Hyun's first film wasShower in 2002. However, filming was stopped and was not released due to lack of proper funding.[5][6][unreliable source?] He eventually made his debut as an actor in the 2003 television seriesBodyguard.[7] He then starred in the sitcomNonstop 4 and quirky romance dramaIreland,[8] and made his film debut the same year in the youth sports filmSpin Kick.[9]
Hyun shot to stardom with the 2005 romantic comedyMy Lovely Sam Soon withKim Sun-a,[10] for which Hyun won the Top Excellence Award at theMBC Drama Awards.My Lovely Sam Soon was a massive hit with average viewership ratings of over 37% and recorded 50.5% for the finale, making it one of thehighest-rated Korean drama of all time.[11] The high level popularity of the drama and his portrayal as Sam-sik established Hyun Bin as a top star in South Korea and aHallyu star as his popularity expanded beyond South Korea to Japan and other countries in Asia.[12][13]
In 2010, Hyun starred inSecret Garden, a romantic fantasy drama written byKim Eun-sook.[29][30] The drama recorded a high viewership rating of 35%, and gained enormous popularity both domestically and internationally for its fashion, catchphrases and music.[31] His portrayal as Kim Joo-won created a "Hyun Bin Syndrome" as his name and face were plastered everywhere, from newspapers to television and the internet.[32] Hyun was recognized at the2010 SBS Drama Awards and the47thBaeksang Arts Awards for his stellar performance.[33][34] He also contributed to thesoundtrack of the drama with "That Man", which peaked at number one in eight Korean music portals.[35][36][37]
Hyun in February 2011
In 2011, Hyun appeared in two films that were released back to back;Come Rain, Come Shine, a minimalist breakup indie directed byLee Yoon-ki, andLate Autumn directed byKim Tae-yong. Shot inSeattle city,Late Autumn is anEnglish-languageremake of the 1966Lee Man-hee classic, in which Hyun played a man on the run who falls in love with a woman who is on special leave from prison.[38][39][40][41] It was the highest-grossing Korean film released in China to date, taking in more thanUS$9.5 million over two weeks, which was unprecedented for a melodrama.[42] He received a good review fromThe Hollywood Reporter which stated, "it is Hyun who impresses more for not underplaying the dandy, narcissistic side of his personality."[43] Hyun walked the red carpet at the61st Berlin International Film Festival, where the two films were both selected to be screened.[44][45][46] He described the honor as his "most happiest achievement".[47][48]
On March 7, 2011, Hyun began his 21-monthmandatory military service as a soldier in theMarine Corps.[49] He volunteered to serve in the Marine Corps, said to be the toughest branch of the Korean military,[50][51] as he had a good impression of the Marines.[52][53][54][55] Competition rate to enter the Marines at that time was high at 4:1[56] with Hyun placing in the top 5% of applicants.[57][58][59][60] Hyun applied to be a combat soldier.[60][57] The decision to join the Marines while at the peak of his career generated much interest in Korea and overseas.[51][61] Seven broadcasting companies, including Japan's NHK, requested access to the training camp.[51] Hyun was named a top marksman during training, one of 16 out of about 720 rookie Marines.[62] Hyun hit the target 19 times out of 20 in day shooting training, and all of his 10 shots hit the target during night training. To qualify as a top marksman, rookies must hit the target more than 18 times out of 20 in day training and nine out of 10 at night.[62][63]
The Corps originally planned to put Hyun on public relations duty; however due to public criticism and Hyun's reported desire to serve on the front line, Hyun was assigned on active duty to the islandBaengnyeongdo, close to theNorthern Limit Line andYeonpyeong, site of aNovember 2010 artillery engagement between the North and South Korean forces.[64][65]
After joining the Marines and completing his six months in the service, Hyun participated in the "Seoul Reclamation Anniversary Marine Marathon Competition". He ran a 6.25 km long course with 400 exemplary senior marines. This event was held in remembrance of the historically significant event when the Marines won back the capital Seoul that had been taken during the 6.25 Korean War.[66]
He was discharged on December 6, 2012, and was awarded the Secretary of Defense Award and the Marine Corps Commandant Commendation for being an exemplary soldier.[67][68][69][70][71][unreliable source?] After the merger of their former agency AM Entertainment withSM Entertainment,[72] Hyun's reps announced in November 2012 that the actor andShin Min-ah had decided to go independent and set up their own management agency O& Entertainment.[73][unreliable source?]
Hyun spent most of 2013 shooting ad commercials as an in-demand product endorser,[74][75][76][77] and holding fan meetings all over Asia.[78] For his acting comeback after military service, Hyun choseThe Fatal Encounter, his firstperiod film, in which he played the lead role ofKing Jeongjo who faced fierce party strife and assassination attempts during his reign.[79][80][81][82] It was released in April 2014 and drew more than three million admissions.[83] However, Hyun was criticized for his flat tonation and lack of emotions in the film, which received mostly negative reviews.[84][85]
In 2015, Hyun made a comeback in the Korean drama scene after four years, via romantic comedyHyde Jekyll, Me. In the drama inspired by theliterary character, he played a man withsplit personality disorder whose two personas both fall for the same woman.[86] In January 2016, he set up his own agency, VAST Entertainment, a wholly owned subsidiary ofKakao M.[87][88]
Hyun returned to big screen with action-thriller filmConfidential Assignment (2017), where he played the role of a North Korean detective who was secretly sent to South Korea to apprehend a crime ring made up of North Korean traitors.[89] The film was a success, and Hyun received positive reviews from critics for his action scenes and comedic performance.[90] He then starred in a blockbuster crime action filmThe Swindlers, along withYoo Ji-tae, about a prosecutor who plans to catch a con man who has swindled a large sum of money.[91][92][93][94]
On October 29, 2013, Hyun received the President's award at the 50th Savings Day held by the Financial Services Committee, for saving 35 billion won (approximately US$33 million) within 17 years.[107] In February 2016, he was involved in an awareness campaign against animal cruelty. As part of the project, Hyun's agency VAST Entertainment released pictures of him posing with a retired search and rescue dog named "Vision".[108]
In March 2020, Hyun made a secret donation of 200 million won to the non-profit organization,Community Chest of Korea, to help fight against theCOVID-19 outbreak on February 21, 2020.[109] Hyun was also included as a member in the "Honor Society", a group of major private donors, for his many donations to different causes. He has continually supported projects by organizations such asSave the Children,Community Chest of Korea and international relief NGOs.[110]
On March 8, 2022, Hyun made a donation₩200 million to the Hope Bridge Disaster Relief Association, together withSon Ye-jin, to help those who have been damaged by the massive wildfire that started in Uljin, Gyeongbuk and has continued to spread Samcheok, Gangwon.[111]
Hyun was born and raised inSeoul and has one elder brother. He graduated from Youngdong High School[112][unreliable source?] and studied atChung-Ang University, where he majored in Theater Studies in 2004. In 2009, he enrolled at the same university and obtained aMaster's degree.[113]
On February 10, 2022, Hyun and Son announced their engagement in letters posted on their social media accounts.[115] They married in a private ceremony on March 31, 2022, attended by their families and close friends.[116] On June 27, 2022, Son announced that she was pregnant with the couple's first child,[117] and she gave birth to a son, named Kim Woo-Jin on November 27, 2022.[118][119]
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^Kang Hyo-jin (March 8, 2022).현빈♥손예진, 결혼 앞두고 산불 성금 2억 기부...선행 펼치는 예비부부 [Hyun Bin ♥ Son Ye-jin, donated 200 million won for forest fire before marriage... Pre-married couple] (in Korean). SPOTV News.Archived from the original on March 8, 2022. RetrievedMarch 8, 2022 – viaNaver.
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^Choi, Yun-na (August 29, 2024).현빈X정우성→조여정X정성일...'메이드 인 코리아' 캐스팅 확정 [공식] [Hyun Bin X Jung Woo Sung → Jo Yeo Jeong X Jung Sung Il... 'Made in Korea' Casting Confirmed [Official]] (in Korean). Donga Sports.Archived from the original on August 29, 2024. RetrievedAugust 29, 2024 – viaNaver.
^Park, Jeong-seon (April 7, 2025).'제61회 백상예술대상 with 구찌' 방송·영화·연극 후보 공개 ['61st Baeksang Arts Awards with Gucci' Broadcast, Film, and Theater Nominees Revealed].JTBC News (in Korean).Archived from the original on April 7, 2025. RetrievedApril 7, 2025.
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