Kim Mu-yeol

Kim Mu-yeol (; born May 22, 1982) is a South Korean actor. Following a successful career in musical theatre, Kim was first cast in minor parts on film and television. After gaining recognition for his performance in War of the Arrows, Kim landed his first major role in Jung Ji-woo's critically acclaimed film A Muse (2012). Kim went on to star in the notable films Northern Limit Line (2015), Forgotten (2017), The Gangster, the Cop, the Devil (2019), Honest Candidate (2020), The Roundup: Punishment (2024) and the drama series Teach You a Lesson (2026).

Early life and education Kim Mu-yeol, born on May 22, 1982, given the name 'Mu-yeol-wang' by his grandfather with the hope that he would contribute to the reunification of North and South Korea. He had a humble upbringing, and in 1997, during his middle school years, his family faced financial difficulties due to the IMF crisis, and his father's health declined. As a result, Kim became the main provider for his family, putting his dreams of becoming a theater actor on hold. To make ends meet, he took on various part-time jobs and had to take multiple breaks from school.

Despite the strong opposition of his father, a civil servant, Kim Moo-yeol attended acting school since middle school and dreamed of becoming an actor. He went one step closer to his dream by attending Anyang Arts High School. While attending Anyang Arts High School, Kim participated in a performance called "Sins of this World," where he portrayed the role of an old man. Balancing his studies with part-time work became a necessity for him. He took on a range of jobs, including construction work, building security, distributing flyers, event assistance, safety guard, working in a cellphone factory, and part-time positions at a department store. In his pursuit of earning more money, he even ventured into nightclubs, but this period of his life was marked by desperation and uncertainty. He resorted to drinking and neglected his well-being, resulting in a weight gain from 70 kg to 100 kg. One day, after a night of drinking, he had a moment of realization and decided to change his lifestyle. He started exercising, quit drinking and smoking, and regained his determination. Despite his challenging circumstances, Kim performed exceptionally well on the college entrance exam, despite his poor high school grades, and was admitted to the Acting Department of Sungkyunkwan University.

Kim's career flourished, and he on various roles in popular works including Singin' in the Rain, Thrill Me and Finding Mr. Destiny.

The same year, Kim made his television debut in the KBS2TV one-act drama "Drama City - For the New Wave," where he played the role of Song Hyeon-wook, a noble and gentle man unable to forget his first love. He also appeared in the drama "Chosun Police," which aired on the 'MBC Dramanet' channel. Set in the Joseon Dynasty, the drama featured Kim as the youngest police officer conducting research in the investigation lab to solve cases. Jo Min-hyung is portrayed as the Korean stock strategy ace, harboring the belief that dark money governs the nation's economy. Period action epic War of the Arrows became one of the biggest hits of 2011 and further raised his profile. He continued to showcase his versatility by appearing in the South Korean premiere of the musical Jack the Ripper and starring in the drama Wife Returns. a rock musical which dealt with such taboo subjects as teenage pregnancy, sexual and physical abuse, and homosexuality.

In 2010, Kim Mu-yeol took on his previous role as child murderers Richard/Nathan in the musical "Thrill Me." The production also featured talented performers such as Choi Soo-hyung, Choi Ji-ho, Choi Jae-woong, Kim Ha-neul, Ji Chang-wook, Kim Jae-beom, and Jo Kang-hyeon. The musical was held at The Stage in Sinchon and ran from the 14th to November 14.

Kim's rugged appearance and charismatic presence propelled him to be recognized as a promising talent. Among the roles he's played on stage were Gwanghwamun Love Song and The Three Musketeers.

In 2011, Kim was chosen to join the cast of the musical Guys and Dolls alongside Ok Joo-hyun, Jin-gu, Lee Yong-woo, Kim Young-joo, Lee Yul, and Jeong Seon-ah. Kim took on the role of Sky Masterson in the production.

In 2012, Kim rose to stardom following his remarkable performance in the provocative and psychologically rich film A Muse. He portrayed the conflicted novelist Seo Ji-woo, who becomes envious of his teacher's genius talent, portrayed by Park Hae-il.

Kim returned to acting upon his military discharge in 2014. He starred in Northern Limit Line in 2015, a naval thriller about the Second Battle of Yeonpyeong.

He was cast as leading man in Bad Guys.

Personal life Military service In June 2012, Kim came under growing public criticism over allegations he dodged his compulsory military service. In a report released by the Korean Board of Audit and Inspection (BAI), Kim was deemed fit to serve in active duty as a level two recruit after a March 2001 physical examination. However, throughout 2007 to 2009, Kim was granted postponement on the grounds that he was taking civil service examinations or had been admitted to a work training facility, neither of which took place. During this time he reportedly earned approximately from films, musicals, and television work. In December 2009, he received his final notice for enlistment, having used up the 730 days allowed for postponement. He submitted a request to change his military status in January 2010 because of a knee injury, which was rejected. Finally, a valid exemption was granted on the grounds that he was a "low-income individual" and the sole provider for his family. BAI's contention was that Kim's income is substantially higher than the standard for disqualification due to poverty; thus, the Military Manpower Administration was negligent in their duties by granting the exemption.

Kim's agency Prain TPC defended him, stating that Kim had been supporting his family by working as a security guard, construction worker, and at a mobile phone factory since his late teens. When his father collapsed from a cerebral hemorrhage and was diagnosed with cancer in 2008, the treatments incurred a lot of debt for the family. Their worsening financial condition caused them to become totally dependent on Kim, resulting in his said filing for an exemption in 2010.

Given the publicity, a reinvestigation into the case was launched and Kim was asked by the production company to leave the film 11 A.M. (he was replaced by Choi Daniel).

On October 4, 2012, Kim released a statement that though there was no wrongdoing on his part, he had decided to voluntarily enter the army "to recover his honor damaged by the rumors."

In January 2013, Kim starred in military musical The Promise. It was co-produced by the Ministry of National Defense and Korea Musical Theatre Association, to commemorate the 60th anniversary of the signing of the armistice. It ran from January 9 to 20 at the National Theater of Korea, with a cast composed of actors Ji Hyun-woo and Jung Tae-woo, as well as singers Leeteuk of Super Junior, Yoon Hak of Supernova, and Lee Hyun of 8Eight. The musical centered around a group of soldiers who keep a promise made to each other during the 6.25 war. When the "entertainment soldiers" unit was disbanded in August 2013, Kim was reassigned to a frontline combat unit of the 12th Infantry Division headquartered in Inje County, Gangwon Province.

In February 2014, Kim underwent surgery to treat a cartilage injury in his left knee, and afterwards received rehabilitation treatment for nearly two months at a military hospital near Seoul. Criticism was raised regarding his lengthy sick leave, but the defense ministry refused to provide detailed information regarding Kim's health condition, arguing that it was an infringement on his privacy.

Kim was discharged on July 8, 2014.

Marriage and family

After a romantic tweet that Kim meant to be a private message to Yoon Seung-ah was accidentally posted on the actor's Twitter page, their agencies confirmed in February 2012 that the two were dating. Kim and Yoon married on April 4, 2015.

In December 2022, their agency announced that Yoon is pregnant with the couple's first child and expected to give birth in June 2023. Yoon gave birth to a son, Kim Tae-myeong, on June 8, 2023.

Filmography

Film Year Title Role Notes 2009 The Scam Jo Min-hyeong 2010 Finding Mr. Destiny Airline employee Cameo 2011 Romantic Heaven Dong Chi-sung Cameo War of the Arrows Seo-goon 2012 Doomsday Book Ji-ho Special appearance Eungyo Seo Ji-woo All Bark No Bite Sang-keun 2015 Northern Limit Line Yoon Young-ha 2017 Warriors of the Dawn Gok-soo Forgotten Yoo-seok 2018 Snatch Up Min-jae Illang: The Wolf Brigade Han Sang-woo 2019 The Gangster, The Cop, The Devil Jung Tae-suk 2020 Honest Candidate Park Hee-cheol Intruder Kang Seo-jin 2021 Space Sweepers Kang Hyeon-u Special appearance On the Line Pro Kwak 2022 Honest Candidate 2 Park Hee-cheol 2023 The Devil's Deal Kim Pil-do Ballerina Chief-Jo Special appearance 2024 The Roundup: Punishment Baek Chang-ki 2025 The Old Woman with the Knife Ryoo

Television series Year Title Role Notes 2007 Drama City "For The New School" Hyun-wook 2007–2008 Chosun Police Oh-deok 2008 Iljimae Si-wan 2009 Wife Returns Han Kang-soo 2010 John and Rugalda, Two Virgin Spouses John / Yoo Jung-cheol 2015 My Beautiful Bride Kim Do-hyung 2017 Bad Guys 2 No Jin-pyeong 2022 Juvenile Justice Cha Tae-joo Grid Song Eo-jin 2022–2023 Trolley Jang Woo-jae 2023 Sweet Home Kim Young-hoo Season 2–3 High Cookie Yoo Seong-pil 2024 No Way Out: The Roulette Lee Sang-bong Queen Woo Eul Pa-so 2026 Teach You a Lesson Na Hwa-jin Baek Jong-min Special appearance

Theater Musicals + Year Title Role Theater Date English Korean 2003 Jjangdda 짱따 Cultural Arts Foundation Arts Theater Small Theater February 15 to 28 Chuncheon Museum Outdoor Stage August 15 Hwacheon Boys High School Auditorium August 27 Hongcheon Duchon Middle School Outdoor Stage August 28 Inje Kirin High School Auditorium August 29 2005–2006 Subway Line 1 지하철 1호선 Multi-roles Hakjeon Green Small Theater in Daehakro 2005 to March 29, 2006 2005 Assassins 암살자들 John Hinckley Seoul Arts Center CJ Towol Theater July 9, 2005 – July 30, 2005 2005 Grease 그리스 Danny Zuko Dongsoong Art Center Dongsoong Hall October 1, 2005 – January 1, 2006 2006 Singin' in the Rain 패션 오브 더 레인 K Inkel Art Hall October 1, 2006 – November 30, 2006 2006–2007 Singin' in the Rain 패션 오브 더 레인 K Inkel Art Hall December 29, 2006 – January 1, 2007 2006 Altar Boyz 알타보이즈 Luke Chungmu Art Center Main Theater April 11, 2006 – May 21, 2006 2006 Hoam Art Hall July 15, 2006 – August 27, 2006 2007 Thrill Me 쓰릴미 Richard Loeb,Nathan Chungmu Art Center Chungmu Hall Black March 17, 2007 – May 13, 2007 JTN Art Hall 1 May 22, 2007 – July 22, 2007 Singin' in the Rain 패션 오브 더 레인 Don Lockwood Finding Kim Jong-wook 김종욱 찾기 Kim Jong-wook & First Love JTN Art Hall 1 October 23, 2007 – February 17, 2013 2008 Thrill Me 쓰릴미 Richard Chungmu Art Center Main Theater Black June 28, 2008 – October 12, 2008 The Happy Life 즐거운 인생 Sae-ki Chungmu Art Center Main Theater Black November 21, 2008 – February 8, 2009 2009 Daegu Sudong Art Pia Yongji Hall March 14, 2009 – March 15, 2009 Chungnam National University Jeongsimhwa International Cultural Center Jeongsimhwa Hall, Daejeon April 4, 2009 – April 5, 2009 2009 Spring Awakening 스프링 어웨이크닝 Melchior Doosan Art Center Yeonkang Hall June 30, 2009 – January 10, 2010 2009 Jack the Ripper 살인마 잭 Daniel Universal Art Center November 13, 2009 – January 31, 2010 Yeungnam University Cheonma Art Center Grand Hall, Daegu December 24, 2009 – December 26, 2009 2010 Thrill Me 쓰릴미 Nathan The Stage May 12, 2010 – November 14, 2010 2010 The Three Musketeers 삼총사 d'Artagnan Chungmu Art Center Main Theater December 15, 2010 – January 30, 2011 2011 Daejeon Arts Center Art Hall February 19, 2011 – February 20, 2011 Daegu Keimyung Art Center February 26, 2011 – February 27, 2011 Goyang Aram Nuri Arts Center Aram Theater March 19, 2011 – March 20, 2011 Gwanghwamun Love Song 광화문 연가 Hyun-woo Sejong Center for the Performing Arts Main Theater March 20, 2011 – April 10, 2011 The Three Musketeers 삼총사 d'Artagnan Gwangju Culture and Arts Center Main Theater April 8, 2011 – April 10, 2011 Busan Citizens' Hall Main Theater April 16, 2011 – April 17, 2011 Gwanghwamun Love Song 광화문연가 Hyun-woo Gwangju Culture and Arts Center Main Theater April 22, 2011 – April 24, 2011 Daegu Keimyung Art Center April 29, 2011 – May 1, 2011 Goyang Aram Nuri Arts Center Aram Theater May 20, 2011 – May 22, 2011 Ansan Culture & Arts Center Haedoji Theater June 24, 2011 – June 26, 2011 2011 Guys and Dolls 아가씨와 건달들 Sky Masterson LG Art Center August 2, 2011 – September 18, 2011 Gwangju Culture and Arts Center Main Theater October 7, 2011 – October 9, 2011 Korean Sound and Culture Hall Moak Hall, Jeonju October 21, 2011 – October 23, 2011 Ulsan Culture and Arts Center Grand Theater November 12, 2011 – November 13, 2011 Anyang Art Center Grand Theater (Gwanak Hall) November 19, 2011 – November 20, 2011 Chungnam National University Jeongsimhwa International Cultural Center Jeongsimhwa Hall, Daejeon December 2, 2011 – December 4, 2011 Cheonma Art Center, Daegu December 16, 2011 – December 18, 2011 Busan Cinema Center Sky Theater December 31, 2011 – January 1, 2012 2012 Thrill Me (Japan) 쓰릴미 Richard/Nathan Galaxy Theater in Tokyo, Japan July 19 to 29 2012 Gwanghwamun Love Song 광화문 연가 Hyun-woo Chungmu Art Center Main Theater May 13, 2012 – June 3, 2012 Daegu Keimyung Art Center June 22, 2012 – June 24, 2012 Jeju Arts Center June 30, 2012 – July 1, 2012 Incheon Culture and Arts Center Grand Theater August 24, 2012 – August 26, 2012 Korean Sound and Culture Hall Moak Hall, Jeonju September 1, 2012 – September 2, 2012 Gwangju Culture and Arts Center Main Theater October 6, 2012 – October 7, 2012 2013 The Promise 프라미스 Sang-jin National Theater Haerorum Theater January 8, 2013 – January 20, 2013 February 15, 2013 – March 2, 2013 Daegu Gyeongnam Art Center March 21, 2013 – March 24, 2013 2014 Kinky Boots 킹키부츠 Charlie Price Chungmu Art Center Main Theater December 2, 2014 – February 22, 2015 2016 Gone Tomorrow 곤 투모로우 Hong Jong-woo Gwanglim Art Center BBCH Hall September 13, 2016 – November 6, 2016 2016 Frozen 얼음 Detective 2 Yes24 Stage 3 February 13, 2016 – March 20, 2016 2017 Thrill Me 쓰릴미 Nathan Baekam Art Hall February 14, 2017 – May 28, 2017

Plays + Year Title Role Venue Date English Korean 2005 Myeongdong Blues 명동 블루스 2006 Bindaetteok Gentleman 빈대떡 신사 2007 Gangtaek-gu 강택구 2007 Mad Kiss 미친키스 Jang Jung Daehak-ro Installation Theatre Jeongmiso September 5 – October 21 2007–2008 December 8, 2007 – March 2, 2008 2008 Fish man 물고기 남자 Understudy, Planning 2009 Zoo Story 동물원 이야기 Jerry 2011 One Guy, Two Guys, Riding on a Bumpy Road 한놈 두놈 삑구타고 Ho-jun The Theater July 1, 2011 – July 10, 2011 2016 Ice Detective 1 (Cho Doo-man) Yes 24 Stage 3 February 13 to March 20, 2016

Discography Year Song title Notes 2009 "Mandy" Track from Wife Returns OST

Accolades Awards and nominations Year Award Category Nominated work Result 2000 Dongrang Youth Arts Festival Excellence Award, Actor 2007 1st Daegu International Musical Festival Best New Actor 1st The Musical Awards Best Supporting Actor Thrill Me 2009 15th Korea Musical Awards Best Actor Spring Awakening 30th Blue Dragon Film Awards Best New Actor The Scam 2010 46th Baeksang Arts Awards Best New Actor (Film) SBS Drama Awards Best Supporting Actor in a Weekend/Daily Drama Wife Returns 2012 21st Buil Film Awards Best Supporting Actor A Muse 2018 KBS Drama Awards Best Actor in a One-Act/Special/Short Drama Forgotten Season 2023 28th Chunsa Film Art Awards Best Supporting Actor The Devil's Deal SBS Drama Awards Top Excellence Award, Actor in a Seasonal Drama Trolley

Listicles + Name of publisher, year listed, name of listicle, and placement Publisher Year Listicle Placement Korean Film Council 2021 Korean Actors 200 The Screen 2019 2009–2019 Top Box Office Powerhouse Actors in Korean Movies