Kim Woo-bin facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Kim Woo-bin
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Kim in March 2024
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| Born |
Kim Hyun-joong
July 16, 1989 Seoul, South Korea
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| Alma mater | Jeonju University |
| Occupation |
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| Years active | 2009–present |
| Agent | AM Entertainment |
| Height | 188 cm (6 ft 2 in) |
| Partner(s) | Shin Min-a (2015–present) |
| Korean name | |
| Hangul |
김우빈
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| Hanja |
金宇彬
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| Revised Romanization | Gim Ubin |
| McCune–Reischauer | Kim Ubin |
| Birth name | |
| Hangul |
김현중
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| Hanja |
金賢中
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| Revised Romanization | Gim Hyeonjung |
| McCune–Reischauer | Kim Hyŏnchung |
| Signature | |
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Kim Woo-bin (born Kim Hyun-joong on July 16, 1989) is a famous South Korean actor and model. He started his career walking on fashion runways. Later, he became an actor.
He first appeared in the TV drama White Christmas. Kim Woo-bin became well-known after starring in School 2013 (2012–2013) and The Heirs (2013). He also acted in popular movies like Twenty (2015) and Master (2016). In 2016, he played his first main role in a TV show called Uncontrollably Fond.
In 2017, Kim Woo-bin took a break from acting because he was diagnosed with nasopharyngeal cancer. He bravely fought the illness and returned to acting in 2022 with the TV series Our Blues.
Contents
Kim Woo-bin's Career Journey
Starting as a Model (2009–2012)
Kim Woo-bin dreamed of being a model since he was in high school. He began his modeling career in 2009 when he was 20 years old. He walked in many fashion shows, including Seoul Fashion Week.
As he became a successful model, he started appearing in commercials. He also began taking acting lessons. Kim Woo-bin quickly fell in love with acting. He said it gave him the same excitement as his first time on the runway.
He chose the stage name Kim Woo-bin for his acting career. In 2011, he made his acting debut in the mystery drama White Christmas. He also appeared in a comedy show called Vampire Idol.
In 2012, he had a supporting role in the romantic comedy A Gentleman's Dignity. This drama was written by the famous writer Kim Eun-sook. He also made a special guest appearance in To the Beautiful You, a drama based on a popular manga.
Becoming a Popular Star (2013)
The year 2013 was a big one for Kim Woo-bin. He starred in two hit dramas and one movie. First, he was in the teen drama School 2013. For his role, he won his first acting award for Best New Actor.
Later that year, he joined another teen drama by Kim Eun-sook, called The Heirs. This show became very popular in South Korea and around the world. It was watched by many people and had over a million views on the Chinese streaming website iQiyi. Because of The Heirs, Kim Woo-bin became very famous overseas. This led to many new advertising deals and acting offers for him.
Kim Woo-bin then took on his first major movie role in Friend: The Great Legacy. This film was a sequel to the successful 2001 movie Friend. He played a young gang member and received good reviews for his performance. Also in 2013, he became the host of the music TV show M! Countdown.
Film Success and Health Break (2014–2017)
After becoming very popular in 2013, Kim Woo-bin continued to work on big movie projects. In 2014, he starred in the heist movie The Con Artists. In this film, he played a skilled safe-cracker. In 2015, he showed his funny side in the comedy film Twenty.
He also became the first East Asian model for Calvin Klein Watches + Jewelry.
In 2015, Kim Woo-bin got his first main role in a TV drama called Uncontrollably Fond. This drama started airing in July 2016.
He then starred in the crime action movie Master with famous actors Lee Byung-hun and Kang Dong-won. The movie was released in December 2016 and was one of the top-selling films in South Korea that year.
In 2017, Kim Woo-bin was supposed to star in another crime film called Wiretap. However, this project was put on hold so he could get treatment for cancer.
Return to Acting (2020–Present)
On March 11, 2020, it was announced that Kim Woo-bin would return to acting. His comeback movie was the sci-fi film Alienoid. He starred alongside Ryu Jun-yeol and Kim Tae-ri. The movie came out in July 2022, and Kim Woo-bin played a character named 'Guard' who managed alien prisoners.
Also in 2022, Kim Woo-bin appeared in the TV series Our Blues, written by the well-known writer Noh Hee-kyung. He also starred in the Netflix original series Black Knight.
Personal Life
Friendships and Relationships
Kim Woo-bin is very good friends with fellow model and actor Lee Jong-suk. They met during their modeling days and also starred together in School 2013.
Since May 2015, Kim Woo-bin has been in a relationship with actress and model Shin Min-a.
Health and Giving Back
On May 24, 2017, Kim Woo-bin was diagnosed with nasopharyngeal cancer. His agency announced that he would stop all activities to focus on his treatment. On December 29, he shared in a letter that he had finished his treatment. He was later excused from military service due to his health.
Kim Woo-bin is also known for his kindness. On March 8, 2022, he donated ₩100 million to help victims of large wildfires in South Korea. On Christmas Day, he sent gifts and handwritten letters to about 200 children in a hospital in Seoul.
In January 2023, he donated ₩100 million to a medical center in Seoul to help patients who couldn't afford treatment. He plans to donate another ₩100 million in January 2025.
Ambassador Roles
Kim Woo-bin has been chosen as an ambassador for several important causes and organizations:
- In 2013, he became an honorary ambassador for his old university, Jeonju University.
- He was also appointed as a public relations ambassador for the 2013 Suwon Information Science Festival.
- He became an ambassador for the "Good Downloader Campaign," which encourages people to legally download movies.
- In 2015, he was chosen as a promotional ambassador for CGV Arthouse, a cinema chain that shows independent films.
- In April 2017, Kim Woo-bin was named an honorary ambassador for the 2018 Winter Olympics in Pyeongchang, South Korea. He was set to help promote the big event.
Filmography
Movies
| Year | Title | Role | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2012 | Runway Cop | Cameo | |
| 2013 | Friend: The Great Legacy | Han Sung-hoon | |
| 2014 | The Con Artists | Ji-hyuk | |
| 2015 | Twenty | Chi-ho | |
| 2016 | Master | Park Jang-goon | |
| 2021 | Like Father, Like Son | Narrator | Barrier-free version |
| 2022 | Alienoid | Guard | |
| 2024 | Alienoid: Return to the Future | ||
| Officer Black Belt | Lee Jung-do | Netflix film |
TV Series
| Year | Title | Role | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2011 | White Christmas | Kang Mi-reu | |
| Cupid Factory | Roy | Drama Special | |
| Vampire Idol | Woo-bin | ||
| 2012 | A Gentleman's Dignity | Kim Dong-hyub | |
| To the Beautiful You | John Kim | guest, episodes 9-11 | |
| 2013 | School 2013 | Park Heung-soo | |
| 2013 | The Heirs | Choi Young-do | |
| 2016 | Uncontrollably Fond | Shin Joon-young | |
| 2022 | Our Blues | Park Jeong-joon |
Web Series
| Year | Title | Role |
|---|---|---|
| 2014 | Love Cells | Love cell hunter |
| 2023 | Black Knight | 5–8 |
| 2024 | All The Love You Wish For | Genie |
TV Shows
| Year | Title | Role |
|---|---|---|
| 2023 | GBRB Reap What You Sow | Cast Member |
Hosting and Documentaries
| Year | Title |
|---|---|
| 2013–2014 | M Countdown |
| 2020 | Humanimal |
Music Videos
| Year | Title | Artist |
|---|---|---|
| 2009 | Kiss | Dara |
| 2013 | Don't Mess With Me | 2Eyes |
Awards and Recognition
Kim Woo-bin has won several awards for his acting and modeling:
- In 2013, he won Best New Actor at the APAN Star Awards for School 2013.
- He also won the New Star Award at the Asia Model Awards in 2013.
- In 2014, he received the Popular Star Award at the Blue Dragon Film Awards.
- He was recognized with the Fantasia Award at the Bucheon International Fantastic Film Festival in 2014.
- In 2015, he won the Popularity Award at the Korean Film Actors' Guild Awards for Twenty.
- He was named Best Model at the Korean Advertisers Association Awards in 2016.
See also
In Spanish: Kim Woo-bin para niños
