Kim Jae-wook (; born April 2, 1983) is a South Korean model and actor. He is best known for his roles in the hit series Coffee Prince (2007), comedy film Antique (2008), mystery drama Who Are You? (2013), Voice (2017), The Guest (2018), Her Private Life (2019), and Crazy Love (2022). He is fluent in Japanese, and played the role of Sō Takeyuki, the Japanese husband of Princess Deokhye, in the film The Last Princess (2016).
Early life Kim was born in Seoul, and grew up in Tokyo, Japan until he was seven years old before returning to South Korea. His father worked as a journalist and was transferred to Japan as a foreign correspondent. He started out performing in a band, and began modelling at age 17. Due to the time he spent in Japan, he can speak fluent Japanese.
Career 2002–2011: Career beginnings and breakthrough In 2002, Kim debuted as the member of an indie band in the MBC drama Ruler of Your Own World. After this first role, he concentrated on his modeling career for 5 years. In 2007, he auditioned for and won the role of No Sun-ki in the 2007 hit drama series Coffee Prince. The role shot him to fame in both South Korea and several Asian countries. He later appeared in the 2008 drama The Kingdom of The Winds, and served as the ambassador of goodwill for the 9th Jeonju International Film Festival (JIFF) in May 2008.
Kim then starred in his first film, Antique, based on the manga Antique Bakery, which was invited to the 59th Berlin International Film Festival. He played a gay chef working at a bakery. He won the Best New Actor award at the 16th Korea Culture and Entertainment Awards. In October 2009, he formed a modern rock band named Walrus, where he served as guitarist and vocal. The name of the group came from the Beatles single "I am the Walrus".
Kim got his first leading role in Bee TV's South Korean-Japanese drama Give Me Your Memory: Pygmalion's Love, which aired in March 2010. The same year, he starred in the melodrama television series Bad Guy, and featured in the romantic comedy series Marry Me, Mary!.
Before enlisting to military service in 2011, he played in rock musical, Hedwig And the Angry Inch, from May 14 until June 19, 2011.
2013–2016: Comeback After finishing his mandatory military service, Kim made his comeback in the 2013 television series Who Are You?, playing the dead boyfriend of So Yi-hyun's character. In 2014, Kim was featured in KBS' period action drama Inspiring Generation as Kim Hyun-joong's rival, but quit after episode 8 due to unavoidable circumstances.
In 2015, Kim was cast for the lead role in the fantasy comedy film Planck Constant, playing a script writer with weird sexual fantasies. In June, Kim signed an exclusive contract with management agency Better ENT.
The following year, Kim took on the role of a Japanese nobleman who marries Son Ye-jin's character Princess Deokhye in the period film The Last Princess. The same year, Kim took a leading role in the film Two Rooms, Two Nights as a popular movie director who tries to maintain secretive romantic relationships with both his current girlfriend and ex-girlfriend.
2017–present: Rising popularity In January 2017, Kim starred in romance film Another Way, playing the role of a police officer who finds Seo Yea-ji's character online and forms a suicide pact. He then played the antagonist in OCN's hit thriller drama Voice, earning acclaim for his performance as a serial killer. In June, he left Better ENT and signed with new management agency Management SOOP. In July, Kim was cast in the romance drama Temperature of Love, playing a rich businessman.
In 2018, Kim was cast in the musical play Amadeus in triple casting, alongside Jo Jung-suk and Kim Sung-kyu. Kim's Japanese film Butterfly Sleep was released in Japan in May 2018. The same year, he was cast in OCN's supernatural thriller The Guest. In 2019, Kim was cast as the main lead in the romantic comedy drama Her Private Life alongside Park Min-young. The show marks Kim's first time as a primary lead in a romantic comedy. In 2020, Kim created "My Margiela", a five-episode video series on the Belgian fashion designer Martin Margiela. In 2022, Kim starred alongside Krystal Jung in KBS2 television series Crazy Love, playing a maths instructor and CEO of a top math institute.
In 2025, Kim starred in Netflix's mystery historical television series Dear Hongrang alongside Jo Bo-ah and Lee Jae-wook. It is based on Tangeum: Swallowing Gold by Jang Da-hye and was produced by Studio Dragon.
Personal life Bibliography In May 2011, along with fashion models Jang Yoon-ju, Ji Hyun-jung, Han Hye-jin and Song Kyung-ah, he co-authored Top Model, a book based on their experiences in the industry.
Military service He enlisted for mandatory military service on July 5, 2011 for 21 months of active duty after five weeks of basic military training.
Filmography Film Year Title Role Notes 2006 Monopoly 2008 Antique Min Sun-woo (Ono)2010 Heart of Gold Yoo-sung Bang Alex 2015 C'est Si Bon Kang Myung-chanCameo Planck Constant Kim Woo-joo 2016 Two Rooms, Two Nights In-sung The Last Princess So Takeyuki 2017 Another Way Soo-wan2018Butterfly SleepSoh Chan-hae
Television Year Title Role Notes 2002 Ruler of Your Own World Ki-hong Band member2007 Coffee Prince Noh Sun-ki Dal-ja's Spring Choon-ha 2008 The Kingdom of the Winds Chu Bal-so 2010 Give Me Your Memory: Pygmalion's Love Kim Gyeon Bad Guy Hong Tae-sung Marry Me, Mary! Byun Jung-in 2013 Who Are You? Lee Hyung-joon 2014 Inspiring Generation Kim Soo-ok Drama Festival: "4teen" Adult Joon-yi Cameo 2015 Sweet Temptation Seok-min 2017 Voice Mo Tae-gu Temperature of Love Park Jung-woo 2018 The Guest Choi Yoon Quiz of God 5: Reboot Cameo 2019 Her Private Life Ryan Gold 2022 Crazy Love Noh Go-jin 2023–2024 Death's Game Jung Gyu-cheol Cameo 2025 Melo Movie Ko Jun Dear Hongrang Grand Prince Hanpyeong Episodes 1, 3, 7–8 2026 To My Beloved Thief Old Man Cameo (ep.16) Filing for Love Jeon Jae-yeol
Music video appearances YearSong titleArtist Notes 2007"Ice Fortress"Dear Cloud2011"Seoul Witch"Walrus"To be"2015"The Brand New Blues"I am not2019"Special"DickpunksFriendship appearance"OO DA DA"Sumin2024"Curse"Jung Joonil
Video games Year Title Role Publisher Note Ref. 2023 Like a Dragon Gaiden: The Man Who Erased His Name Homare Nishitani III SegaSpeaks in Japanese. Credited as Kim Jae-uck in credits
Stage Musical +Musical play performances Year Title Role Theater Date English Korean 2011 Hedwig and the Angry Inch 헤드윅 Hedwig KT&G Sangsang Art Hall May 14 to June 19 2024 Pagwa 파과 Tu-woo (Bullfighting) Hongik University Daehakro Arts Center, Grand Theater March 15, 2024 – May 26, 2024
Theater + Theater play performances Year Title Role Theater Date English Korean 2018 Amadeus 아마데우스 Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart Gwanglim Art Center BBCH HallFebruary 27 to April 29 2021 Minstrel Park In-hwanHimselfInje Haneul Nerin Centre Grand Performance HallAugust 14 2025 White Rabbit, Red RabbitHimselfSejong Center for the Performing Arts S Theater May 4 2025 Amadeus 아마데우스 Antonio Salieri Hongik University Daehakro Arts Center, Grand TheaterSeptember 16 to November 23
Discography YearSongAlbum namePublisherAgencyRef.2011"To Be"Walrus The SingleSony MusicCJ"Mozaic""Seoul Witch"2014"Reorganize"Walrus The 2nd SingleSSS Records"It's Alright""Summer Rain"
Awards and nominations + Year presented, name of the award ceremony, award category, nominated work and the result of the nomination Year Award Category Nominee / Work Result 2007 1st Korea Drama Awards Netizen Popularity Award Coffee Prince200816th Korea Culture and Entertainment AwardsBest New ActorAntiqueAsia Model AwardsFashionista Award Kim Jae-wook 2013Japan's Korean Wave 10th Anniversary Korean TV Drama AwardsJury Special Award2017SBS Drama AwardsExcellence Award, Actor in a Monday–Tuesday DramaTemperature of Love 2019StarHub Night of Stars 2019Best Male Asian StarHer Private Life
References
External links
Kim Jae Wook on HanCinema