Kim Yoon-seok

Quick Facts: Who was Kim Yoon-seok?

Subject:

Kim Yoon-seok

Known for:

Acclaimed South Korean actor, director, and screenwriter known for intense dramatic roles.

Born:

1968-01-21

Century / Era:

1968s Historical Era Archive

Verified Source:

2Day Chrono-Wiki & Primary Historical Archives

Origins & Early Life

Kim Yoon-seok (Korean: 김윤석; born January 21, 1968) is a South Korean actor, film director and screenwriter. Kim began his career in theater and it subsequently led him to be cast in minor roles in films and television dramas. His breakout role came as the villain in gambling film Tazza: The High Rollers (2006), but it was his performance as an ex-cop turned pimp in surprise hit The Chaser (2008) that brought him wider recognition. Kim has since become an acclaimed actor in South Korea, with notable performances in films such as Running Turtle (2009), Jeon Woo-chi: The Taoist Wizard (2009), The Yellow Sea (2010), Punch (2011),The Thieves (2012), Hwayi: A Monster Boy (2013), The Classified File (2015), The Priests (2015), 1987: When the Day Comes (2017), Dark Figure of Crime (2018), and Escape from Mogadishu (2021). In 2019, Kim made his directorial debut with Another Child, a family drama film starring Yum Jung-ah and Kim So-jin.

Pivotal Works & Achievements

Kim Yoon-seok was born on born January 21, 1968 in Danyang County, North Chungcheong Province, but his family moved to Busan shortly after his birth, where he lived for over 20 years. Influenced by his film-enthusiast parents, he developed a passion for cinema at an early age and spent much of his high school years frequenting movie theaters. He also showed an early talent for drawing. After failing his 1985 entrance exam for the Department of Theater and Film at Hanyang University, Kim enrolled in the Department of German Language and Literature at Dong-eui University the following year. Due to frequent campus closures and class cancellations caused by the democratization movement, Kim initially considered military enlistment.

Enduring Legacy & Impact

However, after witnessing the university's theatrical arts club practicing outdoors, he joined the group, known as the Dramatic Arts Research Society, in 1986. Concurrently, the university's Dramatic Arts Research Association experienced a split, leading to the creation of the national theater research group "Yeongeuk Ai" (Theater Child). In 1987, after a one-year leave of absence, he served as the president of Yeongeuk Ai and made his directorial debut with Camus's work The Misunderstanding, which deals with existential issues. However, feeling disillusioned by what he perceived as the club's focus on abstract intellect and ideology over genuine engagement with reality, he left the group later that year to join the professional Theater Company Hyeonjang. During his tenure there, Kim studied stage production extensively while taking on various tasks.

Chronological Milestones & Life Events

1. 1968 (1968-01-21): Birth of Kim Yoon-seok — Acclaimed South Korean actor, director, and screenwriter known for intense dramatic roles.
2. 1985: 1985 Milestone — After failing his 1985 entrance exam for the Department of Theater and Film at Hanyang University, Kim enrolled in the Department of German Language and Literature at Dong-eui University the following year.
3. 1986: 1986 Milestone — However, after witnessing the university's theatrical arts club practicing outdoors, he joined the group, known as the Dramatic Arts Research Society, in 1986.
4. 1987: 1987 Milestone — In 1987, after a one-year leave of absence, he served as the president of Yeongeuk Ai and made his directorial debut with Camus's work The Misunderstanding, which deals with existential issues.
5. 2006: 2006 Milestone — His breakout role came as the villain in gambling film Tazza: The High Rollers (2006), but it was his performance as an ex-cop turned pimp in surprise hit The Chaser (2008) that brought him wider recognition.
6. 2009: 2009 Milestone — Kim has since become an acclaimed actor in South Korea, with notable performances in films such as Running Turtle (2009), Jeon Woo-chi: The Taoist Wizard (2009), The Yellow Sea (2010), Punch (2011),The Thieves (2012), Hwayi: A Monster Boy (2013), The Classified File (2015), The Priests (2015), 1987: When the Day Comes (2017), Dark Figure of Crime (2018), and Escape from Mogadishu (2021).
7. 2019: 2019 Milestone — In 2019, Kim made his directorial debut with Another Child, a family drama film starring Yum Jung-ah and Kim So-jin.

Historical Fact-Check Quiz: Kim Yoon-seok

True or False: “Kim Yoon-seok's professional acting debut occurred in a production of A Streetcar Named Desire.”

Answer (TRUE ⭕): He made his professional acting debut that same year (1984) while studying at Dong-eui University.

Contemporary Figures & Related Historical Timelines

• Abrar-ul-Haq — Contemporary (Born in 1968) (1968): Esteemed Pakistani singer, philanthropist, and former politician from Punjab.
• Adam McKay — Contemporary (Born in 1968) (1968): Acclaimed American filmmaker known for satirical comedies and high-profile adaptations.
• Ajay Devgn — Contemporary (Born in 1968) (1968): Veteran Indian actor and filmmaker known for diverse roles in Hindi cinema.
• Achim von Arnim — Shared historical date (01-21 · Died) (1831): German Romantic poet and novelist, key figure in German literature.
• Alden W. Clausen — Shared historical date (01-21 · Died) (2013): American businessman, former President of the World Bank and Bank of America CEO.
• Akhtar Mansur — Historical peer (Born in 1968) (1968): Second Supreme Leader of the Taliban, assassinated in a 2016 US drone strike.
• Alejandro Sanz — Historical peer (Born in 1968) (1968): Iconic Spanish singer known for flamenco-infused ballads and global success.
• Aaron Spelling — Historical peer (Died in 2006) (2006): Pioneering American producer of hit TV series like Dynasty and Beverly Hills, 90210.
• Abu Musab al-Zarqawi — Historical peer (Died in 2006) (2006): Jordanian jihadist militant known for orchestrating violence in Iraq (1966–2006)
• Ahn Jae-hwan — Historical peer (Died in 2008) (2008): South Korean actor known for roles in films like Beautiful Temptation and Show Show Show.
• 1968 Historical Timeline & Archive — Explore world events and figures from 1968
• January 21 (01-21) On This Day — Historical birthdays and events on January 21

Frequently Asked Questions about Kim Yoon-seok