London Korean Links

Covering things Korean in London and beyond since 2006

LKL Celeb of the month #4: Won Bin

Won Bin (원빈) was born Kim Do Jin (김도진) on 10 November 1977 in Gangwon province. His 1996 TV debut was little noticed, but then he hit the big time in the hit drama Autumn Fairy Tale (2000), the first part of the Endless Love seasonal series which includes Winter Sonata. Alongside Won Bin appeared other actors who are now in the celebrity A-list, including Song Hye-gyo, Moon Geun-young and Han Chae-young.

He has been in some well-received appearances on the big screen. From younger brother in Jang Jin’s gangster flick Guns and Talks (2001), via younger brother in Kang Je-gyu’s blockbuster Taegukgi (2004) to younger brother in Ahn Kwon-tae’s melodrama My Brother (2004), Won Bin hasn’t been in a duff one yet despite his seemingly typecast roles. And, returning to film after a spell in the military, he will be starring in one of 2009’s most anticipated films, Bong Joon-ho’s Mother. The big difference this time is that he’s the only son.

This year Won Bin hit the news for his filial piety in building an award-winning home for his parents in his home town in Jeongseon, which depending on which way you look at it is an imaginative modernist construction or an agglomeration of concrete portakabins. Some more flattering images available here. (HT: Dramabeans)

Like many celebs, outside of screen appearances he gets the occasional promotional work (including ads for Ziozia, the designers of shiny suits, and Hite, maker of gassy beer). He also joins Ahn Sung-ki in supporting the work of Unicef.

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