Kim Rae-won initially wanted to become a professional basketball player, but when an injured ankletendon ended that childhood dream, he turned to acting and studied Theater and Film at Chung-Ang University. He made his acting debut in the 1997 teen drama Me, in the role of a newbie at the broadcasting club of his high school.[1] This was followed by another teen drama, School 2 (1999) and coming-of-age filmPlum Blossom (2000).[2][3]
In 2002, Kim rose to fame after starring in the romance comedy drama My Love Patzzi.[4] His popularity further increased in 2003, playing a law student slacker who cohabitates with a girl (Jeong Da-bin) in the popular romance series Cats on the Roof.[5][6] He then played a carefree photographer who enters the life of an introverted girl in melodrama...ing and starred in the romantic comedy film My Little Bride,[7] in the role of a college graduate forced to marry a high school girl (Moon Geun-young).[8]My Little Bride became a sleeper hit and was the second top-grossing Korean film of 2004.[9]
In 2008, Kim played an elementary school teacher who falls for a Korean-Japanese jewelry designer (Mirai Yamamoto) in the Japanese film Flower Shadow (花影, Hanakage).[18] Later that year, he starred as a genius aspiring chef in Gourmet, a hit series based on Huh Young-man's manhwaSikgaek.[19][20]
In the 2012 film My Little Hero (released internationally as A Wonderful Moment), Kim played a cynical music director who "discovers" a young boy in an audition contest.[24][25] He next starred in 2014 legal thriller Punch, where he wowed critics with his portrayal of a prosecutor who is diagnosed with a terminal illness and decides to use his remaining six months to bring down the corrupt officials within the legal system.[26][27]
This was followed by Gangnam Blues, a 2015 noir action film by director Yoo Ha about the seedy underbelly behind the rapid real estate development of Gangnam in the 1970s.[28][29] Kim shed 15 kilograms to make his role as a fist-fighting gangster more realistic.[30] He then made his small-screen comeback in the SBS's medical drama Doctors opposite Park Shin-hye.[31] The drama topped viewership ratings and popularity charts during its 10-week broadcast.[32] Following Doctors, Kim experienced a rise in popularity and commercial offers.[33][34]
In September 2018, Kim was cast in the action film Long Live The King alongside Won Jin-ah, based on a webtoon of the same name. Kim will take the role of a mob boss who campaigns and becomes a politician.[39] In 2019, Kim was also cast in the romantic comedy film Crazy Romance alongside Snowman co-star Gong Hyo-jin.[40][41]
In July 2021, HB Entertainment's contract ended and Kim decided not to renew it.[42]
In 2022, Kim returns to the small screen with the SBS drama The First Responders, his first terrestrial television in six years since 2016.[43] The second season is set to premiere in 2023.,[44] In April 2022, it was reported that Kim had formed the Whale Company, an entity Kim founded as a sole agency.[45]
On 28 September 2011, Kim was reportedly involved in a physical altercation with a waitress at a bar in Gangnam, Seoul where he and employees of his then-agency Bless Entertainment were drinking.[46] He issued a denial, claiming he had only interceded in a verbal argument between the woman and an agency rep, and later made a public apology regarding the incident.[47]
Kim has long been rumored to come from a very affluent family, which he denied in a 14 January 2013 guest appearance on talk show Healing Camp, though he confirmed that he did inherit an apartment unit during middle school as well as a large sum of money from his grandmother.[48]
^Oh Yoon-joo (23 July 2021). "김래원, HB엔터와 전속계약 종료 [공식입장 전문]" [Kim Rae-won, contract with HB Entertainment ends [Full text of official position]]. My Daily (in Korean). Archived from the original on 23 July 2021. Retrieved 23 July 2021 – via Naver.
^Kang Nae-ri (24 January 2022). "김래원X손호준X공승연, '소방서 옆 경찰서' 출연 확정...상반기 방송 예정" [Kim Rae-won X Son Ho-jun X Gong Seung-yeon confirmed to appear in 'The Police Station Next to the Fire Station'... Scheduled to air in the first half of the year] (in Korean). YTN. Archived from the original on 19 March 2022. Retrieved 24 January 2022 – via Naver.
^Jang Jin-ri (5 January 2022). "[단독]김래원·공승연·손호준 '소방서 옆 경찰서', 시즌제 간다" [[Exclusive] Kim Rae-Won, Gong Seung-Yeon, Son Ho-Jun 'Police Station Next to Fire Station' goes to the season festival] (in Korean). SPOTV News. Archived from the original on 21 February 2022. Retrieved 21 February 2022 – via Naver.
^Kim Bo-ra (21 April 2022). "[단독] 김래원, 신생1인 기획사 설립...본격 홀로서기 행보" [[Exclusive] Rae-won Kim establishes a new one-man agency... Full-fledged solo walk] (in Korean). OSEN. Archived from the original on 21 April 2022. Retrieved 21 April 2022 – via Naver.
^Jeon Hyung-hwa (6 October 2022). "김래원x이종석x차은우 '데시벨' 11월16일 개봉 확정" [Kim Rae-won x Lee Jong-suk x Cha Eun-woo 'Decibel' to be released on November 16] (in Korean). MT Star News. Archived from the original on 7 October 2022. Retrieved 6 October 2022 – via Naver.
^Yoo, Eun-bi (5 August 2023). "학연·혈연에 팬心까지 총동원 ...특별출연 '美친 라인업'[이슈S]" [Mobilize school ties, blood ties, and even fan hearts...Special appearance on "Crazy Friendly Lineup" [issue S]] (in Korean). SpoTV News. Retrieved 9 August 2023 – via Naver.
^Kim Jin-seok (14 September 2021). "[단독]김래원, SBS 드라마 '소방서 옆 경찰서' 주인공" [[Exclusive] Kim Rae-won, the main character of SBS drama 'The Police Station Next to the Fire Station] (in Korean). JTBC. Archived from the original on 5 January 2022. Retrieved 14 September 2021 – via Naver.
^Kim, Soo-jin (20 May 2005). '말아톤' '파리의 연인' 백상예술대상 대상 (종합) [Marathon, Lovers in Paris are Baeksang Arts Awards Grand Prize winners]. Star News (in Korean). Archived from the original on 4 March 2016. Retrieved 25 August 2015.
^Oh Yoon-joo (30 December 2022). "SBS 연기대상' 대상 후보5人...영광의 주인공 누구?" [5 candidates for the 'SBS Drama Awards'... Who is the hero of glory?]. My Daily (in Korean). Archived from the original on 30 December 2022. Retrieved 30 December 2022 – via Naver.
^Kim, Ji-hye (1 January 2023). "[2022 SBS 연기대상]'악마음' 김남길, 두번째 대상 영예..남궁민 디렉터즈 어워드(종합)" [[2022 SBS Drama Awards] 'Evil Mind' Kim Nam-gil, second grand prize .. Namgoong-min Director's Award (comprehensive)] (in Korean). Herald Pop. Archived from the original on 31 December 2022. Retrieved 31 December 2022 – via Naver.
^Kim Na-young (27 December 2023). "'2023 SBS 연기대상' 주인공은 누구?이제훈vs한석규vs김태리vs김래원" [Who will be the main character of the '2023 SBS Drama Awards'? Lee Je-hoon vs. Han Seok-gyu vs. Kim Tae-ri vs. Kim Rae-won]. MK Sports (in Korean). Naver. Retrieved 27 December 2023.
^Lee, Dong-gun (30 December 2023). "[SBS 연기대상] 안효섭 최우수연기상…"모두 낭만적인 하루 보내셨으면" [[SBS Acting Awards] Ahn Hyo-seop wins Best Actor..."I hope everyone had a romantic day]. Media Pen (in Korean). Retrieved 31 December 2023 – via Naver.
^김래원, '저축의 날' 대통령 표창 받아. inews24 (in Korean). 3 November 2006. Archived from the original on 25 November 2018. Retrieved 25 November 2018.