Kim Dong-wook

This is a Korean name; the family name is Kim.

For the singer and disc jockey, see JK Kim Dong-wook.

Kim Dong-wook
File:Kim Dong-Wook.jpg
Born	(1983-07-29) July 29, 1983 South Korea
Education	Korea National University of Arts - School of Drama
Occupation	Actor
Years active	2004-present
Agent	KeyEast (2016-present)
Korean name
Hangul	김동욱
Hanja	金東昱
Revised Romanization	Gim Dong-uk
McCune–Reischauer	Kim Tong'uk

Kim Dong-wook (born July 29, 1983) is a South Korean actor. After appearing in student short films and several minor parts, Kim became a star through his supporting role in the popular TV series Coffee Prince (2007), followed by box office hit Take Off (2009). He then starred in Happy Killers (2010) and Romantic Heaven (2011), but it was his acclaimed performance as an obsessed and tormented king in 2012 period drama The Concubine that brought Kim the best reviews of his career yet.

Career

After officially debuting in A Crimson Mark, Kim Dong-wook's first notable role was the angry, impoverished teenager in director Byun Young-joo's 2004 coming-of-age film Flying Boys. He then broke into the mainstream as the bubbly waiter in MBC's 2007 hit romantic comedy series Coffee Prince.

In the popular 2009 sports flick Take Off, he starred as a former night club bouncer who ends up being a member of Korea's national ski jumping team. In spite of the enormous physical challenge, Kim said it was a character he genuinely enjoyed playing.

His musical theatre debut was in On Air: Season 2, which was produced by his fellow alumni from the Korea National University of Arts. A loose spin-off of the TV series On Air, it takes place at a radio station and centers around an idol singer-turned-DJ and an older female PD. His follow-up the year after was the Korean production of Legally Blonde, the Broadway musical based on the 2011 Hollywood film of the same name. He played Luke Wilson's role Emmett. Kim said "the show must go on, no matter what" mentality was what he found appealing yet tough about doing musicals.

According to critics one of the finest of achievements of the 2012 period thriller The Concubine is Kim's engrossing performance as the tormented Prince Sung-won, who gradually loses his sense of judgment and emotional control in the face of obsessive love. Kim said of playing the intense role, "While feeling sorry for him, I also found the complexity of the character fascinating. That's what drew me in."

Kim enlisted for his mandatory military service on August 30, 2012 at a training camp in Nonsan, South Chungcheong Province. He underwent five weeks of basic training and served for two years as a riot policeman for the Seoul Metropolitan Police Agency. Kim was discharged on May 29, 2014, and made his acting comeback in the period drama series Maids.

In January 2016, Kim signed with new management agency KeyEast.

Filmography

Film

• With God (2017)

• Three Summer Nights (2015)
• The Concubine (2012)
• Countdown (2011)
• The Cat (2011)
• Romantic Heaven (2011)
• Finding Mr. Destiny (2010) cameo
• Happy Killers (2010)
• Cafe Seoul (2010)
• Take Off (2009)
• Five Senses of Eros "Believe in the Moment" (2009)
• Sweet Lies (2008)
• Living Together, Happy Together (2008)
• A Nymph of a Lamp (2007)
• No Regret (2006)
• Burning Coals on His Head (short film, 2006)
• My Night with Miss Marple (short film, 2006)
• APT (2006)
• The Apple (short film, 2005)
• The Fever in Deep Blue Sea (short film, 2005)
• My Lovely Week (2005)
• Flying Boys (2004)
• A Crimson Mark (2004)
• My Wife is a Gangster 2 (2003)
• Super (short film, 2003)
• Tube (2003)
• Seoul (2002)
• Monitor (short film, 2001)

Television series

• Maids (jTBC, 2015)
• The Great Gift (SBS Chuseok special, 2011)
• I Trusted Him (MBC, 2011)
• Dandelion Family (MBC, 2010)
• Soul Special (KBS Joy, 2009)
• Hometown of Legends "Silent Village" (KBS2, 2009)
• Unstoppable Marriage (KBS2, 2007)
• The 1st Shop of Coffee Prince (MBC, 2007)
• Break (Mnet, 2006)

Variety show

• Saturday Night Live Korea (tvN, 2011) - host, season 1 episode 5
• It City (O'live, 2010)

Music video

• Younha - "Take Care of My Boyfriend" (2010)
• 8Eight - "Forget about Love and Sing" (2007)
• Sogyumo Acacia Band - "So Goodbye" (2004)

Musical theatre

• Legally Blonde (2010)
• Brave Brothers (2009)
• On Air: Season 2 (2008)

Discography

• "Fly High" (duet with Shim Eun-kyung, Happy Killers OST, 2010)
• "You Are to Me" (Soul Special OST, 2009)

Awards

• 2010 Max Movie Awards: Best New Actor (Take Off)
• 2009 Director's Cut Awards: Best New Actor (Take Off)
• 2009 Chunsa Film Art Awards: Ensemble Acting Award (Take Off cast)
• 2007 Korea Drama Awards: Popularity Award (Coffee Prince)

External links

• Kim Dong-wook on Cyworld
• Kim Dong-wook at HanCinema
• Kim Dong-wook at the Korean Movie Database
• Kim Dong-wook at the Internet Movie Database