Kim Kang-woo

Beginning

Kim Kang-woo majored in Theater and Film at Chung-Ang University.^[1] He initially debuted in 1998 as a singer in the trio Guardian after 1.5 years of training, alongside Jo Hyun-jae. However, the group disbanded after a single broadcast appearance due to issues with their agency.^[2]

In 2001, Kim transitioned to acting, appearing in bit parts in the SBS TV Movie Series and MBC Series Wuri's Family. In the following Year, Kim make his first acting debut in film The Coast Guard, later commenting that the role of a soldier was the only one he could get without any prior experience. His subsequent performances in the drama series Breathless and Three Leafed Clover earned Kim the nickname "Mr. Right" as he became known for his portrayal of honest and diligent characters.^[3]

Transition to leading role

His first leading film role was in Jeong Jae-eun's 2005 sophomore feature The Aggressives, for which he and co-star Chun Jung-myung were the co-recipients of the Best New Actor Award at the 6th Busan Film Critics Awards.^[4]

In 2007, Kim starred in Park Heung-sik's film The Railroad, which told the story of two strangers who reveal their inner pain to each other when they are stranded at the last railway station before the Korean Demilitarized Zone. Kim was upset when the film was only released in ten theaters, and went to screenings by himself in an effort to promote the film, where he greeted and conversed with members of the audience.^[5][6] In spite of its poor box office performance, The Railroad found favour with critics, and Kim won the Best Actor Award at the 25th Torino Film Festival. Although happy to win the award, Kim found it more gratifying to observe Italian audiences responding to the film in the same way as Korean audiences, recognizing the power of film to transcend national borders.^[5][7] He also admitted to being anxious because of the increased expectations people would have over his future performances.^[3]

Breakthrough

Kim found commercial success with his next film, Le Grand Chef, which despite opening during a slow season sold more than three million tickets to become the fourth biggest selling South Korean film of 2007.^[5][8] Based on a popular manhwa, the film focused on the conflict between two rival chefs, played by Kim and Im Won-hee. To prepare for his role, Kim attended cooking classes for one and a half months, and for one crucial scene in particular he visited a slaughterhouse, receiving a big shock as he knew nothing about the slaughtering process.^[9][10] In addition, he was required to film a number of scenes with a cow, and spent some ten days acquainting himself with it—grooming it, feeding it and taking it for walks—remarking that it was "like working with a very sensitive actress".^[6] He next starred in the crime thriller Rainbow Eyes the same year, portraying a tough detective who is also a homosexual.^[3]

In 2008, Kim took on the lead role in Marine Boy, portraying a former professional swimmer who falls into a debt trap.^[11] The same year, he starred in the short film I'm Right Here as part of the omnibus Five Senses of Eros.^[12] Kim returned to the small screen in 2009, playing a psychopath in the action thriller The Slingshot.^[13]

Following a supporting role in Hong Sang-soo's comedy drama Hahaha, Kim starred in the remake of the 1986 Hong Kong film A Better Tomorrow.^[14] Kim was then cast in the Japanese film Black Dawn, playing a Korean agent.^[15] He then starred in the short film The Heavenly Creature as part of Kim Jee-woon's science-fiction anthology film Doomsday Book; and played the lead role in erotic thriller The Taste of Money by Im Sang-soo.^[16][17] Kim returned to the small screen in the romantic comedy action drama Lovers of Haeundae.^[18] The same year, Kim published a travel book titled Two Men's Unstoppable Thailand Trip, which recorded his Thailand experience with his close friend and filmmaker, Lee Jung-sub.^[19]

Making 2013 a busy year; Kim starred in three films: fantasy thriller The Gifted Hands, romantic comedy film Marriage Blue and 3D sports comedy film Mr. Go.^[20][21][22] Kim then starred in thriller Tabloid Truth as a talent manager, a film focusing on the tabloid culture of South Korea.^[23] He next featured in the ensemble drama Cart, a film depict a story about contract workers in a large discount store who are faced with wrongful dismissals.^[24] Meanwhile, on the small screen, Kim took on the lead role in the revenge thriller Golden Cross.^[25][26]

Return to theater and other works

In August 2014, Kim left his previous management agency Namoo Actors and signed with C-JeS Entertainment.In 2015, Kim starred in the period film The Treacherous, playing a tyrant king who exploits the populace for his own carnal pleasures.^[27][28] He then starred in his first cable television series, the mystery thriller The Missing;^[29][30] followed by another thriller, Goodbye Mr. Black, in which he took on a villainous role.^[31]

In 2016, Kim and Kim Dong-won were double cast as Hamlet in the 6th Best Theater Festival with a rewrite of Shakespeare's classic, Hamlet−The Play.^[32][33] It was directed by Kim Dong-yeon and was released to coincide with the 400th anniversary of Shakespeare's death. The play was based on the university performance Hamlet - The Storyof a Sad Clown, which Kim Dong-yeon adapted and directed in 2001. Writer Ji Seon joined the project and created the play anew after 15 years.^[34]

In 2017, Kim starred in the science fiction drama Circle alongside Yeo Jin-goo.^[35][36] In June 2017, Kim's contract with C-JeS Entertainment expired, and he subsequently signed with new management agency King Entertainment.^[37] In 2018, Kim starred in the psychological thriller The Vanished, a remake of the 2012 film The Body.^[38][39] The same year, he starred in the weekend drama My Contracted Husband, Mr. Oh, alongside Uee.^[40][41]

In 2019, Kim starred in the mystery fantasy drama drama Item as the antagonist.^[42][43] The series also starred Ju Ji-hoon, Jin Se-yeon, and Kim Yoo-ri. Kim played Jo Se-hwang, the vice chairman of the Hwawon Group, who is also a sociopath that collects items with supernatural powers by using his power and wealth, murdering anyone who tries to get in his way.^[44] It aired on MBC from February 11 to April 2, 2019.^[45][46]

In 2020, Kim starred as Kang Tae-woo, an ex-detective, in Woman of 9.9 Billion.^[47] The series also starred Cho Yeo-jeong, Jung Woong-in, Oh Na-ra, and Lee Ji-hoon. It aired on KBS2's Wednesdays and Thursdays from December 4, 2019, to January 23, 2020.^[48]

Recent projects

In 2021, Kim starred alongside Seo Yea-ji in the mystery-thriller film Recalled, directed by Seo Yoo-min.^[49] The film follows a woman who starts seeing her future after losing her memory,^[50] and was released on April 21, 2021.^[51][52] On September 1, 2021, IOK Company announced the acquisition of KING Entertainment, resulting in Kim's management being transferred to IOK Company from that point forward. Kim next appeared in Artificial City as Jung Joon-hyuk, the husband of Yoon Jae-hee (played by Soo Ae), the illegitimate son of Sungjin Group, and a popular JBC anchorman.^[53] It premiered on JTBC on December 8, 2021, and aired every Wednesday and Thursday.^[54]

On November 19, 2021, Kim Kang-woo, Kim Seon-ho, Go A-ra, and Kang Tae-joo were confirmed for Park Hoon-jung's noir film The Childe.^[55] Kim's role was Han Yi-sa, a second-generation conglomerate.^[56][57] The film was released theatrically on June 21, 2023.^[58][59][60] In December 2023, Kim renewed his contract with IOK Company.^[61]

In 2024, Kim was confirmed for the MBC drama Wonderful World with premiere scheduled for the first half of 2024.^[62] Kim acted as Kang Su-ho, a successful anchor and the husband of Eun Soo-hyun (played by Kim Nam-joo).^[63][64] Also in 2024, Kim starred in Park Hoon-jung's The Tyrant, which premiered on Disney+ on August 14, 2024.^[65][66] Originally developed as a film, it was reformatted into a four-part series, as announced by Disney+ on February 19, 2024.^[67] Promotional activities featuring Kim alongside co-stars Cha Seung-won, Kim Seon-ho, and Jo Yoon-su were held in July and August ahead of the release.^[68] In the series, he plays the character Paul, member of the US intelligence agency trying to dispose of the last sample of The Tyrant Project.^[69]

In 2025, Kim was back onstage to appear as Eric Moore in the theater production Red Leaves, running at the National Theater Daloreum Theater from January 8 to March 1, 2025. In 2026, Kim returned to variety television by becoming one of the celebrity chef of KBS2 Stars' Top Recipe at Fun-Staurant. That same year, he was cast in the KBS historical drama Munmu. Kim Kang-woo plays Kim Chun-chu, the first Jingol-born king of Silla and the father of Kim Beom-min.^[70]

Film

Television drama

Television show