Kim Dong-hwi (; born December 26, 1995) is a South Korean actor. He made his debut in the film The Royal Tailor (2014) and gained recognition for the drama film In Our Prime (2022), where he received critical acclaim.
Early life Kim Dong-hwi was born on December 26, 1995 as the only child. In high school, he was actively involved in the dance club, exploring various genres like K-pop and street dance. Recognizing his son's talent, such as forming a street dance team with friends and participating in competitions, Kim's father first encouraged him to pursue acting.Chosun Interview 2022
In his third year of high school, Kim Dong-hwi started acting in plays. In his first play, he was cast in a multi-role performance, which is typically reserved for the most skilled actors. However, at the time, it was the only role left, and Kim portraying a homeless person, a nail salon owner, and the youngest member of the theater troupe across three acts. Before taking on the multi-role, Kim already decided to properly learn the craft of acting. The teacher advised him to start with physical training, so he would run, crawl on the floor, and engage in various exercises. Kim felt both awkward and exhilarated as he expanded his physical and emotional range to embody the diverse characters.
Career Kim Dong-hwi quickly developed a passion for acting, appreciating "the joy of working together as a team for a long time" on stage. Driven by a desire to "experience real-life situations," he auditioned for The Royal Tailor (2014) at the age of 19. He was selected for a role as a younger version of the character acted by Yoo Yeon-seok. After demonstrating his potential, the production company Bidangil Pictures later offered him another role, as a younger version of the character acted by Yoo Yeon-seok in Perfect Proposal (2015).
Kim applied for the audition independently, without an agency, and overcame a highly competitive selection process with a 250:1 ratio to secure the lead role in In Our Prime, acting alongside veteran actor Choi Min-sik. Kim acted as high school student Han Ji-woo in the film. He prefers paper scripts to reading them on wearable devices, and analyzes characters by scribbling them with his hands instead of using a keyboard. "When I was filming In Our Prime, I bought a notebook to analyze characters. Even after using up that notebook, I still buy the same kind of notebook every time. I write about my character research, as well as my daily diary, reviewing the shooting conditions." For his role, Kim won the Best New Actor award at the 43rd Blue Dragon Film Awards.
In film Christmas Carol, Kim Dong-hwi plays Hwan, another boy who is bullied by Ja-hoon (Song Gun-hee), the revenge target of the twin brothers played by actor Park Jin-young.
Personal life Kim's role models include acclaimed actors Choi Min-sik, Lee Byung-hun, Cho Seung-woo, and Park Jung-min.
Kim's hobby is film camera photography. He is so passionate about film cameras that he runs a separate account for film camera uploads, in addition to his main Instagram account.
Military service In November 2023, Kim told the media that he had applied for mandatory military service. He is now awaiting the official summons for enlistment.
In August 2024, it was announced that Kim will enlist as an active duty soldier in the 5th Division of the Army in Yeoncheon, Gyeonggi-do on September 24.
Filmography
Film YearTitleRoleNotes English Korean2014 The Royal Tailor 상의원 The Great Prince Bit part2015 Perfect Proposal 은밀한 유혹 young Seong-yeol2016Phantom Detective탐정 홍길동: 사라진 마을Student2018Where To Go노마드Sang WooShort film2019My First TimeMin-Su2020Journey to the Shore하고 싶은 아이Hwang Min-haHonest Candidate정직한 후보Choi SeulgiBit part2022In Our Prime이상한 나라의 수학자Han Ji-wooChristmas Carol크리스마스 캐럴Son Hwan2024Troll Factory댓글부대Chattatkat 2026 The Table: Day and Night 낮과 밤은 서로에게 Jong-su Opening film of BIFF
Television series YearTitleRoleNotes English Korean2020 Stranger 비밀의 숲 Kim Hu-jung Bit part (season 2) 2022–2023 Missing: The Other Side 미씽: 그들이 있었다 2 Oh Il-yong Season 2 2023 The Deal 거래 Song Jae-hyo KBS Drama Special:"Overlap Knife, Knife" 오버랩 나이프, 나이프 Shin Su-ho One-act drama
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 APAN Star Awards 2023Best New ActorThe Deal Baeksang Arts Awards 2022Best New Actor – FilmIn Our Prime Blue Dragon Film Awards 2022Best New Actor Buil Film Awards 2022Best New Actor Busan Film Critics Awards 2022 Chunsa Film Art Awards 2022 Director's Cut Awards 2023 Best New Actor in film Global Film & Television Huading Awards 2023 Best Global Newcomer Grand Bell Awards 2022 Best New Actor
Listicles +Name of publisher, year listed, name of listicle, and placementPublisherYearListiclePlacementCine21 2020Five rising stars that Cine21 is paying attention to Cine 21 Rising Star
Notes
References
External links