A sexy small-screen player of Korean ancestry, Kim spent his career playing every other Asian ethnicity except his own until he landed on the
Lost island. 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 small-screen guest appearances, often portraying serious types prone to angry outbursts. A villainous recurring role on
Angel and a heroic one on
24 raised his profile, but his turn as a fiery, non-English-speaking castaway on
Lost was his true breakthrough.
Daniel Dae Kim Fast Facts:
- Went to college to become a lawyer, but after appearing in a two-character play, he turned to acting.
- Says his role on Lost has 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.
- Daniel Dae Kim Relationships:
- Dr. Doo Tae Kim - Father
- Jung Kim - Mother
- Mia Haeyoung Kim - Wife
- Zander Kim - Son
- College:
- New York University, New York, NY (MFA in Acting, 1996); Haverford College, Haverford, PA (BA in Theatre and Political Science, 1990)
