Kim Woo-bin is a South Korean model and actor. He began his career as a runway model and made his acting debut in the television dramaWhite Christmas. He subsequently gained attention in A Gentleman's Dignity, and made his breakthrough with School 2013 and The Heirs. Kim later starred in box office hits , The Con Artists and Twenty. In 2016, he took on his first leading role on television in Uncontrollably Fond.
Career
2009–2012: Beginnings
Kim wanted to pursue a modeling career since he was a high school student. He debuted as a runway model in 2009 at the age of 20 and began appearing in prêt-à-porter and Seoul Fashion Week collections. As his modeling career progressed, he started doing commercial films and began studying acting, under the guidance of acting coach Moon Won-joo. Kim fell in love with acting, saying, "In the course of doing so, I found myself feeling the same thrill and enthusiasm that I felt the first time I came to walk on the runway". Under the stage name Kim Woo-bin, he made his acting debut in 2011, starring in mystery drama White Christmas and the low-rated cable sitcomVampire Idol. In 2012, he had a supporting role in the romantic comedy dramaA Gentleman's Dignity, written by famed screenwriter Kim Eun-sook. Next came a two-episode guest appearance in drama adaptation of the popular manga To the Beautiful You.
2013: Rising popularity
Kim's breakout year came in 2013 with two hit dramas and one film. From late December to early 2013, he starred in the teen drama School 2013. He received his first acting award for the role at the 2nd APAN Star Awards under the category Best New Actor. The same year, he was cast in Kim Eun-sook's teen drama The Heirs, which became popular domestically and internationally with a peak audience rating of 28.6% and 1 million hits on the Chinese streaming website iQiyi. Kim experienced a surge in popularity overseas. This led to increased advertising contracts and acting offers for the actor. Kim then appeared in his first major film role in , the blockbuster sequel to Kwak Kyung-taek's 2001 box office hit. He received positive reviews for his portrayal as a young gang member. The same year he became the host of cable music program M! Countdown from August 15, 2013, to February 13, 2014.
2014–present: Success in film, and ''Alien''
After his rise in popularity in 2013, Kim continued appearing in big screen projects. In January 2014, he was cast in the heist movieThe Con Artists, in which he played a top safe-cracker alongside rising star Lee Hyun-woo. He then took on a comedic character in indie director Lee Byung-heon's sophomore effort Twenty in 2015. Kim then appeared in an ad campaign for Calvin Klein Watches + Jewelry, making him the first East Asian model for the brand. In 2015, Kim was cast in his first television leading role in the melodrama Uncontrollably Fond, written by screenwriter Lee Kyung-hee. The drama premiered on July 6, 2016. He then starred in crime action filmMaster alongside Lee Byung-hun and Kang Dong-won. The movie premiered in December 2016 and became the 11th bestselling film for 2016 in South Korea. In 2017, Kim was cast in crime caper film Wiretap by Choi Dong-hoon. The project has since been suspended to allow Kim to seek treatment from cancer. On March 11, 2020, AM Entertainment announced that Kim would be returning to the big screen as he stars in the upcoming sci-fi film Alien.
Personal life
Kim is best friends with fellow model-actor and School 2013 co-star Lee Jong-suk, whom he has known since their modeling days. Since May 2015, Kim has been in a relationship with model-actress Shin Min-a. On May 24, 2017, Kim was diagnosed with nasopharyngeal cancer. Kim's agency, Sidus HQ, said Kim had begun drug and radiation treatment and would halt all activities. On December 29, Kim announced, in a letter, that he had completed his treatment plan for the cancer. However, he was still exempted from military service.
Ambassador activities
In 2013, Kim was named honorary ambassador for his alma mater, Jeonju University. The same year, he was appointed the public relations ambassador of the 2013 Suwon Information Science Festival; and ambassador of the "Good Downloader Campaign" organized by the Korean Film Council and Film Federation Against Piracy. In 2015, Kim was chosen as the promotional ambassador of CJ CGV’s arthouse exhibition chain CGV ARTHOUSE. In April 2017, Kim was appointed as an honorary ambassador for the 2018 Winter Olympics in Pyeongchang, South Korea. Kim is the second actor to take on this role and was set to take part in various activities to promote the event. In October, however, he was pulled from the role due to his ongoing cancer treatments.
