# Kim Joo-hun
**Kim Joo-hun** (김주헌; born 1980) is a South Korean actor who built his career on the theater stage before becoming a widely cast supporting player in Korean television dramas and films. He is known for roles including the National Intelligence Service counter-terrorism team leader Jung Han-mo in *Designated Survivor: 60 Days* (2019), Dr. Park Min-guk in the *Dr. Romantic* series, and the final villain Choi Do-ha in *Big Mouth* (2022).[1](https://isayyeah.tistory.com/m/3537) • [2](https://www.sportschosun.com/amp/2019-03-19/201903190100142620010145) • [3](https://v.daum.net/v/3tC4bDsbQ8)
| Key fact | Detail |
|---|---|
| Born | 1980, Pohang, North Gyeongsang Province, South Korea[1](https://isayyeah.tistory.com/m/3537) |
| Training | Sculpture at Andong National University, then acting at Seoul Institute of the Arts; stage debut at age 28[4](https://v.daum.net/v/20220923110103404) |
| Stage debut | Theater *Gangster No.1* (2008)[3](https://v.daum.net/v/3tC4bDsbQ8) |
| Screen debut | OCN's *38 Task Force* (2016); breakthrough as Lee Dae-chan in tvN's *Boyfriend* (2018)[5](https://sports.khan.co.kr/article/202209272000003) |
| Signature TV roles | Jung Han-mo in *Designated Survivor: 60 Days* (2019); Park Min-guk in *Dr. Romantic 2* and *3*; Choi Do-ha in *Big Mouth* (2022)[2](https://www.sportschosun.com/amp/2019-03-19/201903190100142620010145) • [6](https://zetawiki.com/wiki/%EA%B9%80%EC%A3%BC%ED%97%8C) • [3](https://v.daum.net/v/3tC4bDsbQ8) |
| Award | SBS Drama Awards, Male Supporting Actor, for *Dr. Romantic 2* (2020)[6](https://zetawiki.com/wiki/%EA%B9%80%EC%A3%BC%ED%97%8C) |
| Agencies | Salt Entertainment until 2022, then Secret Entertainment[7](https://www.wikitree.co.kr/articles/996474) |
## Early life and stage career
Kim was born in Pohang, North Gyeongsang Province, in 1980.[1](https://isayyeah.tistory.com/m/3537) He first studied art, entering the sculpture program at Andong National University, but after military service he turned to acting and enrolled in the acting department of [Seoul Institute of the Arts](https://www.edgepedia.org/seoul-institute-of-the-arts).[4](https://v.daum.net/v/20220923110103404) He made his stage debut at 28, a late start he has described himself as a "late-blooming" actor.[4](https://v.daum.net/v/20220923110103404)
His stage work is extensive. He appeared in *Marat/Sade*, *Whales*, *Oedipus Rex*, *M. Butterfly*, *Kiss of the Spider Woman*, *Capone Trilogy*, and *Turn Around and Leave*, among others.[2](https://www.sportschosun.com/amp/2019-03-19/201903190100142620010145) In 2013, at the Alleyway Theatre Company's tenth-anniversary festival, he played the poet [Yi Sang](https://www.edgepedia.org/yi-sang) in the Korean two-hander *A Sun Rising in the Sky*, written by Kwon Tae and directed by Lee Eun-jun.[8](https://wiki.onul.works/w/%EA%B9%80%EC%A3%BC%ED%97%8C) In 2017 he appeared in *M. Butterfly*, where a director noted that he would stand out in the production.[9](https://www.viva100.com/article/201709101014672) Later stage work includes the Korean premiere of Alexi Kaye Campbell's *Pride* (2019) and the black comedy *Understudy* (2021), based on Teresa Rebeck's Edgar Award-winning play, in which he played the struggling actor Harry.[10](https://ch.yes24.com/Article/details/80614) • [11](https://www.yna.co.kr/view/AKR20211019054100005) He has also performed in *Three Days of Rain* in a one-man-two-roles turn.[12](https://v.daum.net/v/6oiRWAGMJ1)
## Move to screen
Kim's first screen appearance came in 2016 with OCN's *38 Task Force*.[5](https://sports.khan.co.kr/article/202209272000003) In 2015 he had signed with Urban Entertainment and took small parts in a run of films, including *Tazza: The High Rollers 2* (2015), *The Plan Man* (2015), *The Advocate: A Missing Body* (2016), and *Train to Busan* (2016).[8](https://wiki.onul.works/w/%EA%B9%80%EC%A3%BC%ED%97%8C)
**Breakthrough on television.** The role that made his name with general audiences was Lee Dae-chan, the cheerful owner of a snail-restaurant and close friend of [Park Bo-gum](https://www.edgepedia.org/park-bo-gum)'s character, in tvN's *Boyfriend* (2018–2019).[3](https://v.daum.net/v/3tC4bDsbQ8) • [2](https://www.sportschosun.com/amp/2019-03-19/201903190100142620010145) In 2019 he played Jung Han-mo, a National Intelligence Service counter-terrorism team leader, in tvN's *Designated Survivor: 60 Days*, a local adaptation of the American series *Designated Survivor*; the role was promoted as a "scene-stealer" turn, a marked change of image from *Boyfriend*.[2](https://www.sportschosun.com/amp/2019-03-19/201903190100142620010145) • [13](https://isplus.com/article/view/isp201907010395)
From 2019 onward he worked almost continuously. His credits include *Dr. Romantic 2* (2020) and *Dr. Romantic 3* (2023) as hospital director Park Min-guk, *It's Okay to Not Be Okay* (2020) as Lee Sang-in, *[Do Do Sol Sol La La Sol](https://www.edgepedia.org/do-do-sol-sol-la-la-sol)* (2020), *Now, We Are Breaking Up* (2021) as Seok Do-hoon, and *Big Mouth* (2022).[14](https://v.daum.net/v/20240117070232289) • [15](https://www.starnewskorea.com/broadcast-drama/2022/01/09/2022010910511370994) For *Dr. Romantic 2* he received the Male Supporting Actor award at the 2020 [SBS Drama Awards](https://www.edgepedia.org/sbs-drama-awards).[6](https://zetawiki.com/wiki/%EA%B9%80%EC%A3%BC%ED%97%8C)
## Big Mouth and the villain turn
In MBC's *[Big Mouth](https://www.edgepedia.org/big-mouth-south-korean-tv-series)* (2022), a drama about a struggling lawyer, Park Chang-ho ([Lee Jong-suk](https://www.edgepedia.org/lee-jong-suk)), who is mistaken for the genius con artist "Big Mouse", Kim played Choi Do-ha, the mayor of Gucheon and the drama's hidden final villain.[4](https://v.daum.net/v/20220923110103404) He prepared the role physically, gaining 10 kg for the early episodes and losing it again for the later ones to sharpen the character's edge.[3](https://v.daum.net/v/3tC4bDsbQ8) Several of the character's most discussed moments, including wiping tears at a funeral and laughing with only his lower face visible at a debate, were his own ad-libs.[16](https://v.daum.net/v/20220922153547027) He said he imagined "unpleasant swamp and fog" images for the villain and was pleased that viewers called the character detestable.[4](https://v.daum.net/v/20220923110103404) • [16](https://v.daum.net/v/20220922153547027)
## Later work
After *Big Mouth*, Kim joined the cast of tvN's *Castaway Diva*, playing the head of an entertainment agency in a story directed by Oh Choong-hwan (*Big Mouth*, *Hotel Del Luna*) and written by Park Hye-ryun (*[Pinocchio](https://www.edgepedia.org/pinocchio-2014-tv-series)*, *Start-Up*).[17](https://v.daum.net/v/fVf7wi3oJY) In 2024 he took his first full-length historical drama, MBN's *[Missing Crown Prince](https://www.edgepedia.org/missing-crown-prince)* (세자가 사라졌다), as Choi Sang-rok, the head of the royal clinic and a royal physician.[14](https://v.daum.net/v/20240117070232289) • [21](https://www.soompi.com/article/1639274wpp/exos-suho-hong-ye-ji-and-more-tease-chemistry-at-script-reading-for-new-historical-drama-premiere-date-confirmed) His film work in this period includes *Cross* (2024) and *Fairy* (요정, 2022).[18](https://k-calc.com/celeb/p/kim-ju-hun)
In 2022 he left Salt Entertainment and signed with Secret Entertainment, which also represents Pyo Ye-jin and Hong Jong-hyun; the agency announced him as part of its 2025 slate with tvN's *When the Stars Gossip* (별들에게 물어봐).[7](https://www.wikitree.co.kr/articles/996474) He subsequently joined tvN's *For Hands* (포핸즈) as Do Hyun-su, a legendary pianist, described as a figure who anchors the drama alongside characters played by [Song Kang](https://www.edgepedia.org/song-kang) and Lee Jun-young.[19](https://v.daum.net/v/q5E6dwFY30)
## Working style and recognition
Kim is known in interviews for praising his co-stars at length, a habit Korean media has nicknamed a "praise hell".[4](https://v.daum.net/v/20220923110103404) He has said he wears a different perfume for each role to help fix the character in his own memory, and that he keeps a regular routine, waking at 6 a.m. and finishing his day early.[4](https://v.daum.net/v/20220923110103404) • [16](https://v.daum.net/v/20220922153547027) His commercial work has drawn on his stage-trained voice: he was cast as a model for the pain-relief patch brand Sinil Pharm's Sylar patch, with the company citing his stable, trustworthy delivery.[20](https://oldm.dailypharm.com/newsView.html?ID=264345) In 2023 he served as an ambassador for barrier-free film, an initiative promoting films accessible to audiences with disabilities.[8](https://wiki.onul.works/w/%EA%B9%80%EC%A3%BC%ED%97%8C)
## References
1. [김주헌 : 배우, 그에 대해 알아보자 (isayyeah.tistory.com)](https://isayyeah.tistory.com/m/3537)
2. [[공식] 김주헌, tvN '60, 지정생존자' 출연 확정…신스틸러 활약 예고, Sports Chosun](https://www.sportschosun.com/amp/2019-03-19/201903190100142620010145)
3. [[인터뷰] '최종빌런' 김주헌 "'빅마우스' 보며 카타르시스 느껴", OSEN via Daum](https://v.daum.net/v/3tC4bDsbQ8)
4. ['빅마우스' 김주헌 "미대생→늦깎이 배우 데뷔, 위궤양에도 치약 삼키며 버텼죠" [TEN인터뷰], Ten Asia via Daum](https://v.daum.net/v/20220923110103404)
5. [[스경X인터뷰] '우영우'도 '빅마우스'도 잘 된 김주헌, Sports Kyunghyang](https://sports.khan.co.kr/article/202209272000003)
6. [김주헌, 제타위키](https://zetawiki.com/wiki/%EA%B9%80%EC%A3%BC%ED%97%8C)
7. ["표예진, 홍종현과…" 김주헌, 새로운 근황 전해졌다 [공식], Wikitree](https://www.wikitree.co.kr/articles/996474)
8. [김주헌, 오늘의AI위키](https://wiki.onul.works/w/%EA%B9%80%EC%A3%BC%ED%97%8C)
9. [[B사이드] 연극 '엠. 버터플라이' 르네 김주헌·송릴링 장율, 브릿지경제](https://www.viva100.com/article/201709101014672)
10. [[인터뷰] <프라이드>가 당신에게 닿을 때까지, 예스24 채널예스](https://ch.yes24.com/Article/details/80614)
11. [블랙코미디 연극 '언더스터디' 초연…김주헌·박훈 출연, 연합뉴스](https://www.yna.co.kr/view/AKR20211019054100005)
12. [김주헌, 전율 일으키는 1인 2역..가슴 적시는 '3일간의 비' [Oh!쎈 리뷰], OSEN via Daum](https://v.daum.net/v/6oiRWAGMJ1)
13. ['남자친구'→'지정생존자' 김주헌, 180도 연기 변신 예고, 일간스포츠](https://isplus.com/article/view/isp201907010395)
14. [김주헌, '세자가 사라졌다' 출연 확정…첫 장편 사극 도전 [공식], Newsen via Daum](https://v.daum.net/v/20240117070232289)
15. ['지헤중' 최희서 "황치숙役, 나인줄 모르는 반응에 희열..변신 성공", 스타뉴스](https://www.starnewskorea.com/broadcast-drama/2022/01/09/2022010910511370994)
16. [김주헌 "'빅마우스' 최종 빌런, '얄밉다'는 말 기분 좋아" [인터뷰 종합], OSEN via Daum](https://v.daum.net/v/20220922153547027)
17. ['무인도의 디바' 김주헌 출연, 김효진 소속사 사장 된다 [공식], Daum](https://v.daum.net/v/fVf7wi3oJY)
18. [김주헌 (배우) 프로필, K-Calculator](https://k-calc.com/celeb/p/kim-ju-hun)
19. [[공식] 김주헌, '포핸즈' 레전드 피아니스트 도현수 역 출연, Daum](https://v.daum.net/v/q5E6dwFY30)
20. [[데일리팜] 신신파스아렉스 CF모델에 배우 김주헌 발탁, 데일리팜](https://oldm.dailypharm.com/newsView.html?ID=264345)
21. [EXO's Suho, Hong Ye Ji, And More Tease Chemistry At Script Reading For New Historical Drama + Premiere Date Confirmed, Soompi](https://www.soompi.com/article/1639274wpp/exos-suho-hong-ye-ji-and-more-tease-chemistry-at-script-reading-for-new-historical-drama-premiere-date-confirmed)
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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: Sep 19, 2026; Oct 25, 2026 · Edited: Sep 19, 2026; Oct 12, 2026; Oct 25, 2026 · Last review: Oct 25, 2026*
*Copyright 2026 EdgeChat AI, a subsidiary of Biostate AI.*
License: Edgepedia Community License 1.0, https://www.edgepedia.org/edgepedia/license