Daniel Dae Kim spent his career playing every other Asian ethnicity except his own until he landed on
Lost island in 2004. Born in Korea but raised in the U.S., the athletic actor studied theater in college. Based in New York in the early '90s, he landed occasional TV guest spots but spent most of his time on off-Broadway stages. His career took off when he moved to Los Angeles, with a string of diverse TV guest appearances, often portraying serious types prone to angry outbursts. He landed a few supporting roles in feature films (
Hulk,
Spider-Man 2,
Crash), but the small screen remained his primary medium. A villainous recurring role on
Angel and a heroic one on
24 raised his profile, but his turn as a complex, non-English-speaking castaway on
Lost, where he stayed for all six seasons, was his true breakthrough. Off screen, Kim enjoys spending time with his wife, Mia, and their two sons.
Daniel Dae Kim Fast Facts:
- Born in Korea, but moved to the U.S. with his family when he was 2.
- Went to college to become a lawyer, but after appearing in a two-character play, he turned to acting.
- Said his role on Lost helped improve his Korean.
- In January 2006, AZN Television awarded him the Asian Excellence Award as Outstanding Male Performer.
- Named one of TV's Sexiest Men by TV GUIDE in 2006.
- Co-owns a build-your-own-burger joint in Hawaii.
- Daniel Dae Kim Relationships:
- Dr. Doo Tae Kim - Father
- Jung Kim - Mother
- Mia Haeyoung Kim - Wife
- Zander Kim - Son
- Jackson Kim - Son
- Daniel Dae Kim Awards:
- 2005 Screen Actors Guild Awards: Outstanding Performance by an Ensemble in a Drama Series - Winner
- College:
- New York University, New York, NY (MFA in Acting, 1996); Haverford College, Haverford, PA (BA in Theatre and Political Science, 1990)