Wikipedia

Kim Myung-min

In this Korean name, the family name is Kim.

Kim Myung-min (Korean: 김명민, born October 8, 1972) is a South Korean actor. He is best known for his leading roles in the television series Immortal Admiral Yi Sun-sin (2004), White Tower (2007), Beethoven Virus (2008), Six Flying Dragons (2015-2016), and Law School (2021), as well as the films Closer to Heaven (2009) and the Detective K film series.[2][3] His first leading role was in the film, Sorum (2001). Praised for his acting skills, he is often called 'The Acting Expert'.[4][5]

Kim Myung-min
Kim in May 2016
Born (1972-10-08) 8 October 1972 (age 52)
Susaek-dong, Eunpyeong-gu, Seoul, South Korea[1]
EducationSeoul Institute of the Arts - Theater
OccupationActor
Years active1996–present
Korean name
Hangul
김명민
Hanja
Revised RomanizationGim Myeong-min
McCune–ReischauerKim Myŏngmin
Signature

Career

edit

Early years

edit

Kim Myung-min debuted as an actor when he won the 6th SBS public talent audition in 1996.[6][7][8] Over the next five years he appeared in a number of television series in various supporting roles.

Kim' first leading role came with critically appraised 2001 horror film Sorum, the feature debut of the director Yoon Jong-chan, telling the story of a taxi driver moving into a decrepit building that hides several dark secrets. For this part Kim received Best New Actor award at 2001 Busan Film Critics Awards and Director's Cut Awards

Building on his new status of a lead actor, Kim started to work on several film projects, many of which however ended unfinished, mostly due to financial problems. At that time he also suffered from injuries incurred while he was shooting action scenes.[7]

When he starred in the 2004 KBS family drama More Beautiful than a Flower, he was expected to have a successful career as a lead actor. However, he was badly injured while performing a stunt and his film contracts kept being withdrawn. This series of unfortunate events led him to quit stage acting in 2004.[9] Kim then decided to end his acting career and emigrate to New Zealand with his family following the birth of his son.[10] A turning point came in his career when he was given the opportunity to play the lead role in the 2004-2005 historical drama Immortal Admiral Yi Sun-sin after producers viewed his work in More Beautiful than a Flower. The 104-episode TV series based on the life of Korea's hero of the Imjin War put Kim in the spotlight[11][12] and brought him a host of awards including Grand Prize at KBS Drama Awards.

Mainstream success

edit

Kim was then cast in leading roles, playing a comical ex-gangster in Bad Family and a detective in Open City.[13][14] He then played a surgeon in two productions: the television series White Tower and film Wide Awake.[15][16] White Tower was a critical and ratings hit in South Korea, gaining praise for its acting (particularly by Kim), writing, direction, and its intelligent and uncompromising story without concessions to melodrama or romance.[17][18] Kim won the Best Actor awards at the year-end Baeksang Arts Awards and Grimae Awards, and was chosen as the Best Performer of the year by producers.

Subsequently, his performance as a maestro in the 2008 TV series Beethoven Virus created a sensation in Korea referred to as "Kang Mae Syndrome" and again earned him acclaim from critics and viewers.[19][20] Kim received the Grand Prize (Daesang) at the MBC Drama Awards and his second Baeksang for Best Actor in television. In late 2008, it was announced that his next project was a film about a character living with Lou Gehrig's disease, titled Closer to Heaven.[21] To realistically portray the role of the dying patient, Kim painstakingly lost 20 kilos during the course of the filming.[22] Kim was widely commended for this feat, and won Best Actor Awards in Korea's leading film ceremonies, the 46th Grand Bell Awards and the 30th Blue Dragon Film Awards.[23] Closer to Heaven was followed by another film, Man of Vendetta, where Kim portrayed the role of a father for the first time.[4]

In January 2011, Kim took on the role of Joseon's Sherlock Holmes in historical comedy-mystery film Detective K: Secret of the Virtuous Widow.[24] He then starred in sports movie, Pacemaker, where he played a marathon runner.[25] Summer of 2012 saw Kim as a pharmaceutical agent in disaster movie Deranged.[26] The film, directed by Park Jung-woo became the fastest Korean film in 2012 to reach 2 million admissions, eight days after its July 5 release date.[27] and topped the box office for three consecutive weeks.[28] Kim then starred in The Spies, his second collaboration with Woo Min-ho, director of his 2010 film, Man of Vendetta. The film is centered on a North Korean agent and his three comrades who are working undercover in South Korea.[29]

Kim made a comeback to the small screen after four years in satire dramedy The King of Dramas, where he played a drama production company CEO.[30] He next played a brilliant but cynical lawyer who gets into an accident and loses his memory in A New Leaf (2014).[31] In 2015, Kim reprised his role as Detective K in Detective K: Secret of the Lost Island, the second installment in the Detective K series.[32] The historical television series Six Flying Dragons followed, in which he played Jeong Do-jeon, who served as the first prime minister of the Joseon dynasty.[33][34] He next starred in the disaster film Pandora, portraying the aftermath of an explosion in a nuclear plant.[35] Crime drama Proof of Innocence followed, where Kim played a former cop-turned-legal broker.[36]

In 2017, Kim starred in the noir film V.I.P, playing a police detective.;[37] followed by mystery thriller A Day. The same year, he was cast in the period comedy film Monstrum.[38] In 2018, Kim again reprised his role as Detective K in Detective K: Secret of the Living Dead, the third installment in the Detective K series.[39] The same year, he returned to the small screen in the melodrama Miracle That We Met.[40] which won him another Grand Prize at the KBS Drama Awards. In 2019, Kim starred in the war film The Battle of Jangsari.[41] In 2021, he starred in the legal drama series Law School playing a prosecutor-turned-professor who teaches criminal law.[42] In 2022, it was reported that the contract with agency C-JeS Entertainment Kim's has expired.[43] Later the same day it was confirmed that the original agency contract had expired.[44]

Filmography

edit

Film

edit
Year Title Role
2001 Sorum Yong-hyun
2003 Into the Mirror Ha Hyun-su
2007 Return Ryu Jae-woo
2008 Open City Jo Dae-yeong
2009 Closer to Heaven Baek Jong-woo
2010 Man of Vendetta Joo Young-soo
2011 Detective K: Secret of the Virtuous Widow Kim Min "Detective K"
Pacemaker Joo Man-ho
2012 Deranged Jae-hyuk
The Spies Section Chief Kim
2015 Detective K: Secret of the Lost Island Kim Min "Detective K"
2016 The Great Actor (cameo)
Pandora South Korean President
Proof of Innocence Choi Pil-jae
2017 VIP Chae Yi-do
A Day Kim Joon-young
2018 Detective K: Secret of the Living Dead Kim Min ("Detective K")
Monstrum Yoon-gyeom
2019 The Battle of Jangsari Lee Myung-joon

Television series

edit
Year Title Role
1999 KAIST Kim Hyun-moo
2000 Some Like it Hot Choi Jin-sang
Look Back in Anger Kim Suk-gyu
2001 A Father and a Son Jae-doo
2004 More Beautiful Than a Flower Jang In-chul
Immortal Admiral Yi Sun-sin Yi Sun-sin
2006 Bad Family Oh Dal-geon
2007 Behind the White Tower Jang Joon-hyuk
2008 Beethoven Virus Kang Gun-woo / Kang Mae
2012 The King of Dramas Anthony Kim
2014 A New Leaf Kim Seok-joo
2015–16 Six Flying Dragons "Sambong" Jeong Do-jeon
2018 The Miracle We Met Song Hyun-chul (A)
2021 Law School Yang Jong-hoon
2024 Your Honor Kim Kang-heon
TBA Double Spy Bong Tae-il

Music video

edit
Year Song title Artist
1999 Blue Lee Kyung-sub
2001 Landscape Lee Jung-bong

Discography

edit
Year Title
2009 Kim Myung-min Classics Maestro

Publicity ambassador

edit
  • 2010 Seoul National University Bundang Hospital Goodwill Ambassador
  • 2009 Korea Dental Association, "Ambassador for Oral Hygiene"
  • 2008 Kia Soul CUV
  • 2007 Oral Health Care Campaign, "OQ Publicity Ambassador"
  • 2007 National Election Commission, "Clean Election Publicity Ambassador"
  • 2007 Yeon-se Severance Health Publicity Ambassador
  • 2006 National Pension Service
  • 2005 Social Welfare Society
  • 2005 The Great Admiral Lee Soon-shin Festival

Awards and nominations

edit
Year Award Category Nominated work Result
2000 MBC Drama Awards Best New Actor Some Like It Hot Won
2001 2nd Busan Film Critics Awards Sorum Won
4th Director's Cut Awards Won
22nd Blue Dragon Film Awards Nominated
2002 38th Baeksang Arts Awards Best New Actor Nominated
2004 KBS Drama Awards Excellence Award, Actor More Beautiful Than a Flower Nominated
2005 41st Baeksang Arts Awards Best Actor Immortal Admiral Yi Sun-sin Nominated
18th Grimae Awards Best Actor Won
KBS Drama Awards Grand Prize Won [45]
Top Excellence Award, Actor Nominated
6th Korea Visual Arts Festival Photogenic Award Won
2006 33rd Korea Broadcasting Awards Best Talent Won
SBS Drama Awards Top Excellence Award, Actor Bad Family Nominated
PD Award Won
Fighting Adversity Award Won
2007 19th Korean Broadcasting Producers Award. Best Performer Immortal Admiral Yi Sun-sin Won [46]
MBC Drama Awards Top Excellence Award, Actor White Tower Won [47]
43rd Baeksang Arts Awards Best Actor Won
20th Grimae Awards Best Actor Won
2008 20th Korean Broadcasting Producers Award Best Performer Won [48]
MBC Drama Awards Grand Prize Beethoven Virus Won [49]
Top Excellence Award, Actor Nominated
9th Broadcaster Awards Best Performance Won
The 2nd Korea Drama Awards Grand Prize Won [50]
Top Excellence Award, Actor Nominated
4th Seoul International Drama Awards Best Actor Nominated
2009 45th Baeksang Arts Awards Best Actor Won
21st Korean Broadcasting Producers Award Best Performer Won
36th Korea Broadcasting Association Awards Best Actor Won
46th Grand Bell Awards Closer to Heaven Won [51]
Popularity Award Won
30th Blue Dragon Film Awards Best Actor Won [23]
2010 7th Max Movie Awards Nominated
2011 20th Buil Film Awards Detective K: Secret of the Virtuous Widow Nominated
2012 49th Grand Bell Awards Pacemaker Nominated
SBS Drama Awards Top Excellence Award, Actor in a Miniseries The King of Dramas Nominated
2014 MBC Drama Awards Top Excellence Award, Actor A New Leaf Nominated
2015 Korean Film Actors Guild Awards Top Star Award Detective K: Secret of the Lost Island Won [52]
SBS Drama Awards Top Excellence Award, Actor in a Serial Drama Six Flying Dragons Nominated
2016 5th APAN Star Awards Nominated
2018 32nd KBS Drama Awards Grand Prize The Miracle We Met Won [53]
Top Excellence Award, Actor Nominated
Excellence Award, Actor in a Mid-length Drama Nominated
Best Couple (with Ra Mi-ran) Won
Netizen Award Won

Listicles

edit
Name of publisher, year listed, name of listicle, and placement
Publisher Year Listicle Placement Ref.
Forbes 2010 Korea Power Celebrity 16th [54]
The Screen 2019 2009–2019 Top Box Office Powerhouse Actors in Korean Movies 23rd [55]

References

edit
  1. ^ "김명민". Cinefox (씨네폭스) (in Korean). Archived from the original on 2023-12-17. Retrieved 2023-12-17.
  2. ^ Lee, Ji-young (23 February 2015). "KIM Myung-min of DETECTIVE K: SECRET OF THE LOST ISLAND: "I hope this film series will be remembered by the film industry"". Korean Cinema Today. Archived from the original on 2020-11-25. Retrieved 2015-04-05.
  3. ^ "Bankable Actor KIM Myung-min". Koreanfilm. 18 September 2018. Archived from the original on 25 November 2020. Retrieved 21 September 2018.
  4. ^ a b "Actor faces a new test: Faith". Korea JoongAng Daily. 18 June 2010. Archived from the original on 20 December 2021. Retrieved 5 February 2018.
  5. ^ "Entertainment Weekly - Meeting with Actor 'Kim Myung Min' (2013.04.11)". YouTube. 16 April 2013. Archived from the original on 22 October 2022. Retrieved 22 October 2022.
  6. ^ Cineline: Cineline profile of Kim Myung Min Archived 2024-08-29 at the Wayback Machine last retrieved: 16 April 2000
  7. ^ a b Cine21: 그가 그린 마음의 지옥도, <소름>의 김명민 Archived 2018-02-12 at the Wayback Machine last retrieved: 16 April 2000
  8. ^ Mydaily: 김명민 대상의 원동력과 값진 의미? Archived 2024-08-29 at the Wayback Machine last retrieved: 16 April 2000
  9. ^ "Intensity and sense of purpose create the materials for a star". Korea JoongAng Daily. 22 August 2007. Archived from the original on 6 February 2018. Retrieved 5 February 2018.
  10. ^ "Star Zoom In : Kim Myungmin [Entertainment Weekly / 2017.06.26]". YouTube. 26 June 2017. Archived from the original on 22 October 2022. Retrieved 22 October 2022.
  11. ^ "Admiral Yi Sun-shin moves nation". HanCinema. The Korea Herald. 15 August 2005. Archived from the original on 9 February 2019. Retrieved 5 February 2018.
  12. ^ Hancinema: "Immortal Admiral Yi Sun-shin" Gains Popularity in China Archived 2008-12-01 at the Wayback Machine last retrieved: 7 December 2008
  13. ^ "Kim Myung-min Casted In Movie, "Open City"". HanCinema. Broasia. 27 June 2007. Archived from the original on 6 February 2018. Retrieved 5 February 2018.
  14. ^ "SON Ye-jin and KIM Myeong-min tangle in "Open City"". HanCinema. Korean Film Biz Zone. 9 January 2008. Archived from the original on 6 February 2018. Retrieved 5 February 2018.
  15. ^ "Kim Myung-min Still Haunted by 'White Tower' Role". The Chosun Ilbo. 16 March 2007. Archived from the original on 5 February 2018. Retrieved 5 February 2018.
  16. ^ "Kim Myung-min, "You can expect a different image from 'White Tower'"". HanCinema. Broasia. 9 July 2007. Archived from the original on 6 February 2018. Retrieved 5 February 2018.
  17. ^ "TV Review: In the White Tower, all you need is power". Korea JoongAng Daily. February 13, 2007. Archived from the original on June 29, 2013. Retrieved May 20, 2013.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: unfit URL (link)
  18. ^ "Korea in the Grip of U.S. Soap Fever". The Chosun Ilbo. May 22, 2007. Archived from the original on December 21, 2013. Retrieved May 20, 2013.
  19. ^ Hancinema: Kang "Mae Syndrome" Sweeps Marketing last retrieved: 7 December 2008
  20. ^ "Beethoven Virus Interview with Kim Myung-min". MBC Global Media. 26 September 2008. Archived from the original on 1 December 2014.
  21. ^ "PARK Jin-pyo casts KIM Myung-min". Korean Film Biz Zone. 19 December 2008.
  22. ^ "Kim Myung-min Goes to the Edge for New Film". The Chosun Ilbo. 26 September 2009. Archived from the original on 6 February 2018. Retrieved 5 February 2018.
  23. ^ a b Park, Sun-young. "‘Closer to Heaven’ actors win Blue Dragon awards Archived 2024-08-29 at the Wayback Machine". Korea JoongAng Daily. 4 December 2009. Retrieved on 11 November 2009.
  24. ^ "Actors enliven uncanny period adventure". The Korea Times. 20 January 2011. Archived from the original on 4 March 2016. Retrieved 5 February 2018.
  25. ^ "'Pacemaker' fetes unsung sports heroes". The Korea Times. 4 January 2012. Archived from the original on 24 June 2022. Retrieved 5 February 2018.
  26. ^ "Kim Myung-min cast in distaster [sic] film". 10 Asia. 24 August 2011. Archived from the original on 6 February 2018. Retrieved 5 February 2018.
  27. ^ <Deranged> fastest to 2 million admissions in 2012 Archived 2018-02-12 at the Wayback Machine". Korean Film Biz Zone. 18 July 2012. Retrieved on 23 September 2012.
  28. ^ Lucia Hong. ""Deranged" continues to perch atop the box office Archived 2016-03-03 at the Wayback Machine". 10Asia, 16 July 2012. Retrieved on 23 September 2012.
  29. ^ "'The Spy,' 'Covertness' offer different takes on espionage". Korea JoongAng Daily. 21 September 2012. Archived from the original on 6 February 2018. Retrieved 5 February 2018.
  30. ^ Lee Hye. "Kim Myung-min to turn into TV series producer in new comedy" Archived 2013-12-15 at the Wayback Machine. 10Asia, 25 July 2012. Retrieved on 23 September 2012.
  31. ^ "Managing expectations". The Korea Herald. 30 April 2014. Archived from the original on 28 June 2022. Retrieved 5 February 2018.
  32. ^ Tae, Sang-joon (16 June 2014). "DETECTIVE K: LABORER'S DAUGHTER to Crankin in June". Korean Film Biz Zone. Archived from the original on 2023-04-06. Retrieved 2014-12-15.
  33. ^ "Kim Myung-min to once again immerse in character". Kpop Herald. 27 October 2015. Archived from the original on 29 August 2024. Retrieved 7 March 2018.
  34. ^ "Who are the 'Six Flying Dragons'?". Kpop Herald. 22 September 2015. Archived from the original on 29 August 2024. Retrieved 5 February 2018.
  35. ^ "Disaster movie 'Pandora' rings true more than ever". The Korea Times. 4 December 2016. Archived from the original on 29 August 2024. Retrieved 1 May 2024.
  36. ^ "[In-depth] "Proof of Innocence" Kim Myung-min, "I want to try to be a psychopath one day"". HanCinema. Asiae. 2 June 2016. Archived from the original on 6 February 2018. Retrieved 5 February 2018.
  37. ^ "Star-studded cast comes together to stop killer". Korea JoongAng Daily. 18 August 2017. Archived from the original on 25 August 2017. Retrieved 5 February 2018.
  38. ^ "'Mulgoe' wraps up three months of filming". Korea JoongAng Daily. 28 July 2017. Archived from the original on 29 August 2024. Retrieved 5 February 2018.
  39. ^ "Hit period comedy 'Detective K' returns for round 3". Korea JoongAng Daily. 2 February 2018. Archived from the original on 18 November 2018. Retrieved 5 February 2018.
  40. ^ "Actor Kim Myung-min to return to small screen with new KBS 2TV drama". Kpop Herald. 5 February 2018. Archived from the original on 9 February 2019. Retrieved 5 February 2018.
  41. ^ "'Battle of Jangsari' stars honor forgotten heroes". Korea JoongAng Daily. August 22, 2019. Archived from the original on September 1, 2019. Retrieved September 1, 2019.
  42. ^ "Law School | Netflix Official Site". Netflix. Archived from the original on 2024-08-29. Retrieved 2021-09-04.
  43. ^ Kim, Hyun-jeong (June 2, 2022). "[단독] 김명민, FA 나왔다" [[Exclusive] Kim Myung-min, free agent] (in Korean). X-ports News. Archived from the original on June 2, 2022. Retrieved June 2, 2022 – via Naver.
  44. ^ Park, Jeong-min (June 2, 2022). "김명민, FA 나왔다…전 소속사와 전속계약 만료[공식]" [Kim Myung-min, FA came out... Expiration of exclusive contract with former agency [Official]] (in Korean). Newsen. Archived from the original on June 3, 2022. Retrieved June 3, 2022 – via Naver.
  45. ^ "TV Networks Hand Out Awards". HanCinema. The Korea Times. 1 January 2006. Archived from the original on 26 January 2018. Retrieved 5 February 2018.
  46. ^ "Song Il-gook Voted TV Performer of the Year". HanCinema. KBS World. 16 February 2007. Archived from the original on 15 December 2018. Retrieved 5 February 2018.
  47. ^ "2007 Year-end Korean drama awards round-up". HanCinema. 7 January 2008. Archived from the original on 27 September 2020. Retrieved 5 February 2018.
  48. ^ "TV Producers Pick the Year's Favorites". HanCinema. KBS World. 29 February 2008. Archived from the original on 7 February 2019. Retrieved 5 February 2018.
  49. ^ "MBC Should Be Ashamed of Farcical Awards". The Chosun Ilbo. 2 January 2009. Archived from the original on 11 August 2017. Retrieved 5 February 2018.
  50. ^ "Actor Kim Wins Top Prize at Korea Drama Festival Awards". HanCinema. The Korea Times. 2 November 2008. Archived from the original on 8 November 2008. Retrieved 5 February 2018.
  51. ^ Han, Sang-hee (8 November 2009). "Grand Bell Film Fest Puzzles Movie Fans". The Korea Times. Archived from the original on 5 November 2014. Retrieved 18 August 2015.
  52. ^ "Kim Myung-min and Son Hyun-joo, TOP actors". HanCinema. Nate. 18 June 2015. Archived from the original on 8 July 2019. Retrieved 5 February 2018.
  53. ^ Woo, Bin (January 1, 2019). [2018 KBS 연기대상] 유동근 대상 "장미희 덕분인데 내가 왜..대하드라마 부활 기원" [[2018 KBS Drama Awards] Donggeun Lee Grand Prize "Why am I ... thanks to Jang Mi-hee.]. Ten Asia (in Korean). Archived from the original on January 1, 2019. Retrieved January 1, 2019 – via Naver.
  54. ^ "In Pictures: Korea's Power Celebrity List". Forbes. July 19, 2010. Archived from the original on March 31, 2019. Retrieved May 24, 2021.
  55. ^ "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. Retrieved 2023-10-30.
edit
Retrieved from "https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Kim_Myung-min&oldid=1242966334"