Kim Myung Min

Recognitions and Awards

Private life

He lives in Seoul , South Korea with his wife, Lee Kyung Mi, and his son, Jae-ha, born in 2004. He is a Christian.

Career

Early years

Kim Myung Min debuted as an actor when he won the 6th SBS public actor contest in 1996.Over the next five years he appeared in a number of television series in various supporting roles. It was the movieSorumin 2001 that made his name known as a lead actor. During this time he worked on several film projects, many of which ended unfinished, mostly due to financial problems. He also suffered from injuries that occurred while he was shooting action scenes.

2004 - The turning point in Kim Myung Min's career

When he starred in the 2004 KBS family drama "More Beautiful than a Flower", he was expected to have a successful career as a lead actor. But all of his contracts fell through. He tried many things to restart his career but failed. Finally, he decided on emigrating to New Zealand to study and go into business.At the last minute he was offered the role in "The Immortal Lee Soon Shin" (see Immortal Admiral Yi Sun-shin ), a 104-episode TV series that aired in 2004-2005 that tells about Korea's beloved hero of the Imjin War, Admiral Lee Soon Shin , that brought him into the spotlight.The Best Actor award was given to him, ending his career as a nameless actor.

2006 - present

He has been playing leading roles in movies and TV series since The Immortal Lee Soon Shin. A comical ex-gangster Oh Dal Gun inBad Family, a detective inOpen City. He played a surgeon in two productions: as Jang Joon Hyuk inWhite Towerand as Ryu Jae Woo inWide Awake. Through his acclaimed performance inWhite Tower, he gained the nicknameMyung Min Bon Joa ,which meansthe true guru in acting.Unlike many actors and actresses who make strong impressions through certain roles and become typecast with the viewers, he has been very successful in creating new characters and impressions as he plays different roles. He has taken roles that usually require deeper knowledge of the professions, such as military admiral, surgeon, and orchestra conductor. His performance as a maestro in the 2008 TV seriesBeethoven Viruscreated a sensation in Korea referred to asKang Ma Eh Syndromeand earned him fresh acclaim from critics and viewers.).

In late 2008, it was announced that his next project would be a film about a character living with Lou Gehrig's Disease ( Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis ), to be titledMy Love by My Side(내사랑 내곁에) (international title:Closer to Heaven),To realistically portray the role of the dying patient, Kim Myung Min painstakingly lost 20 kilos during the course of the filming. He was widely commended for this feat and thus gained the coveted Best Actor Awards in Korea's leading film ceremonies, the 46th Daejong Film Awardsand the 30th Blue Dragon Film Awards.The movie was released in South Korean theaters on 24 September 2009 where it remained on top of the charts for 3 consecutive weeks and garnered more than 2 million visitors.

In his latest film, Kim Myung Min portrayed the role of a father for the first timeThe character, Joo Young Soo, is an ex-pastor who tracks down the kidnapper of his 5-year old daughter, 8 years after she had gone missing. Production started in January 2010 and the movie was released on July 1, 2010. Though the movie was rated 18+, it proved to be successful in the boxoffice.

Kim Myung Min's latest project, historical comedy-mystery film "Detective K: Secret of Virtuous Widow" where he plays the title role,is currently screening in South Korean theaters and has been enjoying the top spot in the box office since its debut on January 27, 2011.

For his next project, Kim Myung Min will play with role of a runner in "Pacemaker". The light-hearted movie will start filming in mid-March 2011.

Films

• Detective K(2011)
• Man of Vendetta(2010)
• Closer to Heaven(2009)
• Open City(2008)
• Wide Awake(2007)
• Into the Mirror(2003)
• Sorum(2001)

TV series

• Beethoven Virus(MBC, 2008)
• White Tower(MBC, 2007)
• Bad Family(SBS, 2006)
• Immortal Admiral Yi Sun-shin(KBS, 2004)
• More Beautiful Than a Flower/ Her Beautiful Story(KBS, 2004)
• A Father and a Son(SBS, 2001)
• Look Back in Anger(KBS2, 2000)
• Some Like it Hot(MBC, 2000)
• Kaist(SBS, 1999)

Music videos

• Landscape/Poong Gyung(Lee Jung Bong, 2001)
• Blue(Lee Kyung Sub, 1999)

Albums

• Kim Myung Min Classics Maestro (2009)

MC

• 2006-2007 MBC Doctors
• 2007 The 8th Jeonju International Film Festival Opening Ceremony

Television Commercials

Publicity Ambassador

• 2010 Seoul National University Bundang Hospital Goodwill Ambassador
• 2009 Korea Dental Association, "Ambassador for Oral Hygiene"
• 2008 Kia Soul CUV
• 2007 Oral Health Care Campaign, "OQ Publicity Ambassador"
• 2007 National Election Commission, "Clean Election Publicity Ambassador"
• 2007 Yeon-se Severance Health Publicity Ambassador
• 2006 National Pension Service
• 2005 Social Welfare Society
• 2005 The Great Admiral Lee Soon-shin Festival

1. Hancinema: Intensity and sense of purpose create the materials for a star last retrieved: 7. December 2008
2. Hancinema: Kim Myeong-min Still Haunted by 'White Tower' Role last retrieved: 7. December 2008
3. Cineline: Cineline profile of Kim Myung Min last retrieved: 16 April 2000
4. Cine21: 그가 그린 마음의 지옥도, <소름>의 김명민 last retrieved: 16 April 2000
5. Mydaily: 김명민 대상의 원동력과 값진 의미? last retrieved: 16 April 2000
6. Cine21: 그가 그린 마음의 지옥도, <소름>의 김명민 last retrieved: 16 April 2000
7. MYdaily: 김명민,왜 2008 최고스타가 됐을까? last retrieved: 16 April 2009
8. MYdaily: 김명민 대상의 원동력과 값진 의미? last retrieved: 16 April 2009
9. Hancinema: "Immortal Admiral Yi Sun-shin" Gains Popularity in China last retrieved: 7. December 2008
10. Cine21: 아쉬움 여전한 지상파 3사 ‘2005 연기대상 시상식’ last retrieved: 16 April 2009
11. Mydaily: 김명민 대상의 원동력과 값진 의미? last retrieved: 16 April 2009
12. Hancinema: Kang "Mae Syndrome" Sweeps Marketing last retrieved: 7. December 2008
13. Korean Times: Kim Myung-min Replaces Kwon Sang-woo in Film last retrieved: 12. December 2008
14. Isplus: 김명민, 영화 ‘내사랑 내곁에’ 주인공으로 발탁 last retrieved: 12. December 2008
15. goNews: 김명민, 권상우 대신 ‘내사랑 내곁에’ 캐스팅 last retrieved: 12. December 2008
16. MyungMin International. ""Kim Myung Min's First Major Film Award". MyungMin International, 11 November 2009. Retrieved on 11 September 2010.
17. Park, Sun-young. "‘Closer to Heaven’ actors win Blue Dragon awards". JoongAng Daily.com, 4 December 2009. Retrieved on 11 November 2009.
18. Kim, Lynn. ""Heaven" tops box office for third week". Asiae.com, 12 October 2009. Retrieved on 11 November 2009.
19. michi. "Kim Myung Min takes the challenge of portraying a father character for the first time". MyungMin International.com, 23 May 2010. Retrieved on 11 September 2010.
20. hsinya. "18+ Movies create box-office success at the theaters". MyungMin International.com, 16 August 2010. Retrieved on 11 September 2010.
21. michi. "Kim Myung Min as the Korean Sherlock Holmes?". MyungMin International.com, 9 June 2010. Retrieved on 11 November 2009.
22. michi. ""Detective K" takes the crown on its debut". MyungMin International.com, 28 January 2011.
23. michi. "Kim Myung Min turns to sports in his next project". MyungMin International.com, 1 February 2011. Retrieved on 7 February 2011.