Kim Eui-sung facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Kim Eui-sung
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Kim Eui-sung in 2019
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| Born | December 17, 1965 |
| Education | Seoul National University (BBA) |
| Occupation | Actor |
| Years active | 1988–present |
| Agent | An Company |
| Korean name | |
| Hangul |
김의성
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| Hanja |
金義聖
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| RR | Gim Uiseong |
| MR | Kim Ŭisŏng |
Kim Eui-sung (Hangul: 김의성) is a talented South Korean actor. He was born on December 17, 1965. He started his acting journey on stage in the 1980s and 1990s. Kim Eui-sung is well-known for his roles in popular films like Train to Busan (2016). He also starred in TV shows such as W (2016) and Taxi Driver (2021-present).
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Kim Eui-sung's Early Life and School
Kim Eui-sung studied Business Administration at Seoul National University. He joined the drama club in his second year of college. This is where he found his passion for acting. He was inspired after watching a school play. He even performed plays with his friend, Jung Jin-young, traveling around the country. Before starting his film career, he worked with many theater groups from 1987.
Kim Eui-sung's Acting Journey
Starting His Acting Career
Kim Eui-sung first appeared on screen in 1988. He started getting noticed after being in the 1996 film The Day a Pig Fell into the Well. He also acted in other films and dramas during this time.
Taking a Break and Working Behind the Scenes
Kim Eui-sung took a break from acting for over ten years. During this time, he worked as a producer and CEO for media companies in Vietnam. He decided to step away from acting because he wasn't happy with his own performances. While in Vietnam, he helped create a successful local TV show.
Returning to the Screen
In 2010, Kim Eui-sung met director Hong Sang-soo again. This led to his return to acting in the film The Day He Arrives in 2011. He gained new attention for his role in The Face Reader. In 2015, he played Jeong Mong-ju in the drama Six Flying Dragons. His acting in a famous scene from that series was highly praised.
Since his return, he has appeared in many films. These include Architecture 101, Assassination, and Office.
Playing Villain Roles and Gaining Fame
In 2016, Kim Eui-sung played Yong-suk in the worldwide hit film Train to Busan. His role as a selfish business executive left a strong impression. This helped him become known for playing memorable "bad guy" characters. He also appeared in other popular films like The King and Extreme Job.
Kim Eui-sung became even more famous in the MBC drama W. He played Oh Sung-moo, a webtoon writer and the father of the main character. In 2017, he joined Artist Company, a talent agency. He also appeared in dramas like Mr. Sunshine and Memories of the Alhambra. He even hosted a TV exploration program called Straight.
In Mr. Sunshine, he played a complex character named Yi Wan-ik. This character was a cruel official who spoke Korean, Japanese, and English. His Japanese speaking was especially noted for being very good. In Memories of the Alhambra, he played a university professor who faced a strange fate due to a game bug.
Recent Projects and Success
In 2020, Kim Eui-sung joined a new agency called KeyEast.
In 2021, he took on a main role in the SBS drama Taxi Driver. He played Jang Sung-chul, a character who is good but also has a tough side. His performance was praised, and the show was very popular.
In 2022, he played Hwang Won-hyeong in the historical drama Under the Queen's Umbrella. He played another strong villain, having intense scenes with Kim Hye-soo and Kim Hae-sook. This series was a big success and became one of the highest-rated dramas on Korean cable TV.
In 2023, Kim Eui-sung appeared in the film 12.12: The Day. He played Minister Oh Guk-sang. Even though it was a supporting role, his acting made audiences feel strong emotions. The film was a huge success, earning a lot of money and becoming one of the highest-grossing Korean films of 2023. As of July 2025, it is one of the top-grossing films in South Korean history. Kim Eui-sung has since started his own agency, Ahn Company.
Kim Eui-sung's Filmography
Films
| Year | Title | Role | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1995 | Mom Has a Lover | ||
| 1996 | The Day a Pig Fell into the Well | Hyo-seop | |
| 1997 | 3pm Paradise | ||
| Barricade | |||
| 2011 | The Day He Arrives | Joong-won | |
| 2012 | 26 Years | Chief Choi | |
| National Security | Kang Su-hyeon | ||
| Architecture 101 | Professor Kang | ||
| 2013 | The Face Reader | Han Myung-hoi | |
| Running Man | Director Kim | ||
| Nobody's Daughter Haewon | Joong-won | ||
| The Suspect | Deputy department head Shin | ||
| 2014 | Big Match | Detective Do | |
| Hill of Freedom | Sang-won | ||
| Tabloid Truth | Park Young-jin | ||
| 2015 | Assassination | Butler of Kang family | |
| Minority Opinion | Prosecutor | ||
| The Priests | Dean of clergy | ||
| Office | Kim Sang-gyu | ||
| The Exclusive: Beat the Devil's Tattoo | Director Moon | ||
| Twenty | Chi-ho's father | ||
| The Deal | Son Myung-soo | ||
| Love Guide for Dumpees | Doctor | ||
| Inside Men | Editor-in-chief | ||
| 2016 | Train to Busan | Yon-suk | |
| The Truth Beneath | No Jae-soon | Special appearance | |
| A Quiet Dream | President | Special appearance | |
| Yourself and Yours | Kim Joong-haeng | ||
| A Star of Greed | Narrator | Documentary | |
| 2017 | The King | Kim Eung-soo | |
| The Reservoir Game | Voice | Documentary | |
| Steel Rain | Lee Ee-seong | ||
| 1987: When the Day Comes | Special appearance | ||
| 2018 | Golden Slumber | Mr. Min | |
| Rampant | King Lee Jo | ||
| The Man Only I Can See | Special appearance | ||
| 2019 | Extreme Job | Police superintendent | |
| Trade Your Love | Captain Chae | ||
| 2021 | The Book of Fish | Official Jang | Cameo |
| 2022 | Special Delivery | Baek Kang-cheol | |
| My Candle | Director | Documentary film | |
| Alienoid | Ja-jang | ||
| 2023 | 12.12: The Day | Oh Guk-sang | |
| 2024 | Alienoid: Return to the Future | Ja-jang | |
| 2025 | Lobby | Choi Woo-hyun |
Television Series
| Year | Title | Role | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2015 | Six Flying Dragons | Jeong Mong-ju | |
| 2016 | W | Oh Sung-moo / Han Sang-hoon | |
| 2018 | Mr. Sunshine | Lee Wan-ik | |
| Memories of the Alhambra | Cha Byung-jun | ||
| 2019 | My Fellow Citizens! | Kim Joo-myung | |
| 2019 | Arthdal Chronicles | Sang-ung | |
| 2021–present | Taxi Driver | Jang Sung-chul | Seasons 1–2 |
| 2022 | WeCrashed | Masayoshi Son | |
| Under the Queen's Umbrella | Hwang Won-hyeong | ||
| 2023 | Black Knight | Grandpa | |
| 2024 | Flex X Cop | himself | Cameo (ep. 1) |
| 2025 | The Trauma Code: Heroes on Call | Choi Jo-eun | |
| The Recruit | NIS Director Choi | ||
| Low Life | Professor Kim | ||
| Knock-Off | Bae Pil-gu |
Web Series
| Year | Title | Role | Ref. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2016 | Be Positive | Hwan-dong's father |
Theater Performances
| Year | Title | Role | Venue | Date | Ref. | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| English | Korean | |||||
| 2011 | Kang Full's Pure Love Comic | 순정만화 | Yeon-woo | Daehakro Gum Art Hall | April 26 | |
| 2012 | Into the Charm of Boeing Boeing!! GO! GO! | 연극 만원(滿員) 네 번째 보잉보잉의 매력 속으로!! GO! GO! | Seong-gi | Seongnam Arts Center Ensemble Theater | November 9 to 11 | |
| 2013 | Woman in Black | 우먼인블랙 | Dongsung Art Centre Small Theatre | June 26 to September 22 | ||
Awards and Nominations
Kim Eui-sung has won several awards for his acting. Here are some of them:
| Year | Award | Category | Nominated work | Result |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2014 | 50th Baeksang Arts Awards | Best Supporting Actor (film) | The Face Reader | Nominated |
| 2016 | 2016 MBC Drama Awards | Golden Acting Award, Actor in a Miniseries | W | Won |
| 5th APAN Star Awards | Acting Award, Actor | Won | ||
| 25th Buil Film Awards | Best Supporting Actor | Train to Busan | Won | |
| 37th Blue Dragon Film Awards | Nominated | |||
| 2017 | 22nd Chunsa Film Art Awards | Nominated | ||
| 53rd Baeksang Arts Awards | Best Supporting Actor (film) | Won | ||
| 2021 | SBS Drama Awards | Best Supporting Actor in a Mini-series Genre/Fantasy Drama | Taxi Driver | Won |
See also
In Spanish: Kim Eui-sung para niños
