Kim Won-hae

Kim Won-hae
Born	(1969-04-06) April 6, 1969 (age 55)[1] Busanjin-gu, Busan, South Korea
Nationality	Korean
Education	Seoul Institute of the Arts - Theater and Film
Occupation	Actor
Years active	1991–present
Agent	SSGG Company
Korean name
Hangul	김원해
Hanja	金元海
Revised Romanization	Gim Won-hae
McCune–Reischauer	Kim Wŏn-hae

Kim Won-hae (Korean: 김원해; born April 6, 1969) is a South Korean actor.^[2][3][4][5] Since his debut in musical in 1991, Kim Won-hae worked on stage in plays and musicals before joining the non-verbal performance Nanta as an original member in 1997. He is best known as a former cast member of SNL Korea (season 1–4).^[6][7]

Kim Won-hae was born on May 21, 1969, in Busan, South Korea. He was known as an extrovert who loved grabbing the mic at gatherings from a young age. In school, he was nicknamed "Rascal." He realized, "Oh, there's something this fun in the world," when he started the drama club in high school.^[8]

In 1988, he enrolled at the Seoul Institute of the Arts. There, he met Director Jang Jin and Jung Jae-young. They got to know each other through the Dongrang Youth Theater Festival and became close while working together in the same university theater club. After graduating from the Seoul Institute of the Arts, he enrolled in the first class of the dance department at the Korea National University of Arts. However, he was unable to graduate because he was busy performing in the Nanta show.^[9][10]

Kim Won-hae made his debut in the musical Iron Kids (철부지들).^[11] In 1994 he joined musical Subway Line 1 [ko], where he met Sol Kyung-gu, Hwang Jung-min, and Jang Hyun-sung.^[10]

Kim Won-hae became an original member of the non-verbal performance Nanta in 1997, following Song Seung-hwan's recommendation. He met founding member Kim Moon-soo, who had joined the group in spring 1996. Produced by PMC Production under co-CEOs Song Seung-hwan and Lee Kwang-ho, Nanta premiered in Korea at Hoam Art Hall in October 1997. Ryu Seung-ryong joined the original cast in 1998, while Jang Hyuk-jin joined later. These actors laid the foundation for Nanta, practicing and performing across Korea and the world. The show became popular and holds the record for the longest-running open run performance in Korea.^[12][13][14]

After participating in the Edinburgh Festival Fringe in 1999, Nanta toured over 20 countries around the world, including Europe, Japan, Southeast Asia, Australia, and North America, and has recorded an audience occupancy rate of over 90% to date. It continues to attract 70% of foreign tourists and was gaining great popularity.^[14]

Nanta was the first performance in Korea to introduce the concept of a dedicated theater. PMC Production opened a 300-seat theater in Gangbuk in Jeong-dong in 2000, followed by another 300-seat theater in Gangnam in Cheongdam-dong in 2002. By 2003, PMC were operating seven theaters. In 2004, PMC opened a state-of-the-art 500-seat theater in Jeong-dong, which was expanded and relocated in January 2004. Nanta consistently maintained high seat occupancy rates.^[14]

In 2002, they entered New York, USA, and appeared on the Today Show before Psy.^[12]

Nanta made history as the first Asian production to secure an official invitation to Broadway with a $140,000 guarantee. The show's journey to Broadway began when Marie Rose, program director of the New Victory Theater, visited Korea and signed a contract after seeing the performance at the Nanta Theater. Originally scheduled for the first half of 2004, the Broadway run was rescheduled due to the success of its Los Angeles performance. "Nanta" was renamed "Cookin'" and was chosen as the opening act for the 2003-2004 season at the New Victory Theater. Kim flew to New York City to do a four-week performance from October 25 to November 19, 2003.^[13][15] The performance featured 10 actors, including Kim Kang-il, Kim Won-hae, Seo Chu-ja, Seol Ho-yeol, and Lee Beom-chan. It completed a month-long invitational performance at the New Victory Theater on 42nd Street, which is famous for not performing one performance for a long period of time.^[14]

Nanta had a successful run at the Off-Broadway Minetta Lane Theater in Greenwich Village, Manhattan. The production, a collaboration between PMC Production and Broadway Asia, had an investment of $1.2 million. After a two-week preview performance starting on February 20, 2004, the show officially opened on March 7. The performance featured 10 actors, including Kim Kang-il, Kim Won-hae, Seo Chu-ja, Seol Ho-yeol, Lee Beom-chan, Yoo Seung-soo, Lee Seong-min, Kang Ji-won, Jeong Hyeong-seok, and Kim Young-hoon. The show ran 8 times a week and received positive feedback from the audience and critics. It was a hit, with sold-out shows and coverage in the New York Times.^[14]

Kim Won-hae was a member of the Nanta cast from 1997 to 2006, dedicating nearly a decade of his life to the show from the age of 28 to 37. He refers to this period as his "Lost Decade," feeling he had nothing left after those years. Feeling adrift, he took a break and eventually opened a small gimbap restaurant in 2007. One day, Kim received a drunken call from his former understudy, Yoon Jeong-hwan, who was yelling at him, "Why are you rolling gimbap? Aren't you an actor?" Overwhelmed with emotion, Kim couldn't bear leaving acting any longer. In April, Kim returned to the stage in the black comedy play Jjamppong, which Yoon Jeong-hwan had written and directed.^[16]

Premiering in 2004, Jjamppong follows the story of the Chunraewon Chinese restaurant family, who mistakenly believe that the Gwangju Uprising was triggered by a jjamppong delivery mishap. As they pursue their modest dreams, the family encounters unexpected challenges.^[17][18] In the 2007 encore performance from April 5 to June 10, 2007, at Shotick Theater 2, Kim played the role of Shin Jak-ro, the head of the Chunraewon Chinese restaurant family. He showed an "insane presence" in the plays.^[8]

Feeling left behind by his former colleagues after a hiatus, Kim focused on his theater works, approaching acting with a "rookie" mindset. In his first year back in 2007, he faced financial challenges, as his income was only mere 1.73 million won, earning only 9,000 won per day through theater work and 6,000 won per hour at a supermarket part-time job.^[6][13]

In November, Kim made his television debut with a minor role as Mr. Jin in the KBS drama Beautiful Days [ko].^[6] At the end of 2007, Kim joined the cast of Clumsy People alongside actors such as Jang Young-nam, Han Chae-young, Jang Deok-bae, and Ryu Seung-ryong. Clumsy People was opening work of The Best Play Festival 2, returning after four years since the original festival in 2004. Written and directed by Jang Jin, Clumsy People was based on a script he had written in his early career. The performance ran from December 7, 2007, to March 2, 2008, at the Dongsung Arts Center Small Theater.^{[19][20][21][22]}

Kim Won-hae then joined the cast of the third encore performance of The Story of the Neulgeun Thief, which includes existing members such as Park Cheol-min, Hyeong Hyeong-gwan, Park Gil-soo, Jeong Kyung-ho, and Min Seong-wook, as well as Seo Hyeon-cheol, Lee Jun-hyuk, Lee Sang-hong, and Choi Deok-moon. The performance took place at Daehakro Wonder Space Circle Theater from August 8 to January 4, 2009.^[23][24] His performance in the play The Story of the Neulgeun Thief earned him the 1st Young Drama Award, with a prize of 3 million won. This award was established by the cultural arts support forum "Alpha," which is composed of around 60 domestic CEOs, including Samsung Electronics CEO Kwun Oh-hyun. The award ceremony was held on September 19, 2008, at Shinhan Art Hall in Yeoksam-dong, Gangnam-gu, Seoul.^[25]

In 2009, Kim reprised the role of Shin Jak-ro in a black comedy play called Jjamppong. The performance took place at Dure Hall, Hall 1 in Daehakro, Seoul from April 23, 2009, to June 28, 2009.^[26][27]

his film debut in 2009 in Jang Jin's Good Morning, President, followed by another of Jang Jin's films, The Quiz Show Scandal (2010).

In 2010, Kim and Seo Hyun-chul were double cast in the lead role of Lee Bong-jo in the play "My Brother Came Back", which was part of The Best Play Festival 3. The play ran from March 6 to July 18, 2010, at the Dongsung Arts Center Small Theater. It explored the disintegration of family in Korean society through black comedy, with the actors alternating in the role of Lee Bong-jo, the authoritarian and violent father. Seo, with his large kind eyes and excellent comic timing, made audiences laugh even in predictable situations, while Kim's serious and deep immersion in the role also drew continuous laughter from the audience.

In their previous collaboration "The Story of Two Old Thieves", the older Seo Hyun-chul played the younger thief, who leads the comic situations, while the younger Kim played the older thief, delivering laughs a half-beat later. Kim said, "I tried really hard to learn the art of comedy acting from my senior, but it's really something you're born with, and I can't catch up." Kim, whose comedic instincts are stronger, also said, "I've tried various things, but there's no weapon like sincere acting."

Jang Jin selected Kim as one of the 16 members of tvN's "Saturday Night Live Korea" in 2011, where he began to gain popularity.^[9] He also had a role in Jang Jin's film "Romantic Heaven" (2011) and Kang Hyeong-cheol's film "Sunny" (2011).

The work that showcased Kim's charm was "Kisaragi Miki-chan" in 2011. It was a play that marked Kim's first venture into translated plays, despite his usual preference for original works. He claimed to dislike the awkward tone of translated plays. In this work, he portrayed the character Kimura Takuya, who was armed with a complex about his appearance and a clumsy charisma, and he quickly rose to the top of the comedy scene in Daehak-ro.

In late 2011, Kim became a part of the cast for the first production of The Best Play Festival 4 "Return to Hamlet." Written and directed by Jang Jin, the play tells the story of actor Jin-woo, who takes on various roles to make ends meet. Set in a theater dressing room during a production of Hamlet, the play captures candid moments of actors preparing for the final performance. The show ran from December 9, 2011, to April 8, 2012, at the Dongsung Arts Center Small Theater.^[28][29]

In 2012, Kim starred in the film "As One" and the South Korean TV series "Queen and I." In 2013, he had minor roles in several films and dramas. His growing popularity led to a role in tvN's series "High School King of Savvy" (2014). In the drama "Misaeng: Incomplete Life" (2014), he received acclaim for his role as the new head of the Sales Team, portraying a realistic and strict boss.

In 2014, Jang Jin Man starred in "High Heels." His breakthrough came through notable performances in films like "The Admiral: Roaring Currents," "Himalaya," and "The Pirates." In the movie "Roaring Currents," released on July 30, he plays a realistic character, while in the movie "The Pirates," released on August 6, he portrays the comical and cheerful character Chun-seop, showcasing different charms.

In subsequent years, Kim showcased his versatility in roles like Detective Kim Gye Chul in Signal, a neighborhood thug in Asura, and a school director in Drinking Solo. He received critical acclaim for his roles in Strong Woman Do Bong Soon and While You Were Sleeping, winning awards for his performances. In 2018, he won the Best Supporting Actor award at the KBS Drama Awards and delivered a remarkable performance in Clean with Passion for Now. He continued to appear in various dramas and movies, showcasing his acting skills and versatility.^[30][31]

In the drama Good Manager, Kim Won-hae's dazzling sword performance appeared. In the drama, he played Manager Chu of the accounting department and was shown making fried rice with knife skills that were almost acrobatic. This scene was made possible thanks to his experience at Nanta for over 10 years.

Kim Won-hae and other original members of Nanta, Kim Moon-soo, Ryu Seung-ryong, and Jang Hyuk-jin, celebrated the show's 20th anniversary with a special event in 2017. The gathering took place at the Nanta Theater in Chungjeong-ro, Seodaemun-gu, Seoul on October 13.^[32][33]

At the 2009 Theater Festival Awards, he made headlines with his acceptance speech, saying, "Since I had no roles and was just swinging a baseball bat at home, my elementary school daughter wrote down that my job was a baseball player."

Known for his close friendship with actor Hwang Jung Min, Kim has collaborated with him in several projects. Their strong bond, both personally and professionally, has contributed to Kim's success in the industry.^[34]

In August 2020, it was reported that Kim tested positive for COVID-19 and was receiving treatment.^[35] He had recovered since September 2020.

Wikimedia Commons has media related to Kim Won-hae.

• Official website at SSGG Company (in Korean)
• Kim Won-hae at IMDb 
• Kim Won-hae at HanCinema