Won Bin

Kim Do-jin (; born November 10, 1977), known professionally as Won Bin , is a South Korean actor. He first gained wide popularity in 2000 after starring in the television series Autumn in My Heart. One of the most selective actors in the Korean entertainment industry, he has starred in only five films to date: Guns & Talks, Taegukgi (2004), My Brother (2004), Mother (2009), and The Man from Nowhere (2010). He was Gallup Korea's Film Actor of the Year in 2010 and 2011.

Early life Won was born on November 10, 1977, in Jeongseon County, Gangwon Province, South Korea. He is the fifth and youngest child, with one brother and three sisters. His father was employed in a mine, and his mother worked on a farm. Like other children living in mountainous areas, Won spent most of his time playing with friends in the mountains and rivers. He was often shy, introspective, and quiet—traits that would follow him into adulthood. Although not talkative or outgoing, he excelled in sports. Won began taking taekwondo lessons and holds a black belt. He graduated from Chuncheon Mech Tech High School and initially planned to become a car mechanic due to his interest in car racing and motorcycling.

In November 1995, a cable television network was looking for new actors; Won applied and was accepted in his last semester of high school. He played bit parts on cable television, where he was noticed by fashion designer André Kim, who invited him to appear in his fashion show. Afterward, Won signed with a talent agency and decided to adopt the stage name "Won Bin".

Career Won's official acting debut is considered to be the 1997 television series Propose, in which he played a supporting role. He then starred in the series Ready Go! (1998) and Kwangki (1999). In 1998, Won graduated from the Broadcasting and Entertainment Department at Paekche Institute of the Arts.

Won had his big breakthrough in 2000. He played the rebellious youngest son in the critically acclaimed drama Tough Guy's Love (Kkokji). However, it was Autumn in My Heart that brought him widespread recognition not only in Korea but throughout Asia. The series became widely popular outside of Korea, ushering in the cultural phenomenon known as the "Korean Wave". Vogue Korea called Won "the original flower boy" and "the original Hallyu star".

In 2001, Won graduated from the Department of Theater at Yong In University. In 2002, he appeared in the series Friends, the first South Korean–Japanese co-production. That same year, he enrolled in the master's program at the Department of Film, the Graduate School of Arts, Yong In University. Won also starred in such popular films as Guns & Talks (2001) and My Brother (2004).

In November 2005, Won enlisted for mandatory military service. He was stationed in the Korean Demilitarized Zone, a position for which he volunteered. On June 2, 2006, the military officially confirmed that Won would no longer be active. The decision was made by the military when Won sustained injury to his ACL. He underwent surgery and was officially discharged on June 7, 2006. Rehabilitation from the injury took more than a year.

In September 2007, Won was appointed as a special representative of the Korean Committee for UNICEF. Over the years, he has participated in various programs and charity events for the organization. In June 2024, he was appointed UNICEF Goodwill Ambassador in Korea.

After a five-year break, Won returned to the big screen with the film Mother, directed by Bong Joon Ho. The film premiered in the Un Certain Regard section at the 2009 Cannes Film Festival. This was followed by The Man from Nowhere, which became the highest-grossing film in South Korea in 2010 and is Won's final appearance as an actor to date.

Despite his prolonged hiatus from acting, Won retains his popularity with the public. In 2024, Gallup Korea conducted a survey on "The actor you want to see again", in which Won took first place.

Personal life On May 30, 2015, Won married actress Lee Na-young in a small, private ceremony in a wheat field in Won's hometown of Jeongseon County. The couple reportedly began dating in August 2012. Lee gave birth to their son in December 2015.

Won has investments in real estate. He also does some farming, growing chokeberries and making chokeberry juice and sesame oil.

Endorsements Won is a successful commercial model. In 2018, a news program claimed that Won had earned more than from advertising since 2010. He has modeled for more than 50 brands since the late 1990s.

Won also worked as a fashion model for André Kim, appearing in several of his fashion shows in the 1990s and early 2000s. Kim wrote in his book, "I happened to see Won Bin by chance. His exquisite sculptural features, the overall balance of his face, his lonely gaze, and his elegant aura. Very young yet somehow profound. His inner depth was radiating beautifully."

Public image Won is one of the most elusive actors in South Korea. Due to the rarity of meeting him in person, other celebrities refer to him as a "legendary dragon". His long hiatus from acting adds to his mystique.

Won is considered one of the best examples of a good-looking man in South Korea; he has been nicknamed "Godbin" and "CG" by Korean internet users. The director of Mother, Bong Joon Ho, said that he added the line, "Do-joon's eyes are like a work of art. They're like deer's eyes," after casting Won for the role.

Won is often referenced in popular culture, from songs to dramas. The first Korean cyber singer, Adam, who debuted in 1998, was modeled after him. Screenwriter Kim Eun-sook, who has often said she would like to work with Won, named the main character of the 2012 series A Gentleman's Dignity Kim Do-jin, which is Won's real name. The hair-cutting scene from The Man from Nowhere has spawned numerous parodies.

Filmography Film Year Title Role Notes 1998 Saturday, 2:00 pm Delivery man Special appearance 2001 Guns & Talks Ha-yun 2004 Taegukgi Lee Jin-seok 2009 Mother Yoon Do-joon 1997–1998 Ready, Go! Han Seung-joo 1999 Jump Won Bin Special appearance 1999–2000 Kwangki Kang Min 2000 Drama City – "Small Station" Min-ho Kkokji Song Myung-tae Autumn in My Heart Han Tae-suk 2001 "For You" Yim Jae-beom

Accolades Awards and nominations + Name of the award ceremony, year presented, category, nominee of the award, and the result of the nomination Award ceremony Year Category Nominee / Work Result Asian Film Awards 2010 Best Supporting Actor Mother Baeksang Arts Awards 2001 Best New Actor – Television Autumn in My Heart 2010 Best Actor – Film Mother 2011 Best Actor – Film The Man from Nowhere Blue Dragon Film Awards 2001 Best New Actor Guns & Talks 2010 Best Actor The Man from Nowhere Popular Star Award Won Bin Buil Film Awards 2010 Best Actor The Man from Nowhere Bvlgari Brilliant Dreams Award 2002 Won Bin Chunsa Film Art Awards 2004 Best New Actor Taegukgi Cine21 Film Awards 2010 Actor of the Year The Man from Nowhere Golden Cinematography Awards 2004 Best New Actor Taegukgi Grand Bell Awards 2010 Best Actor The Man from Nowhere Popularity Award Won Bin 2011 Popularity Award Japan Best Jewellery Wearer Award 2011 Special Award KBS Drama Awards 1999 Best New Actor Kwangki 2000 Excellence in Acting Award Autumn in My Heart KOFRA Film Awards 2011 Best Actor The Man from Nowhere Korea Best Dresser Swan Awards 2000 Best Dressed (Actor) Won Bin Korea International Youth Film Festival 2010 Favorite Actor 2011 Favorite Actor Korean Film Awards 2002 Best New Actor Guns & Talks 2004 Best Actor My Brother 2010 Best Actor The Man from Nowhere Max Movie Awards 2011 Best Actor University Film Festival of Korea 2010 Best Actor

Listicles + Name of publisher, year listed, name of listicle, and placement Publisher Year Listicle Placement Forbes 2011 Korea Power Celebrity 40 17th 2012 37th Gallup Korea 2010 Film Actor of the Year 1st