Daniel Dae Kim

Daniel Dae Kim (born August 4, 1968) is an American actor. He is known for his many roles in network television and theater. In 2025, ''Time'' magazine listed him as one of the world's 100 most influential people.

On television, he portrayed Jin-Soo Kwon in the ABC sci-fi action series '' Lost'' (2004–2010) and Chin Ho Kelly in the CBS police procedureal '' Hawaii Five-0'' (2010–2017). He has also taken recurring roles in ''Angel'', '' Star Trek: Enterprise'', '' ER'', and '' 24''. On film, he has taken roles in '' Hellboy'' (2019), '' Always Be My Maybe'' (2019), '' Raya and the Last Dragon'' (2021), and '' Joy Ride'' (2023). He also played Jack Kang in two of the ''Divergent'' films: ''Insurgent'' (2015), and ''Allegiant'' (2016). He runs production company 3AD, which produced the television series ''The Good Doctor''.

On stage, he starred in the revival of David Henry Hwang's play '' Yellow Face'' (2024) for which he was nominated for a Tony Award for Best Actor in a Play. He has also portrayed The King in a revival of ''The King and I'' in 2009 at Royal Albert Hall and again in Lincoln Center in 2016.

Early life and education

Kim was born on August 4, 1968, in Busan, South Korea, to mother Jung Kim and father Doo-tae Kim. He moved to the United States with his family when he was one year old and grew up in New York City, and Easton and Bethlehem, Pennsylvania. He graduated from Freedom High School in Bethlehem in the Lehigh Valley region of eastern Pennsylvania.

In 1990, Kim graduated from Haverford College in Haverford, Pennsylvania with double bachelor's degrees in theater and political science. While attending Haverford, he spent the 1989 spring semester studying at the National Theater Institute at the Eugene O'Neill Theater Center. He later earned an MFA from New York University's Graduate Acting Program in 1996.

Career

After graduation, Kim made a name for himself playing numerous roles in a wide variety of television programs. He appeared in '' CSI: Crime Scene Investigation'' as a treasury agent as well as episodes of '' Star Trek: Voyager'', '' Star Trek: Enterprise'', ''Charmed'', '' The Shield'', ''Seinfeld'', ''NYPD Blue'', and '' ER''. He was a regular on the short-lived ''Babylon 5'' spin-off ''Crusade'' and had recurring roles on ''Angel'' and '' 24''. He also portrayed Dr. Tsi Chou in a 2008 miniseries based on the acclaimed Michael Crichton novel ''The Andromeda Strain''.

Kim's film credits include a Shaolin monk in '' American Shaolin'' (1992), which enabled him to showcase his skills in Tae Kwon Do. Then came a small part in '' Spider-Man 2'' (2004) as a scientist working in Doctor Octavius' laboratory, and the drama '' Crash'' (2004). He also had minor roles in films such as '' The Jackal'' (1997), '' For Love of the Game'' (1999), ''Hulk'' (2003), and '' The Cave'' (2005).

2004–2010: ''Lost'' and mainstream prominence

From 2004 to 2010, Kim served as a regular cast member on the ABC series '' Lost'', in which he played Jin-Soo Kwon, a lowly Korean fisherman-turned-hitman who crashes onto a mysterious island with his wife, Sun-Hwa Kwon ( Yunjin Kim). Since the role required him to speak exclusively in Korean, he said he was forced to quickly relearn the language, which he had not spoken with any great frequency since high school. He would go on to play the character up until the 2010 series finale.

Throughout the show's run, he and fellow cast members received numerous accolades, including a 2006 Screen Actors Guild Award for Best Ensemble. He was individually honored with an AZN Asian Excellence Award, a Multicultural Prism Award, and a Vanguard Award from the Korean American Coalition, all for Outstanding Performance by an Actor. Kim was named one of ''People Magazine's'' "Sexiest Men Alive" in 2005.

Kim provided the voice of the character Johnny Gat for the '' Saints Row'' video game series, which debuted in 2006. That same year, Kim provided the voice for Metron in the final two episodes of ''Justice League Unlimited''.

Kim played the King of Siam in Rodgers & Hammerstein's ''The King and I'' from June 12 to 28, 2009 at the Royal Albert Hall in London, England.

In January 2016, it was announced Kim would make his Broadway debut as the King of Siam in Rodgers & Hammerstein's ''The King and I'' from May 3 – June 26, 2016, at the Lincoln Center Theatre in New York.

2010–2017: ''Hawaii Five-0''

In February 2010, shortly after '' Lost'''s conclusion, it was announced that Kim would join the CBS reboot '' Hawaii Five-0'' as Chin Ho Kelly, the role originally made famous by actor Kam Fong. He was the first actor to be officially cast on the show. That series premiered on September 20, 2010, to strong ratings and solid critical acclaim.

He served as a speaker at the 2014 University of Hawaii commencement ceremony.

Kim made his directorial debut with the ''Hawaii Five-0'' season five episode "Kuka'awale". He departed the show together with Grace Park, the female lead, in late June 2017 prior to the eighth season due to a salary dispute with CBS. They had been seeking pay equality with co-stars Alex O'Loughlin and Scott Caan, but CBS would not agree to it. It was the first time since the reboot started that the show did not feature any Asian actors in the main cast.

Kim co-starred in '' The Divergent Series: Insurgent'', the sequel to 2014's '' Divergent'', playing Jack Kang, the leader of the Candor faction.

2018–present: Producing and ''The Good Doctor''

As the founder of the film and television production company 3AD, Kim in January 2014 signed a first-look development deal with CBS Television Studios, the first of its kind with an Asian-American actor. 3AD is currently producing the ABC television series ''The Good Doctor'', based on the 2013 South Korean series of the same name. He is an executive producer on ''The Good Doctor'' and joined the show during its second season in the role of chief of surgery, Dr. Jackson Han.

In 2019, Kim played the role of Ben Daimio in the reboot film '' Hellboy''. He replaced Ed Skrein in the role to avoid a whitewashing controversy, as the character was Asian-American in the original comics. Kim provides the voice of Chief Benja in the Disney animated film '' Raya and the Last Dragon'', which was released in March 2021.

In August and September 2023, he portrayed Francis in the Los Angeles production of '' Peter Pan Goes Wrong''.

Kim played the lead role in the Broadway production of '' Yellow Face'' in 2024, becoming the first Asian American actor to be nominated for the Tony Award for Best Actor in a Play.

Activism

Kim has voiced concerns about Asian American discrimination in the United States. After testing positive for COVID-19, he spoke out against the xenophobia and racism related to the COVID-19 pandemic, stating: "Please, please stop the prejudice and senseless violence against Asian people. ... Yes, I'm Asian. And yes, I have coronavirus. But I did not get it from China, I got it in America. In New York City. Despite what certain political leaders want to call it, I don't consider the place where it's from as important as the people who are sick and dying."

Prior to the 2022 runoff election in Georgia, Kim tweeted about state laws that make it challenging for students at Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs) to establish their eligibility to vote, citing VoteRiders as a resource for more information about valid voter ID.

Personal life

On June 12, 1993, Kim married Mia Rhee. They have two sons who were born in 1996 and 2002.

During production of '' Lost'', Kim and his family split their residency between Los Angeles and Hawaii. He continued his residency in Hawaii after being cast in '' Hawaii Five-0''.

Kim is an avid collector of fine vintage watches. Some of his watches from his personal collection have been featured in some of his films.

Filmography

Film

Television

Theater

Video games

Podcasts

Documentary

Awards and nominations

References

External links

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* with ''Patrol'' magazine

{{DEFAULTSORT:Kim, Daniel Dae
1968 births
20th-century American male actors
21st-century American male actors
American male actors of Korean descent
American male film actors
American male musical theatre actors
American male television actors
American male video game actors
American male voice actors
Bryn Mawr College alumni
Freedom High School (Pennsylvania) alumni
Haverford College alumni
IHQ (company) artists
Living people
Male actors from Busan
Male actors from Honolulu
Male actors from Pennsylvania
People from Easton, Pennsylvania
South Korean emigrants to the United States
South Korean expatriates in the United States
Tisch School of the Arts alumni