Kim Dong-wook (born July 29, 1983) is a South Korean actor. After appearing in studentshort films and several minor parts, Kim became a star through his supporting role in the popular TV seriesCoffee Prince (2007), followed by box office hitTake Off (2009). He then starred inHappy Killers (2010),Romantic Heaven (2011),The Guest (2018) andThe King of Pigs(2022).His acclaimed performance as an obsessed and tormented king in the 2012 period dramaThe Concubine, along with his appearance in the fantasy action filmsAlong with the Gods 1 and2 has brought Kim the best reviews of his career yet.[2]
After officially debuting inA Crimson Mark,[3] Kim Dong-wook's first notable role was the angry, impoverished teenager in directorByun Young-joo's 2004coming-of-age filmFlying Boys.[4] He then broke into the mainstream as the bubbly waiter inMBC's 2007 hit romantic comedy seriesCoffee Prince.[5][6]
In the popular 2009 sports flickTake Off, he starred as a former night club bouncer who ends up being a member of Korea's nationalski jumping team.[7] In spite of the enormous physical challenge, Kim said it was a character he genuinely enjoyed playing.[8]
Hismusical theatre debut was inOn Air: Season 2, which was produced by his fellow alumni from theKorea National University of Arts. A loosespin-off of the TV seriesOn Air, it takes place at a radio station and centers around an idol singer-turned-DJ and an older female PD.[5] His follow-up the year after was the Korean production ofLegally Blonde, the Broadway musical based on the2011 Hollywood film of the same name. He playedLuke Wilson's role Emmett.[9] Kim said "the show must go on, no matter what" mentality was what he found appealing yet tough about doing musicals.[10]
Kim then played lead roles in the omnibus filmFive Senses of Eros,[11] thrillerHappy Killers,[12] and melodramaRomantic Heaven.[13] But it was his performance in period thrillerThe 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."[8][14][15]
In 2014, Kim made his acting comeback in the period drama seriesMore Than a Maid.[16][17] He had his big screen comeback in action comedyThree Summer Nights (2015).[18] Kim then played the leading role in the cable slice-of-life dramaRiders: Get Tomorrow (2015), which won him the Best Character Award at the Korea Cable TV Awards.[19]
On March 8, 2022, Kim donated₩50 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.[30]
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.[31] Their private wedding ceremony was held on December 22, 2023 atMyeongdong Cathedral.[32][33] His wife is Stella Kim, aKorean-American and a formertrainee underSM Entertainment. Before she was able to debut in the groupGirls' Generation, she returned to the United States and currently works as a marketing expert.[34]
^ab'커프' 자뻑하림 김동욱, 뮤지컬 데뷔 [From Coffee Prince to On Air].Star News (in Korean). 29 August 2008.Archived from the original on 2016-03-04. Retrieved2012-11-18.
^Park, So-young (February 10, 2025).임시완x강소라, 새식구 생겼다..'대상 배우' 김동욱 합류 [공식] [Im Si-wan x Kang So-ra, new family member..'Target actor' Kim Dong-wook joins [Official]].OSEN (in Korean). RetrievedFebruary 10, 2025.
^Park Yoon-jin (March 8, 2022)."김동욱, 산불 피해 이재민 위해 5천만원 기부" [Kim Dong-wook donates 50 million won to victims of forest fires] (in Korean). My Daily.Archived from the original on March 8, 2022. RetrievedMarch 8, 2022 – viaNaver.
^Jeong, Hee-yeon (August 30, 2023)."김동욱 겨울 결혼 "비연예인 예비신부, 미모의 재원♥" [공식]" [Kim Dong-wook Winter Marriage “Non-celebrity prospective bride, beautiful bride-to-be♥” [Official]] (in Korean). Sports Donga.Archived from the original on August 30, 2023. RetrievedAugust 30, 2023 – viaNaver.
^Kim, Ga-young (December 22, 2023)."김동욱, 오늘(22일) 미모의 연인과 결혼" [Kim Dong-wook marry his beautiful lover today (22nd)].Edaily Star (in Korean).Archived from the original on December 22, 2023. RetrievedDecember 22, 2023 – viaNaver.
^Kwon, Hye-mi (December 23, 2023)."[왓IS] 김동욱 신부 '스텔라 김' 누구? SM 출신+소녀시대 데뷔조…수영도 "축하해"" [[WhatIS] Who is Father Kim Dong-wook’s ‘Stella Kim’? Former SM member + Girls' Generation debut group... Sooyoung also says “Congratulations”] (in Korean). Daily Sport.Archived from the original on December 23, 2023. RetrievedDecember 23, 2023.
^Hwang, So-young (December 23, 2023)."김동욱, SM 연습생 출신 스텔라와 결혼‥정우성·오정세 등 참석" [Kim Dong-wook married former SM trainee Stella Kim. Jung Woo-sung, Oh Jeong-se and others attend.] (in Korean).JTBC.Archived from the original on December 23, 2023. RetrievedDecember 23, 2023 – viaNaver.
^abc"영화감독이 뽑은 샛별 김동욱".Kyeongin (in Korean). 14 December 2009.Archived from the original on 14 April 2023. Retrieved25 January 2019.
^Park Pan-seok (January 7, 2021)."어른이들 힐링 로맨스" '너는 나의 봄' 서현진X김동욱X윤박X남규리 출연 확정[공식]" [Healing romance for adults" Seo Hyun-jin X Kim Dong-wook X Yoon Park X Nam Gyu-ri confirmed for 'You Are My Spring' [Official]].OSEN (in Korean).Archived from the original on November 6, 2022. RetrievedJanuary 7, 2021 – viaNaver.
^Kim Na-ra (April 8, 2022)."별똥별', 초특급 카메오의 향연 "박정민X송지효→김동욱X문가영 등 특별출연" [공식]" [Shooting Star', a feast of super special cameos "Park Jung-min X Song Ji-hyo → Kim Dong-wook X Moon Ga-young, etc. Special appearance" [Official]] (in Korean). My Daily.Archived from the original on May 12, 2022. RetrievedApril 8, 2022 – viaNaver.
^Tae Yu-na (May 24, 2022)."[공식] 김동욱X진기주, '어쩌다 마주친, 그대' 주연…1987년으로 타임슬립" [[Official] Kim Dong-wook X Jin Ki-joo to star in 'Met You by Chance'... Time slip back to 1987] (in Korean). Ten Asia.Archived from the original on November 12, 2020. RetrievedMay 24, 2022 – viaNaver.
^Lee Se-bin (September 14, 2022)."김동욱 측 "이수현 감독 신작 '이로운 사기' 긍정 검토 중" [Kim Dong-wook's side "We are positively reviewing director Lee Soo-hyun's new film 'Beneficial Morale] (in Korean).Ilgan Sports.Archived from the original on September 16, 2022. RetrievedSeptember 14, 2022 – viaNaver.
^Lee, Seul-bi (November 7, 2023)."김동욱, SBS '강매강' 출연 확정…5년 만에 코미디 [공식]" [Kim Dong-wook confirmed to appear in SBS' 'Kang Mae River'... Comedy after 5 years [Official]] (in Korean). Sports Donga.Archived from the original on November 7, 2023. RetrievedNovember 7, 2023 – viaNaver.
^Bae Hyo-joo (August 16, 2021)."연상호 원작 '돼지의 왕' 김동욱X김성규X채정안 캐스팅 확정[공식]" [Casting confirmed for Kim Dong-wook X Kim Seong-gyu X Chae Jung-an in 'The King of Pigs' by Yeon Sang-ho [official]].Newsen (in Korean).Naver.Archived from the original on February 9, 2023. RetrievedAugust 16, 2021.
^Ahn Tae-hyun (October 13, 2021)."SNL 코리아' 옥주현·김동욱·윤계상·조진웅, 호스트 라인업 완성" ['SNL Korea' Ock Joo-hyun, Kim Dong-wook, Yoon Kye-sang, and Cho Jin-woong complete the host lineup] (in Korean). News1.Archived from the original on May 4, 2022. RetrievedOctober 13, 2021 – viaNaver.
^Lee, Seung-rok (December 30, 2017)."[MBC연기대상] 신성록·한선화, 미니시리즈 우수상 수상 영광" [[MBC Acting Awards] Shin Sung-rok and Han Seon-hwa, Glory of Excellence Award for Miniseries] (in Korean). My Daily.Archived from the original on November 11, 2020. RetrievedOctober 3, 2022 – viaNaver.
^Kim, Hyun-jung (30 December 2019).김동욱, 영예의 대상…'특별근로감독관 조장풍' 5관왕 겹경사 [MBC 연기대상](종합) [Dongwook Kim, the subject of honor ... 'Special Labor Inspector Jo Jang-Pung' 5 Kings Double Slope [MBC Drama Awards] (Comprehensive)].Xports News (in Korean).Archived from the original on 30 December 2019. Retrieved16 May 2020 – viaNaver.
^"한국영화 배우 흥행 파워 TOP 배우 하정우 그러나 TOP 10위 안에 여성 배우는 실종...여성 주연 영화 부재가 원인" [Korean movie actor box office power TOP actor Ha Jung-woo but the female actor in the top 10 is missing... Due to the absence of female-starred films].RNX (in Korean). 2020-01-02.Archived from the original on 2023-10-30. Retrieved2023-10-30.
