金英爱于 1971 年加入 MBC 的第 3 届公开招聘，开始了她的演艺生涯。她在电视警察程序总督察中首次亮相，随后在电影和电视领域建立了多产的职业生涯。

在 1973 年的《岛上青蛙万岁》中首次亮相后，金在 1970 年代和 1980 年代初在大银幕上最为活跃，出演了《王思日》、《我的家乡》（又名《王西姆尼》或《过去的浪漫史》，1976 年）、《午夜突然》（1981 年）和《延山王日记》（1987 年）等电影。

随着年龄的增长，金过渡到更多的电视工作。她著名的电视剧包括《闵皇后》（1973）、《日出》（或《日出》，1989）、《喜鹊女婿》（1991）、《兄弟河》（1996）、《海浪》（1999）、《加油，妈妈，加油！（2003年）、黄金妮（2006年）、《皇室》（2011年）和《拥抱太阳的月亮》（2012年）。

2009 年，她因在剧情电影《Aeja》（国际上被称为《再见妈妈》）中饰演一位身患绝症但任性的母亲而受到赞誉，她与女儿有着爱恨交织的关系。另一个值得注意的角色是在 1980 年代的《律师》（2013 年）中扮演一位釜山餐馆老板，他的儿子在 1913 年代被捕并遭受酷刑。金后来凭借她的表演获得了大钟奖和青龙电影奖的最佳女配角。

Kim Young-ae began her acting career when she joined MBC's 3rd Open Recruitment in 1971. She made her acting debut in the TV police procedural Chief Inspector and subsequently built a prolific career in film and television.

After she made her film debut in 1973's Long Live the Island Frogs, Kim became most active on the big screen in the 1970s and early 1980s, appearing in films such as Wang Sib Ri, My Hometown (also known as Wangsimni or A Bygone Romance, 1976), Suddenly at Midnight (1981), and Diary of King Yeonsan (1987).

As she grew older, Kim transitioned to more television work. Among her notable television dramas are Queen Min (1973), Ilchul (or Sunrise, 1989), Magpie-in-law (1991), The Brothers' River (1996), Waves (1999), Go, Mom, Go! (2003), Hwang Jini (2006), Royal Family (2011), and Moon Embracing the Sun (2012).

In 2009, she drew praise for her portrayal of a terminally ill yet headstrong mother who has a love-hate relationship with her daughter in the dramedy film Aeja (internationally known as Goodbye Mom).Another notable role was as a Busan restaurant owner whose son is arrested and tortured during the 1980s in The Attorney (2013). Kim later won Best Supporting Actress at the Grand Bell Awards and the Blue Dragon Film Awards for her performances.

김영애는 1951년 4월 21일 부산광역시 영도구 영선동에서 출생하였다. 부산여자상업고등학교를 졸업하여 1970년 MBC 공채 3기 탤런트에 선발되어 데뷔하였다. 소속사는 스타빌리지엔터테인먼트였다. 스크린과 브라운관을 드나들며 명품 연기를 선보였고 당시 김자옥, 한혜숙과 함께 1970년대 안방극장 트로이카로 활약하였다. 또한, 1986년 부터 1993년까지 《오뚜기》 모델로 일하며 폭넓은 인기를 누렸다.