From the runway to the screen: the resilient rise of Kim Woo-bin
In short: After debuting as a runway model in 2009, Kim Woo-bin transitioned into a major South Korean star. His meteoric rise through hit dramas was interrupted by a sudden cancer diagnosis in 2017, leading to a hiatus that tested his career and his resolve.
Born Kim Hyun-joong in 1989, the actor began his professional journey in 2009 as a runway model, appearing in various Seoul Fashion Week collections. His transition to acting began in 2011 with the mystery drama White Christmas, eventually leading to a breakout year in 2013. During that pivotal year, he starred in the teen drama School 2013 and the massive hit The Heirs, which reached a peak audience rating of 28.6% and garnered 1 million hits on the Chinese platform iQiyi.
This period of intense popularity brought significant commercial success, including becoming the first East Asian model for Calvin Klein Watches + Jewelry. However, his momentum was halted in May 2017 when his agency, Sidus HQ, announced he had been diagnosed with nasopharyngeal cancer. Kim underwent drug and radiation treatments, and while he announced the completion of his treatment plan by December 29, 2017, he remained exempted from military service.
Kim's return to the industry was marked by a series of high-profile projects, including the 2022 series Our Blues and the Netflix original Black Knight. His recent work includes the 2025 fantasy romantic comedy Genie, Make a Wish, where he plays a spirit of a lamp. Beyond the screen, Kim has become a significant philanthropist, donating hundreds of millions of won to disaster relief and medical treatments for low-income families, including a ₩300 million joint donation with his wife, Shin Min-a, in December 2025.
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Sources
- Summary by Intellect · source: Kim Woo-bin
- Also: Wikidata — Kim Woo-bin · CC0
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