principal of K.I.S.S and Yuri’s mother. She has a closely tied past to Eve Song, Kitty’s mother, but tries her best to keep it a secret. The character is played by Yunjin Kim.
The first time audiences get to see Jina Lim is when Yuri is summoned to the Principal’s office. She immediately realizes that she’s in for a mother-daughter lecture.
Jina brings up an incident between Yuri and her friend Juliana where the housekeeper saw them embracing, although Jina is hinting at something more intimate. Yuri explains that she’s been seeing a boy and Juliana has been covering for her.
She believes this story and asks to see Yuri’s boyfriend soon. Meanwhile, Yuri has been messaging Juliana but has received no response until they meet on the first day of school where Juliana says she’s being shipped off to England.
When Kitty asks Jina if she knew her mother well, Jina says she doesn’t remember and she maintains this opinion consistently.
Restricted by society
Jina’s primary focus is always her family’s image and that’s why she is so invested in Yuri dating a boy rather than the alternative. It is her suggestion to use Yuri’s relationship with Dae to soothe the public after Mr. Han’s outburst is leaked.
Every time the subject of Eve Song is brought up, Jina is avoidant and always diverts the focus to something else. While sneaking around Jina’s office, Yuri finds out that it was Jina who sent Juliana away by denying her a seat in the school.
When Alex tells Jina that he’s her son, she tells him that Professor Lee doesn’t know he has a son. She goes back home to tell Mr. Han and Yuri overhears everything. While Yuri leaves home, Mr. Han tells Jina to pay Alex and make him go away.
Jina struggles with her emotions as Alex decides to leave because he didn’t hear from her after telling her the truth. At the end of the talent show, she finally makes a decision and tells Yuri, and Professor Lee the truth so that they can start fresh.
She had chosen not to let Professor Lee know because he was going to America to study music and she didn’t want to get in the way.
When Kitty is expelled, Jina does feel sorry for her and gives her a letter that Eve had sent her many years ago. She says that she’s grateful for the friendship that she had with Eve and is glad she gets to embrace it more openly now.
Also Read: Eve Song and Principal Jina Lim’s past in XO, Kitty explained