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), Romantic Heaven (2011), The Guest (2018) and The King of Pigs (2022). His acclaimed performance as an obsessed and tormented king in the 2012 period drama The Concubine, along with his appearance in the fantasy action films Along with the Gods 1 and 2 has 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.
Kim then played lead roles in the omnibus film Five Senses of Eros, thriller Happy Killers, and melodrama Romantic Heaven. But it was his performance in period thriller The Concubine that he gained significant attention on the big screen. According to critics one of the finest of achievements of the 2012 period thriller 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."
In 2014, Kim made his acting comeback in the period drama series More Than a Maid. He had his big screen comeback in action comedy Three Summer Nights (2015). Kim then played the leading role in the cable slice-of-life drama Riders: Get Tomorrow (2015), which won him the Best Character Award at the Korea Cable TV Awards.
Kim played a significant role in the fantasy blockbuster Along With the Gods: The Two Worlds (2017) and its sequel, Along with the Gods: The Last 49 Days (2018); which won him several Best Supporting Actor accolades.
Kim was then cast in OCN's supernatural thriller The Guest (2018). The series was a hit and received positive reviews.
In 2019, Kim starred alongside Ko Sung-hee in the romantic comedy film Trade Your Love. In April, Kim is set to star in the comedy drama Special Labor Inspector.
In 2020, Kim was cast in the romance drama Find Me in Your Memory.
In 2021, Kim played the role of a psychiatrist in the new drama You Are My Spring, co-starring with Seo Hyun-jin.
In 2022, Kim as Hwang Kyung-min, who lives without forgetting the memories of school violence 20 years ago in the web series The King of Pigs.
In February 2025, Kim signed an exclusive contract with Plum A&C, later moving to Studio Uhoo in August 2025. On September 14, 2026, it was officially announced that he had signed with Management Allum.
Personal life Military service 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.
Philanthropy On March 8, 2022, Kim donated million to the Hope Bridge Disaster Relief Association to help the victims of the massive wildfire that started in Uljin, Gyeongbuk and has spread to Samcheok, Gangwon.
Marriage On August 30, 2023, KeyEast confirmed that Kim is getting married with his non-celebrity girlfriend in this winter. The wedding ceremony will be held privately somewhere in Seoul. Their private wedding ceremony was held on December 22, 2023, at Myeongdong Cathedral. His wife is Stella Kim, a Korean-American and a former trainee under SM Entertainment. Before she was able to debut in the group Girls' Generation, she returned to the United States and currently works as a marketing expert. On November 24, 2025, Kim's agency announced that the couple was expecting their first child. On February 10, 2026, Stella Kim announced the birth of a daughter named Rowan Grace.
Filmography Film Year Title Role Notes 2001 Monitor Short film 2002 Seoul 2003 Tube Super Short film My Wife is a Gangster 2 Na Nam-Ja 2004 A Crimson Mark Flying Boys 2005 My Lovely Week The Fever in Deep Blue Sea Short film The Apple Short film 2006 No Regret Ga-ram Burning Coals on His Head Short film My Night with Miss Marple Short film APT Shin Jung-soo 2007 A Nymph of a Lamp 2008 Lost and Found Han Ji-Hoon Living Together, Happy Together 2009 Five Senses of Eros Han Ji-Woon Take Off Choi Hong-cheol 2010 Cafe Seoul Happy Killers Choi Jung-min Finding Mr. Destiny Dr. Jung Cameo 2011 Romantic Heaven Dong Ji-wookThe Cat Jun-seok Countdown Nalpari 2012The Concubine Prince Sung-won 2015 Three Summer Nights Myung-seok 2017 Along With the Gods: The Two Worlds Kim Soo-hong 2018 The Accidental Detective 2: In Action Kwon Chul-in Cameo Along with the Gods: The Last 49 Days Kim Soo-hong 2019 Trade Your Love Sung-seok 2025The People Upstairs Hyun-soo
Television series Year Title Role Notes 2006 Break Yeong-hun 8 episodes 2007 Coffee Prince Jin Ha-rim Unstoppable Marriage Wang Sam-baek 2009Partner Eul-su Soul Special Yoon-joon Hometown of Legends: Silent Village Yoogil 2010 Blossom Sisters Lee Jae-ha 2011 The Great Gift Goo-Ram SBS Chuseok Special I Trusted Him Moon Hyun-soo 2015 Riders: Catch Tomorrow Cha Gi-jun Cheo Yong 2 Lee Cheol-gyu Cameo (Episode 1–2) More Than a Maid Kim Eun-gi 2017 Radiant Office Seo Hyun2018 The Guest Yoon Hwa-pyung 2019 Special Labor Inspector Jo Jin-gap 2020 Find Me in Your Memory Lee Jung-hoon 2021 You Are My Spring Joo Young-do 2022 Shooting Stars Lee Jung-hoon Cameo (Episode 8) 2023 My Perfect Stranger Yoon Hae-jun Delightfully Deceitful Han Moo-yeong 2024Seoul BustersDongbang Yu-bin 2026We Are All Trying Here Jeong-min Cameo (Episode 11)
Web series Year Title Role Notes 2022 The King of Pigs Hwang Kyung-min 2027Born Guilty Yang Joong-sik Cameo
Television shows Year Title Role Notes 2011 Saturday Night Live Korea Host Season 1 (Episode 5) 2021 Season 10 (Episode 8)
Music video appearances TitleYearArtist Notes/ "Forget About Love and Sing" 2007 8Eight"Please Take Care of My Boyfriend" 2013 Younha "Snowfall" 2018 g.o.dfeatured with Shin Hye-sun
Musical theater Year Title Role 2008 On Air: Season 2 2009 Brave Brothers 2010 Legally Blonde 2015 Brave Brothers
Discography Soundtrack appearances TitleYearAlbum "You Are to Me" 2009 Soul Special OST"Fly High" (with Shim Eun-kyung)2010 Happy Killers OST "Please Wait" 2015 Riders: Catch Tomorrow OST
Accolades Awards and nominations + Name of the award ceremony, year presented, category, nominee of the award, and the result of the nomination Award ceremony Year Category Nominee / Work Result Baeksang Arts Awards 2018Best Supporting Actor – FilmAlong with the Gods: The Two Worlds Blue Dragon Film Awards 2018 Best Supporting Actor Chunsa Film Art Awards 2009 Ensemble Acting AwardTake Off 2018Best Supporting ActorAlong with the Gods: The Two Worlds Director's Cut Awards 2009 Best New ActorTake Off Golden Cinematography Awards 2018Best Supporting ActorAlong with the Gods: The Two Worlds Korea Best Star Awards Korea Cable TV Awards 2016 Best Character Riders: Catch Tomorrow Korea Drama Awards 2007 Netizen Popularity Award Coffee Prince 2019 Top Excellence Award, Actor Special Labor Inspector Max Movie Awards 2010 Best New ActorTake Off MBC Drama Awards 2017 Excellence Award, Actor in a Miniseries Radiant Office 2019Grand Prize (Daesang) Special Labor Inspector Top Excellence Award, Actor in a Monday-Tuesday Miniseries 2020 Top Excellence Award, Actor in a Wednesday-Thursday Miniseries Find Me in Your Memory Best Couple Award Kim Dong-wook (with Moon Ka-young)Find Me in Your Memory announced online Seoul International Drama Awards 2019 Best Actor Special Labor Inspector
Listicles + Name of publisher, year listed, name of listicle, and placement Publisher Year Listicle Placement Korean Film Council 2021 Korean Actors 200 The Screen20192009–2019 Top Box Office Powerhouse Actors in Korean Movies
Notes
References
External links