Hyun Bin
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Kim Tae-pyung (; born September 25, 1982), better known by his
stage name A stage name or professional name is a pseudonym used by performers, authors, and entertainers—such as actors, comedians, singers, and musicians. The equivalent concept among writers is called a ''nom de plume'' (pen name). Some performers ...
Hyun Bin (), is a South Korean actor. Throughout his television and film career, he has been nominated for several awards, including five at the
Baeksang Arts Awards The Baeksang Arts Awards (), also known as the Paeksang Arts Awards, are awards for excellence in film, television and theatre in South Korea. The awards were introduced in 1965 by Chang Key-young, the founder of the newspaper ''Hankook Ilbo'', ...
, and won various accolades for his acting recognition, including the Grand Prize for Television at the 47th
Baeksang Arts Awards The Baeksang Arts Awards (), also known as the Paeksang Arts Awards, are awards for excellence in film, television and theatre in South Korea. The awards were introduced in 1965 by Chang Key-young, the founder of the newspaper ''Hankook Ilbo'', ...
. Hyun first gained widespread recognition for his role in the romantic comedy '' My Lovely Sam Soon'' (2005). Since then, he has played lead roles in successful television shows, including romantic fantasy dramas '' Secret Garden'' (2010–2011), ''
Memories of the Alhambra ''Memories of the Alhambra'' () is a 2018 South Korean television series, starring Hyun Bin and Park Shin-hye. Primarily set in Spain (and in South Korea in later episodes), the series centers on a company CEO and a hostel owner who get enta ...
'' (2018–2019), and romantic drama '' Crash Landing on You'' (2019–2020). His popularity was further widened by starring in a series of box office hits: period action ''
The Fatal Encounter ''The Fatal Encounter'' (; lit. ''The King's Wrath'') is a 2014 South Korean Period drama, period action film based on a real-life assassination attempt on Jeongjo of Joseon, King Jeongjo. Jeongjo is portrayed by Hyun Bin, in his first role in a pe ...
'' (2014), action thriller '' Confidential Assignment'' (2017) and its 2022 sequel, as well as crime thriller '' The Swindlers'' (2017). Hyun was named Gallup Korea's Television Actor of the Year in 2011. The international success of Hyun's works established him as a top
Hallyu The Korean Wave, or ''hallyu'' (; ), is a cultural phenomenon in which the global popularity of South Korean popular culture has dramatically risen since the 1990s. Worldwide interest in Korean culture has been led primarily by the spread of K- ...
star.


Career


2003–2007: Career beginnings and rise to stardom

Hyun Bin's first film was ''Shower'' in 2002. However, filming was stopped and was not released due to lack of proper funding. He eventually made his debut as an actor in the 2003 television series ''
Bodyguard A bodyguard (or close protection officer/operative) is a type of security guard, government law enforcement officer, or servicemember who protects an very important person, important person or group of people, such as high-ranking public offic ...
''. He then starred in the sitcom '' Nonstop 4'' and quirky romance drama ''
Ireland Ireland (, ; ; Ulster Scots dialect, Ulster-Scots: ) is an island in the North Atlantic Ocean, in Northwestern Europe. Geopolitically, the island is divided between the Republic of Ireland (officially Names of the Irish state, named Irelan ...
'',10LINE: Actor Hyun Bin
. ''10Asia''. December 2, 2009.
and made his film debut the same year in the youth sports film ''Spin Kick''. Hyun shot to stardom with the 2005 romantic comedy '' My Lovely Sam Soon'' with Kim Sun-a, for which Hyun won the Top Excellence Award at the
MBC Drama Awards The MBC Drama Awards () is an awards ceremony presented by Munhwa Broadcasting Corporation (MBC) for outstanding achievements in Korean dramas aired on its network. It is held annually in December. Unlike its counterparts in KBS and SBS, MBC ...
. ''My Lovely Sam Soon'' was a massive hit with average viewership ratings of over 37% and recorded 50.5% for the finale, making it one of the highest-rated Korean drama of all time. The high level popularity of the drama and his portrayal as Sam-sik established Hyun Bin as a top star in South Korea and a
Hallyu The Korean Wave, or ''hallyu'' (; ), is a cultural phenomenon in which the global popularity of South Korean popular culture has dramatically risen since the 1990s. Worldwide interest in Korean culture has been led primarily by the spread of K- ...
star as his popularity expanded beyond South Korea to Japan and other countries in Asia. Hyun starred in a lead role in his first film '' A Millionaire's First Love'', written by internet novelist Guiyeoni. The film was a hit with young audiences. Hyun's next television project was ''
The Snow Queen "The Snow Queen" () is an 1844 original fairy tale by Danish author Hans Christian Andersen. It was first published 21 December 1844 in ''New Fairy Tales. First Volume#New Fairy Tales. First Volume. Second Collection, New Fairy Tales. First Vo ...
'', although the series underperformed, it earned him his first Best Actor nomination at the
Baeksang Arts Awards The Baeksang Arts Awards (), also known as the Paeksang Arts Awards, are awards for excellence in film, television and theatre in South Korea. The awards were introduced in 1965 by Chang Key-young, the founder of the newspaper ''Hankook Ilbo'', ...
.


2008–2011: New career challenges and ''Secret Garden''

To expand his acting profile, Hyun started to choose more eclectic projects. In 2008, he acted in director Yoon Jong-chan's film '' I Am Happy'', playing as Man-soo, a man who suffered from mental illness. The film was selected to screen at the 13th
Busan International Film Festival The Busan International Film Festival (BIFF; ), formerly the Pusan International Film Festival (PIFF), held annually in Haeundae District, Busan, South Korea, is one of the most significant film festivals in Asia. The first festival, held fro ...
in 2008, but it was not released in theatres until late 2009. He later returned to television with '' Worlds Within'', which was well-received for
Noh Hee-kyung Noh Hee-kyung (; born March 21, 1966) is a South Korean television screenwriter and essayist. She is best known for her television dramas such as, '' That Winter, the Wind Blows'' (2013), '' It's Okay, That's Love'' (2014), '' Dear My Friends'' ( ...
's writing."Song Hye-go, Hyun Bin Star in New KBS Drama Series"
. ''KBS Global''. October 28, 2008. Retrieved November 11, 2011.
He was praised for his nuanced acting in the drama series. In 2009, Hyun drew critical acclaim with his portrayal as a sociopath in the
gangster A gangster (informally gangsta) is a criminal who is a member of a gang. Most gangs are considered to be part of organized crime. Gangsters are also called mobsters, a term derived from ''Organized crime, mob'' and the suffix ''wikt:-ster, -st ...
saga ''
Friend, Our Legend ''Friend, Our Legend'' () is a 2009 South Korean television series starring Hyun Bin, Kim Min-jun, Seo Do-young, Lee Si-eon and Wang Ji-hye. It aired on MBC from June 27 to August 30, 2009 on Saturdays and Sundays at 22:40 ( KST) for 20 epi ...
''. To prepare for his role, he reportedly watched
Kwak Kyung-taek Kwak Kyung-taek (; born 23 May 1966) is a South Korean film director best known for his 2001 record-breaking film '' Friend''. Career ''Friend'', a drama where conflicting criminal alliances turn old friends into enemies, set a new Korean bo ...
's original film 20 to 30 times.Interview: Hyun Bin - Part 1
. ''10Asia''. November 24, 2009.

. ''10Asia''. November 24, 2009.

. ''10Asia''. November 24, 2009.
In 2010, Hyun starred in '' Secret Garden'', a romantic fantasy drama written by Kim Eun-sook.''Secret Garden'' Hyun Bin, Ha Ji-won speak on switching bodies - Part 1
. ''10Asia''. December 9, 2010.

. ''10Asia''. December 9, 2010.
The drama recorded a high viewership rating of 35%, and gained enormous popularity both domestically and internationally for its fashion, catchphrases and music. His portrayal as Kim Joo-won created a "''Hyun Bin'' Syndrome" as his name and face were plastered everywhere, from newspapers to television and the internet. Hyun was recognized at the 2010 SBS Drama Awards and the 47th
Baeksang Arts Awards The Baeksang Arts Awards (), also known as the Paeksang Arts Awards, are awards for excellence in film, television and theatre in South Korea. The awards were introduced in 1965 by Chang Key-young, the founder of the newspaper ''Hankook Ilbo'', ...
for his stellar performance. He also contributed to the
soundtrack A soundtrack is a recorded audio signal accompanying and synchronised to the images of a book, drama, motion picture, radio program, television show, television program, or video game; colloquially, a commercially released soundtrack album of m ...
of the drama with "That Man", which peaked at number one in eight Korean music portals. In 2011, Hyun appeared in two films that were released back to back; '' Come Rain, Come Shine'', a minimalist breakup indie directed by
Lee Yoon-ki Lee Yoon-ki (; born 1965), is a South Korean film director and screenwriter. Career Lee Yoon-ki earned his MA in business administration/economics at the University of Southern California. After returning to Korea, he worked as a producer and d ...
, and '' Late Autumn'' directed by
Kim Tae-yong Kim Tae-yong (; born December 9, 1969) is a South Korean film director and screenwriter. After his feature directorial debut ''Memento Mori'' (1999), he helmed the critically-acclaimed '' Family Ties'' (2006), and the English-language remake '' ...
. Shot in
Seattle Seattle ( ) is the most populous city in the U.S. state of Washington and in the Pacific Northwest region of North America. With a population of 780,995 in 2024, it is the 18th-most populous city in the United States. The city is the cou ...
city, ''Late Autumn'' is an
English-language English is a West Germanic language that developed in early medieval England and has since become a English as a lingua franca, global lingua franca. The namesake of the language is the Angles (tribe), Angles, one of the Germanic peoples th ...
remake A remake is a film, television series, video game, song or similar form of entertainment that is based upon and retells the story of an earlier production in the same medium—e.g., a "new version of an existing film". A remake tells the same s ...
of the 1966 Lee Man-hee classic, in which Hyun played a man on the run who falls in love with a woman who is on special leave from prison.Hyun Bin, Tang Wei Cast in Korea-US Project
. ''
The Korea Times ''The Korea Times'' () is a daily English-language newspaper in South Korea. It is a sister paper of the ''Hankook Ilbo'', a major Korean language, Korean-language daily. It is the oldest active daily English-language newspaper in South Korea. ...
''. November 5, 2009.
It was the highest-grossing Korean film released in China to date, taking in more than over two weeks, which was unprecedented for a melodrama. He received a good review from ''
The Hollywood Reporter ''The Hollywood Reporter'' (''THR'') is an American digital and print magazine which focuses on the Cinema of the United States, Hollywood film industry, film, television, and entertainment industries. It was founded in 1930 as a daily trade pap ...
'' which stated, "it is Hyun who impresses more for not underplaying the dandy, narcissistic side of his personality." Hyun walked the red carpet at the
61st Berlin International Film Festival The 61st annual Berlin International Film Festival was held from 10 to 20 February 2011, with actress Isabella Rossellini as the president of the jury. The Coen Brothers film ''True Grit (2010 film), True Grit'' opened the festival. 300,000 tick ...
, where the two films were both selected to be screened.Hyun Bin emerges as Romeo of the hour
. ''
The Korea Times ''The Korea Times'' () is a daily English-language newspaper in South Korea. It is a sister paper of the ''Hankook Ilbo'', a major Korean language, Korean-language daily. It is the oldest active daily English-language newspaper in South Korea. ...
''. February 15, 2011.
He described the honor as his "most happiest achievement".


2011–2012: Military enlistment and discharge

On March 7, 2011, Hyun began his 21-month mandatory military service as a soldier in the
Marine Corps Marines (or naval infantry) are military personnel generally trained to operate on both land and sea, with a particular focus on amphibious warfare. Historically, the main tasks undertaken by marines have included raiding ashore (often in supp ...
. He volunteered to serve in the Marine Corps, said to be the toughest branch of the Korean military, as he had a good impression of the Marines. Competition rate to enter the Marines at that time was high at 4:1 with Hyun placing in the top 5% of applicants. Hyun applied to be a combat soldier. The decision to join the Marines while at the peak of his career generated much interest in Korea and overseas. Seven broadcasting companies, including Japan's NHK, requested access to the training camp. Hyun was named a top marksman during training, one of 16 out of about 720 rookie Marines. Hyun hit the target 19 times out of 20 in day shooting training, and all of his 10 shots hit the target during night training. To qualify as a top marksman, rookies must hit the target more than 18 times out of 20 in day training and nine out of 10 at night. The Corps originally planned to put Hyun on public relations duty; however due to public criticism and Hyun's reported desire to serve on the front line, Hyun was assigned on active duty to the island
Baengnyeongdo Baengnyeongdo (; ), sometimes Baekryeong Island, is an island in Ongjin County, Incheon, South Korea. It is an inhabited island located near the Northern Limit Line, and is closer to North Korea than it is to the South. Since the 1945 division ...
, close to the Northern Limit Line and Yeonpyeong, site of a November 2010 artillery engagement between the North and South Korean forces. After joining the Marines and completing his six months in the service, Hyun participated in the "Seoul Reclamation Anniversary Marine Marathon Competition". He ran a 6.25 km long course with 400 exemplary senior marines. This event was held in remembrance of the historically significant event when the Marines won back the capital Seoul that had been taken during the 6.25 Korean War. He was discharged on December 6, 2012, and was awarded the Secretary of Defense Award and the Marine Corps Commandant Commendation for being an exemplary soldier. After the merger of their former agency AM Entertainment with
SM Entertainment SM Entertainment Co., Ltd. () is a South Korean multinational entertainment agency established in 1995 by Lee Soo-man. It is one of South Korea's largest entertainment companies and has been responsible for fostering and popularizing the car ...
, Hyun's reps announced in November 2012 that the actor and Shin Min-ah had decided to go independent and set up their own management agency O& Entertainment.


2013–2016: Comeback to entertainment industry

Hyun spent most of 2013 shooting ad commercials as an in-demand product endorser, and holding fan meetings all over Asia. For his acting comeback after military service, Hyun chose ''
The Fatal Encounter ''The Fatal Encounter'' (; lit. ''The King's Wrath'') is a 2014 South Korean Period drama, period action film based on a real-life assassination attempt on Jeongjo of Joseon, King Jeongjo. Jeongjo is portrayed by Hyun Bin, in his first role in a pe ...
'', his first
period film A historical drama (also period drama, period piece or just period) is a dramatic work set in the past, usually used in the context of film and television, which presents history, historical events and characters with varying degrees of fiction s ...
, in which he played the lead role of King Jeongjo who faced fierce party strife and assassination attempts during his reign. It was released in April 2014 and drew more than three million admissions. However, Hyun was criticized for his flat tonation and lack of emotions in the film, which received mostly negative reviews. In 2015, Hyun made a comeback in the Korean drama scene after four years, via romantic comedy '' Hyde Jekyll, Me''. In the drama inspired by the
literary character In fiction, a character is a person or being in a narrative (such as a novel, play, radio or television series, music, film, or video game). The character may be entirely fictional or based on a real-life person, in which case the distinction of ...
, he played a man with split personality disorder whose two personas both fall for the same woman. In January 2016, he set up his own agency, VAST Entertainment, a wholly owned subsidiary of
Kakao M Kakao M Corp. (; formerly Seoul Records, YBM Seoul Records and LOEN Entertainment) was a South Korean entertainment company established by Min Yeong-bin in 1978. It was one of the largest co-publisher companies in South Korea. The company opera ...
.


2017–present: Career resurgence

Hyun returned to big screen with action-thriller film '' Confidential Assignment'' (2017), where he played the role of a North Korean detective who was secretly sent to South Korea to apprehend a crime ring made up of North Korean traitors. The film was a success, and Hyun received positive reviews from critics for his action scenes and comedic performance. He then starred in a blockbuster crime action film '' The Swindlers'', along with Yoo Ji-tae, about a prosecutor who plans to catch a con man who has swindled a large sum of money. In 2018, Hyun played his first villain role in crime thriller '' The Negotiation'', alongside
Son Ye-jin Son Eon-jin (; born January 11, 1982), better known by her stage name, Son Ye-jin (), is a South Korean actress who rose to fame in 2003 in ''The Classic (2003 film), The Classic'' and ''Summer Scent'', which were followed by the commercially ...
; and zombie blockbuster ''
Rampant In heraldry, the term attitude describes the ''position'' in which a figure (animal or human) is emblazoned as a Charge (heraldry), charge, a Supporter (heraldry), supporter, or as a Crest (heraldry), crest. The attitude of a heraldic figure alwa ...
'', co-produced by VAST Entertainment. The same year, he returned to the small screen with fantasy suspense drama ''
Memories of the Alhambra ''Memories of the Alhambra'' () is a 2018 South Korean television series, starring Hyun Bin and Park Shin-hye. Primarily set in Spain (and in South Korea in later episodes), the series centers on a company CEO and a hostel owner who get enta ...
'' with
Park Shin-hye Park Shin-hye (, born February 18, 1990) is a South Korean actress. She gained recognition as a child in Korean drama, television series ''Stairway to Heaven (2003 TV series), Stairway to Heaven'' (2003) and ''Tree of Heaven (TV series), Tree o ...
. The series is one of highest rated Korean drama in cable television history, and Hyun was praised for his seemingly indifferent but humorous depiction of his character. In 2019, Hyun played the role of a North Korean army captain in the romance drama '' Crash Landing on You'', reuniting with ''The Negotiation'' co-star
Son Ye-jin Son Eon-jin (; born January 11, 1982), better known by her stage name, Son Ye-jin (), is a South Korean actress who rose to fame in 2003 in ''The Classic (2003 film), The Classic'' and ''Summer Scent'', which were followed by the commercially ...
. The drama was a huge success and is the fifth highest-rated Korean drama in cable television history, and Hyun was praised for his versatile range of emotions and acting skills. For his portrayal as Captain Ri Jeong Hyuk, a North Korean elite army officer, Hyun won Grand Prize at the
APAN Star Awards The APAN Star Awards is an awards ceremony for excellence in television in South Korea and contribution to Korean Wave, organized by the Korea Entertainment Management Association (CEMA). Nominees for the awards are selected from Korean drama ...
. In the 2023 action thriller film '' The Point Men'', directed by Yim Soon-rye, Hyun starred as an NIS agent.


Philanthropy

On October 29, 2013, Hyun received the President's award at the 50th Savings Day held by the Financial Services Committee, for saving 35 billion won (approximately US$33 million) within 17 years. In February 2016, he was involved in an awareness campaign against animal cruelty. As part of the project, Hyun's agency VAST Entertainment released pictures of him posing with a retired search and rescue dog named "Vision". In March 2020, Hyun made a secret donation of 200 million won to the non-profit organization, Community Chest of Korea, to help fight against the COVID-19 outbreak on February 21, 2020. Hyun was also included as a member in the "Honor Society", a group of major private donors, for his many donations to different causes. He has continually supported projects by organizations such as
Save the Children The Save the Children Fund, commonly known as Save the Children, is an international non-governmental organization. It was founded in the UK in 1919; its goal is to improve the lives of children worldwide. The organization raises money to imp ...
, ''Community Chest of Korea'' and international relief NGOs. On March 8, 2022, Hyun made a donation million to the Hope Bridge Disaster Relief Association, together with
Son Ye-jin Son Eon-jin (; born January 11, 1982), better known by her stage name, Son Ye-jin (), is a South Korean actress who rose to fame in 2003 in ''The Classic (2003 film), The Classic'' and ''Summer Scent'', which were followed by the commercially ...
, to help those who have been damaged by the massive wildfire that started in Uljin, Gyeongbuk and has continued to spread Samcheok, Gangwon.


Personal life

Hyun was born and raised in
Seoul Seoul, officially Seoul Special Metropolitan City, is the capital city, capital and largest city of South Korea. The broader Seoul Metropolitan Area, encompassing Seoul, Gyeonggi Province and Incheon, emerged as the world's List of cities b ...
and has one elder brother. He graduated from Youngdong High School and studied at Chung-Ang University, where he majored in Theater Studies in 2004. In 2009, he enrolled at the same university and obtained a
Master's degree A master's degree (from Latin ) is a postgraduate academic degree awarded by universities or colleges upon completion of a course of study demonstrating mastery or a high-order overview of a specific field of study or area of professional prac ...
.


Relationship and marriage

On January 1, 2021, Hyun's agency confirmed that he had been in a relationship with actress
Son Ye-jin Son Eon-jin (; born January 11, 1982), better known by her stage name, Son Ye-jin (), is a South Korean actress who rose to fame in 2003 in ''The Classic (2003 film), The Classic'' and ''Summer Scent'', which were followed by the commercially ...
, his co-star in '' The Negotiation'', since 2020 after '' Crash Landing on You'' concluded. On February 10, 2022, Hyun and Son announced their engagement in letters posted on their social media accounts. They married in a private ceremony on March 31, 2022, attended by their families and close friends. On June 27, 2022, Son announced that she was pregnant with the couple's first child, and she gave birth to a son on November 27, 2022.


Filmography


Film


Television series


Television shows


Music video appearances


Discography


Ambassadorship


Awards and nominations


State honors


Listicles


Notes


References


External links

* * * {{DEFAULTSORT:Hyun, Bin 1982 births 21st-century South Korean male actors 21st-century South Korean male singers Chung-Ang University alumni Living people Male actors from Seoul People from Songpa District Republic of Korea Marine Corps personnel South Korean male film actors South Korean male television actors Gwangsan Kim clan