Kim Soo Hyun (Hangul: 김수현, born February 16, 1988) is currently one of the most highly paid actors in South Korea. He has been awarded four Baeksang Arts Awards, two Grand Bell Awards, and one Blue Dragon Film Award. He has also been featured on Forbes Korea Power Celebrity 40 list in 2012, 2013, 2014, 2015, 2016, and 2021. In 2014, he was named Gallup Korea’s Television Actor of the Year and was recognized by Forbes in their 30 Under 30 Asia list in 2016.
Kim’s mother encouraged him to take acting classes to help him overcome his introverted nature during his school years. After performing in a few theatrical productions, he made his television debut in 2007 with the family comedy Kimchi Cheese Smile. He has since solidified his position in the industry with notable roles in popular dramas such as Dream High (2011), Moon Embracing the Sun (2012), as well as blockbuster films like The Thieves (2012) and Secretly, Greatly (2013). His portrayal of King Lee Hwon in Moon Embracing the Sun earned him the Baeksang Arts Award for Best Actor in the Television category. He became a leading Hallyu star with his success in the fantasy romantic-comedy My Love from the Star (2013) and the variety-drama The Producers (2015), which earned him three Daesangs (Grand Prizes).
After his role in the film Real (2017), he enlisted in the military to fulfill his mandatory service. In January 2020, Kim joined the newly established entertainment agency Gold Medalist, where he is one of the two senior actors alongside Seo Yea-ji. He made a triumphant return to acting with the romantic drama It’s Okay to Not Be Okay (2020) and is set to star in the upcoming thriller One Ordinary Day (2021).
