Kim Rae Won

Date of Birth: 03/19/1981
Birth Place: KangNam, Gangwondo, South Korea
Ethnicity: Korean

Kim Rae Won, a Korean actor and model, first entered Korean entertainment industry through a commercial stint during his high school days. But he became a teen star in the Korean television drama Me and a star to be reckoned with in his lead roles in television dramas like Attic Cat, Which Star Are You From? and Love Story in Harvard, and movies like … Ing and My Little Bride

He never dreamt of becoming an actor because at a young age, his dream was to become a basketball player. He pursued his dream by moving out of his home and studied in an elite school in Seoul famous for its basketball training program. After a year of rigorous training, he hurt his ankle tendon during a basketball drill which eventually led to his dropping out from the program and forgetting his hoop dreams.

His focus in life made a huge turn when he was offered an acting role in the Korean television drama Me, his gateway to becoming a star, which eventually led to numerous television appearances and acting jobs. He made a breather from his acting when he concentrated on his studies in preparation for his college entrance exams. His hard work paid off when he got into the Drama and Acting department at Joong Ang University.

His university days were a transformation for Kim Rae Won. He shed off his teen star image and starred in mature roles in movies like Plum Blossoms and Mr. Socrates.

He never fails to try new ways to further improve his talents, trying new roles and acting them with passion. His versatility was challenged when he recorded a song entitled “Sorry, Love” for the original soundtrack of his movie Mr. Socrates.

Kim Rae Won is considered as the epitome of the “ubersexuality” trend showcased in his roles as tough guy in the movie Mr. Socrates but still exudes charisma and smiles brightly in real life. He is never flippant and utters words with conviction and maturity with a strong voice. Kim Rae Won said in an interview from a magazine: "I want to be an actor with a burning heart. I believe that is the most important quality that an actor can have. If your heart gets cold, then your will have to act with pretense, and I think the viewers will sense that." (Translation of quoted words credited to Kim Rae Won soompi thread)

He was popular not only in Korea but to neighboring countries, like Japan and the Philippines, as well. His numerous dramas and movies are shown in other Asian countries and he even published a photo book entitled Pure showing his multi-faceted character, with Kunihiro Takuma as the photographer. This popularity is the gauge from which he was considered one of the top Korean stars.

His numerous awards, like Best Actor Awards and Popularity Award, from various award-giving bodies further exemplifies his caliber as a top Korean actor. He is not only given an award for his acting abilities but he was also given recognition by a bank for being a person whom saved the most. He believed that saving cash is the safest means and that he saved 70-80% of his earnings.

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