# Kim Ji-hoo

**Kim Ji-hoo** (김지후; July 11, 1985 – October 6, 2008) was a South Korean male actor and fashion model whose brief public career ended in the year of his death at age 23.<sup>[1](https://mydramalist.com/people/6130-kim-ji-hoo)</sup> He is a different person from the similarly named South Korean actress Kim Ji-ho (김지호; hanja 金志祜, born 1974), whose debut work was the 1994 KBS drama *Sarang-ui Insa* (사랑의 인사).<sup>[2](https://www.kmdb.or.kr/db/per/00000284)</sup>

| Key fact | Detail |
|---|---|
| Native name | 김지후 (Kim Ji-hoo) |
| Born / died | 1985; October 6, 2008, at age 23<sup>[1](https://mydramalist.com/people/6130-kim-ji-hoo)</sup> |
| Nationality / profession | South Korean; male actor and fashion model<sup>[1](https://mydramalist.com/people/6130-kim-ji-hoo)</sup> |
| Debut | Fashion model, 2007, for two different companies<sup>[1](https://mydramalist.com/people/6130-kim-ji-hoo)</sup> |
| Television appearance | The variety show *Star King*, plus stage plays and musicals<sup>[1](https://mydramalist.com/people/6130-kim-ji-hoo)</sup> |
| Public coming out | April 2008, on the tvN reality show *Coming Out*<sup>[1](https://mydramalist.com/people/6130-kim-ji-hoo)</sup> |
| Distinct from | Actress 김지호 (金志祜, born 1974), a separate person sharing a near-identical romanized name<sup>[2](https://www.kmdb.or.kr/db/per/00000284)</sup> |

## Identity and disambiguation

The romanized names "Kim Ji-hoo" and "Kim Ji-ho" are similar and can be easily confused. The subject of this article is the male actor and model whose native name is written 김지후.<sup>[1](https://mydramalist.com/people/6130-kim-ji-hoo)</sup> The Korean Film Council's film database KMDb indexes the near-identical name as the actress 김지호, written with the hanja 金志祜 and born in 1974, whose debut was the 1994 KBS drama *사랑의 인사*.<sup>[2](https://www.kmdb.or.kr/db/per/00000284)</sup> These are two different individuals.

His hangul spelling is given as 김지후 on the profile that records his dates and career; no hanja form or confirmed birth name appears there.<sup>[1](https://mydramalist.com/people/6130-kim-ji-hoo)</sup>

## Career beginnings

Kim entered the entertainment field as a fashion model, making his debut in 2007 with two different companies.<sup>[1](https://mydramalist.com/people/6130-kim-ji-hoo)</sup> He then appeared on the television variety show *Star King* and in several stage plays and musicals.<sup>[1](https://mydramalist.com/people/6130-kim-ji-hoo)</sup>

## Coming Out and final months

In April 2008, Kim came out publicly as a gay man on the tvN reality show *Coming Out*.<sup>[1](https://mydramalist.com/people/6130-kim-ji-hoo)</sup> Shortly after the episode aired, his personal webpage received a large volume of malicious comments, fashion shows and television programs canceled his scheduled appearances, and his management company declined to renew his contract.<sup>[1](https://mydramalist.com/people/6130-kim-ji-hoo)</sup>

## Death

Kim died on October 6, 2008, and was found two days later. A police investigation ruled out foul play and found a note asking to be cremated. He was 23 years old.<sup>[1](https://mydramalist.com/people/6130-kim-ji-hoo)</sup>

## References

1. [Kim Ji Hoo (김지후), MyDramaList](https://mydramalist.com/people/6130-kim-ji-hoo)
2. [김지호 Kim Ji-ho / 金志祜 (born 1974), Korean Movie Database (KMDb)](https://www.kmdb.or.kr/db/per/00000284)

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*Topic: Encyclopedia › Arts and culture › Screen and stage › Film and television › Screen people and creators › Screen actors of East and Southeast Asia › South Korean actors, 2000s onward › Surnames Ki to K*

*Initially written Sep 17, 2026 · Reviewed: Oct 25, 2026 · Edited: Oct 11, 2026; Oct 12, 2026; Oct 15, 2026; Oct 25, 2026 · Last review: Oct 25, 2026*

*Copyright 2026 EdgeChat AI, a subsidiary of Biostate AI.*

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