Daniel Dae Kim

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 a Master of Fine Arts from New York University Tisch School of the Arts 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 taekwondo. 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, Kim was forced to quickly relearn the language, which he had not spoken with any great frequency since high school. Kim portrayed Jin-Soo until the 2010 series finale.

Throughout the show's run, Kim 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 and 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 and 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, originally portrayed by 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 Hawaiʻi 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 produced the ABC television series The Good Doctor from 2017 to 2024, based on the 2013 South Korean series of the same name. He was 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

References

1. "Daniel Dae Kim Biography". [[TV Guide.
2. (April 16, 2025). "Daniel Dae Kim: The 100 Most Influential People of 2025".
3. (January 12, 2023). "Daniel Dae Kim - Actor".
4. "Daniel Dae Kim Biography ((?)-)". FilmReference.com.
5. (January 10, 2020). "An Actor-Activist in Hollywood".
6. (July 13, 2007). "Ridley Scott Brings The Andromeda Strain to TV".
7. "Before They Were Lost". Lost: The Complete First Season, Buena Vista Home Entertainment. September 6, 2005. Featurette, disc 7.
8. "Hawaii Five-0 Cast: Daniel Dae Kim". CBS Interactive.
9. (May 3, 2016). "2005's Sexiest Men Alive". People.
10. McMullen, Chris. (August 2, 2023). "The Saints Row Reboot Hasn't Mentioned Johnny Gat, and That's Great".
11. Foster, George. (August 26, 2021). "Johnny Gat Won't Be In The Saints Row Reboot". TheGamer.
12. Marnell, Blair. (May 4, 2010). "'Lost' Star Daniel Dae Kim Wants To Play Namor In A Marvel Movie". [[MTV]].
13. (February 11, 2009). "Mini-View: Lost's Daniel Dae Kim".
14. Lee, Traci G.. (January 21, 2016). "Daniel Dae Kim Will Make His Broadway Debut in 'The King and I'". [[NBC News]].
15. Andreeva, Nellie. (February 7, 2010). "'Lost' actor joins 'Hawaii Five-O'". [[The Hollywood Reporter]].
16. "Hawaii Five-0". Metacritic.
17. (June 16, 2014). "University of Hawaii at Manoa Spring 2014 Undergraduate Commencement Speaker – Daniel Dae Kim".
18. (June 30, 2017). "Daniel Dae Kim, Grace Park Exit 'Hawaii Five-0'".
19. (June 5, 2014). "Daniel Dae Kim Joins Summit's 'Insurgent' (EXCLUSIVE)". Variety.
20. "'Insurgent': Daniel Dae Kim joins cast". EW.com.
21. Andreeva, Nellie. (October 30, 2013). "'Hawaii Five-O' Co-Star Daniel Dae Kim Inks First-Look Deal With CBS TV Studios".
22. Goldberg, Lesley. (October 30, 2013). "Daniel Dae Kim Inks Overall Deal With CBS Television Studios". The Hollywood Reporter.
23. "'The Good Doctor': Daniel Dae Kim Joins Medical Drama in First TV Role Since 'Hawaii Five-0' Exit".
24. (April 10, 2019). "Daniel Dae Kim on His 'Hellboy' Casting and Early 'Lost' Concerns".
25. Yang, Rachel. (January 26, 2021). "Watch Awkwafina's Sisu in action in new Raya and the Last Dragon trailer".
26. [https://playbill.com/article/peter-pan-goes-wrong-flies-to-los-angeles-beginning-august-8 Peter Pan Goes Wrong Los Angeles]
27. (May 1, 2025). "George Clooney, Sarah Snook and Sadie Sink Get Tony Nominations". The New York Times.
28. "Daniel Dae Kim on Coming Together to Combat Bigotry".
29. Carlisle, Madeline. (March 19, 2020). "Actor Daniel Dae Kim Shares His Coronavirus Diagnosis and Calls for an End to 'Cowardly' Anti-Asian Racism".
30. Kim, Daniel Dae [@danieldaekim]. (December 2, 2023). "Did you know that new laws in Georgia make it harder for students at many Historically Black Colleges & Universities to vote? Check the rules at t.co/fw5yclvJ43 to make sure you're ready for the Senate runoff on 12/6. Text #IDCheck to @VoteRiders at 844.338.8743 for help. t.co/FuZPEvlkwv".
31. (May 10, 2023). "Who is Mia Dae Kim? The untold story of Daniel Dae's wife".
32. "Verified #tbt to a great hair day. #seemslikeitwasyesterday #myboys❤️".
33. (April 27, 2021). "How Many Kids Does 'The Good Doctor' Executive Producer Daniel Dae Kim Have?".
34. (February 8, 2010). "Daniel Dae Kim staying in Hawaii after "Lost" for new "Hawaii Five-O" series".
35. Clymer, Benjamin. (September 17, 2019). "Talking Watches with Daniel Dae Kim". [[Hodinkee]].
36. "Daniel Dae Kim (visual voices guide)". Behind The Voice Actors.
37. Rooney, David. (January 26, 2020). "'Blast Beat': Film Review {{!}} Sundance 2020".
38. Vlessing, Etan. (May 22, 2019). "Daniel Dae Kim Joins Anna Kendrick in Sci-Fi Thriller ''Stowaway''".
39. (February 25, 2024). "You Definitely Know 'Avatar: The Last Airbender' Star Daniel Dae Kim".
40. MacDonald, Joan. (February 15, 2021). "'Dramaworld 2' Airs On Amazon And Its Stars Must Save The World Again".
41. Petski, Denise. (January 13, 2021). "'The Hot Zone: Anthrax': Tony Goldwyn & Daniel Dae Kim To Star In Season 2 Of Nat Geo Series".
42. Thorne, Will. (August 7, 2020). "Daniel Dae Kim, Katie Chang and Scoot McNairy Board AMC Animated Drama 'Pantheon'".
43. Petski, Denise. (August 7, 2020). "'Pantheon': AMC's Animated Drama Series Rounds Out Cast With Daniel Dae Kim, Katie Chang, Anika Noni Rose & More".
44. Otterson, Joe. (November 3, 2021). "'Avatar: The Last Airbender' Netflix Live-Action Series Casts Daniel Dae Kim as Fire Lord Ozai".
45. Petski, Denise. (June 5, 2025). "Daniel Dae Kim's 'Butterfly' Series Based On Comic Gets Prime Video Premiere Date; First-Look Photos".
46. Rose, Michelle. (December 20, 2025). "Busan Bound: Daniel Dae Kim to lead CNN travel series". [[Concord Monitor]].
47. "Romeo and Juliet".
48. Jung, E. Alex. (April 12, 2021). "In Conversation: Daniel Dae Kim The actor built a career by picking his battles. He still believes Hollywood can be reformed.".
49. "The National Asian American Theatre Company - About".
50. Canby, Vincent. (May 13, 1996). "Theater Review; American Dream, Viewed Bitterly".
51. Longsdorf, Amy. (April 8, 2019). "Daniel Dae Kim: Hellbent on pushing against barriers, Bethlehem actor stars in "Hellboy"".
52. Martinez, Julio. (February 1, 2000). "Golden Child".
53. Shirley, Don. (November 22, 2002). "A 'Tempest' that's too young at heart".
54. Yoon, Cindy. (July 25, 2017). "Daniel Dae Kim Gets Lost".
55. Hassan, Genevieve. (June 18, 2009). "Taking on the King of Siam".
56. Darvell, Michael. (June 13, 2009). "The King and I at Royal Albert Hall".
57. Shenton, Mark. (December 11, 2008). ""Lost" Star Daniel Dae Kim and Maria Friedman to Head Royal Albert Hall King and I".
58. Scheck, Frank. (May 19, 2016). "Critic's Notebook: Broadway's 'The King and I' Gets New Leads".
59. Stewart, Zachary. (May 19, 2016). "The King and I".
60. Ramos, Dino-Ray. (October 28, 2020). "Daniel Dae Kim Sets Streaming Event For Politically Charged Play 'Belly Of The Beast' Ahead Of Election".
61. Lee, Janet W.. (November 1, 2020). "Daniel Dae Kim to Portray Trump Campaign Executive in 'Belly of the Beast' Streaming Event".
62. Gardner, Chris. (August 1, 2023). "Bradley Whitford and Daniel Dae Kim Join Center Theatre Group's 'Peter Pan Goes Wrong'".
63. Evans, Greg. (August 1, 2024). "Ryan Eggold, Kevin Del Aguila Join Daniel Dae Kim In Broadway's 'Yellow Face'; Complete Cast Announced".
64. (May 4, 2006). "Scarface Casts Voice Actors". IGN.
65. Juba, Joe. (December 11, 2014). "Get Candid with the Voice Actors of Saints Row: Gat Out Of Hell – Saints Row: Gat Out of Hell".
66. Spangler, Todd. (January 17, 2023). "Audible Inks First-Look Deal With Daniel Dae Kim for Audio Originals".
67. Lauer-Williams, Kathy. (March 25, 2013). "Freedom's Daniel Dae Kim narrates "Linsanity"". The Morning Call.
68. "12th Annual Screen Actors Guild Awards". [[Screen Actors Guild Awards]].
69. "Previous Honorees & Winners - Asian Excellence Awards".
70. (April 13, 2018). "Daniel Dae Kim".
71. "Acclaimed Television and Broadway Star Daniel Dae Kim to Receive ArtsQuest Foundation's Prestigious Pinnacle of the Arts Award".
72. (July 1, 2011). "2011 Teen Choice Awards Nominees".
73. Swift, Andy. (May 18, 2012). "'Vampire Diaries' Leads Teen Choice Awards With 6 Nominations".
74. "Broadway Beacon Awards".
75. (May 19, 2017). "Asian Hall of Fame Inducts 2017 Class". [[Northwest Asian Weekly]].
76. "ArtsQuest 2017 Linny Award Recipients".
77. (May 1, 2025). "The Tony Awards Nominations". [[Tony Awards]].