Kim Do-jin (; born on November 10, 1977), professionally known as Won Bin, is a South Korean actor. He first gained wide popularity in 2000 after starring in the KBS's television series Autumn in My Heart. One of the most selective actors in the Korean entertainment industry, he has starred in only five films to date, Guns & Talks, Taegukgi, My Brother, Mother and The Man from Nowhere. He was Gallup Korea's Film Actor of the Year in 2010 and 2011.

Early life
Won Bin was born and raised in Jeongseon County in Gangwon Province, South Korea. He is the fifth and youngest child, with one brother and three sisters. His father was formerly employed in a mine and his mother worked on a farm; both of his parents are now retired. As was common for other children living in mountainous regions, Won Bin spent most of his time playing around with friends in the mountains and rivers, and later explained: "I came back home most nights at sunset with a black and dusty face." He was frequently shy, introspective, and quiet, character traits that would continue to follow him throughout adulthood. While not talkative or outgoing, he excelled at athletics. Won Bin started taekwondo lessons and now holds a black belt. As a young boy, he initially planned to become a car mechanic due to his interest in car racing and motorcycling. Won Bin graduated from a mechanical high school, where he studied car repair and mechanics.

In November 1995, a cable television station was looking to recruit and hire new actors; Won Bin applied and was accepted in his last semester of high school. He started to take acting classes at the station's headquarters and appeared in several dramas. The following month, Won Bin signed an acting contract with a talent agency.

Career 
Won Bin made his screen debut with a supporting role in the 1997 drama film Propose. His role in Ready Go! (1998) helped hone his acting skills. After Ready Go!, he took a break and entered a college called Paekche Institute of the Arts in 1998 to take acting classes. In 1999, Won Bin came back to the screen with a lead role in drama Kwangki from which he was recognized as a promising young actor and a teen heartthrob.

He made his big breakthrough in 2000 with drama Tough Guy's Love (Kkokji) and Autumn in My Heart. His role as a rebellious youngest son in Kkokji proved his acting potential and his role in the widely successful drama landed him on the A-list for Korean performers. Autumn in My Heart gained wide popularity in Asia and he became one of the most popular Korean actors in Korea and Asia as well. In 2002, Won Bin was involved in the first South Korea and Japan joint production drama Friends.

Won Bin also had roles in a number of popular films, including Guns & Talks and My Brother, but it is his portrayal of the sensitive younger brother in the blockbuster war film Taegukgi (2004) that cemented his international fame. With the success of the critically acclaimed Taegukgi, recognition of his acting skills has reached an ever-wider international audience. Taegukgi was the best selling film in South Korea in 2004 with 11.75 million admissions.

His career was interrupted by his mandatory service to the South Korean Army. After graduating from the Graduate School of Arts in Yong-In University in 2005, Won Bin started his military duty in November 2005 and stationed at the Korean Demilitarized Zone, a position for which he volunteered. On June 2, 2006, the military officially confirmed that Won Bin would be no longer active. The decision was made by the military when Won Bin sustained injury to his ACL. He had undergone surgery and was officially discharged on June 7, 2006. After the surgery, he had gone through rehabilitation program for more than one year to recover from the injury.

Won Bin was appointed as UNICEF Goodwill Ambassador of the Korean Committee  on September 6, 2007. He has participated in various programs and charity events in Korea for UNICEF from that time on, and has appeared in several promotional videos.

In April 2008, Won Bin confirmed that his next film would be Mother directed by Bong Joon-ho. Filming started in September 2008 and finished in February 2009. The film was selected to compete in the Un Certain Regard section of the 2009 Cannes Film Festival. This was followed by the 2010 film The Man from Nowhere, his final film appearance to date.

Personal life 
In July 2013, news broke that Won Bin and actress Lee Na-young were in a relationship. The two got to know each other when Lee joined the same agency as Won in August 2011. The pair started dating a year later in August 2012. Won Bin married Lee on May 30, 2015, in a small, private ceremony in Won Bin's hometown of Jeongseon, Gangwon Province. A press release from their agency Eden 9 in August 2015 announced that the couple were expecting their first child.

Filmography

Film

Television series

Books 
 2000: dream in HEAVEN photobook - 100 pages photo essays with photos taken in Bali, Indonesia and South Korea.
 2002: WWW-Wonbin Wide pinup Web photobook - 40 pages photo essays.
 2005: 28 Day 'n Year Won Bin Premium Box Set - DVD & photobook - 60-minute DVD and 144 pages of photos with sincere essays written by Won Bin revolving around his private life and his photo session trip to South Korea, Czech Republic, and Japan as well as collector's gifts.
 2006: BINUS DVD - To show his gratitude to his fans for their years of support, Won Bin has recorded this candid, personal DVD (60 minutes) to be shared just between him and us, the fans - hence the title BINUS (BINUS is the name of his official fanclub), before fulfilling his mandatory military service. It includes revealing footage and private life, with Won Bin re-visiting many places in his hometown to share with his fans his background and childhood memories.
 2006: Dear Wonbin photobook - Designed like a diary book, with drawings by Won Bin.
 2010: I Love You Private DVD & Photobook - 105-minute DVD and photobook, filmed in Ireland

Charity works 
As a UNICEF Goodwill Ambassador, Won Bin has participated in various programs and charity events.

 2007.09.06 - Appointed as UNICEF Goodwill Ambassador.
 2007.10.03 - Attended the International Peace Marathon Festival in Seoul to raise fund for UNICEF.
 2007.11.26 - Attended a charity fashion show to raise fund for UNICEF.
 2008.02.28 - Attended the "Clean meals, Happy sharing" campaign sponsored by UNICEF and Hanwha Resort.
 2008.06.24 - Promoting the Awoo Doll campaign.
 2008.08.20 - Raised fund through photo project with Louis Vuitton and GQ Korea.
 2008.11.27 - Promoting UNICEF Jumper to raise fund.
 2008.12.22 - Visited an orphanage in Seoul and presented the children there with Christmas gifts.
 2009.04.04-13 - Visited Gambia for UNICEF, visited relief center, hospital and schools.
 2010.09.12-17 - Visited East Timor for UNICEF. watched over the vaccinations and educational work being done on site by UNICEF.

In popular culture
Many entertainers in South Korea see Won Bin as one of the best examples of a good looking man.

He was mentioned in the lyrics of Ladies' Code's single Kiss Kiss, composed by Super Changddai. The lyrics said, "난 오늘밤 꿈에서 난 원빈 오빠가 나타나 줄 텐데" (Tonight, in my dreams, Won Bin oppa will appear). Members of the South Korean boy group iKON had also mentioned him on several of their songs. Bobby said in the lyrics of his rap verse on Masta Wu's single Come Here, "실력이 외모면 난 방탄 유리 앞에 원빈." (If skill equals to looks, I'm Won Bin in front of a bulletproof glass.) Won Bin's character in The Man from Nowhere was referenced by Krystal Jung in the 2013 drama The Heirs, as well as by iKON's B.I in the lyrics of his song with co-member Bobby, Anthem wherein he said, "날고 기어도 다 씹어 먹어줄게 Call me 아저씨." (We'll chew you up like raw meat, call me ahjusshi.) In the 2015 Korean drama Kill Me, Heal Me, the character of Park Seo-joon, Oh Ri-on, told Secretary Ahn that the elusive Writer Omega's looks were rumored to be "on the Won Bin level." In 2016 drama Guardian: The Lonely and Great God, Kim Go-eun's character mentioned Won Bin when Lee Dong-wook's character asked for "a male name that women love".

Awards and nominations

Other awards/honors
 2002: BVLGARI Brilliant Dreams Award (Japan)
 2007: Appointed as UNICEF Goodwill Ambassador
 2011: Best Jewellery Wearer Award (Japan)

Magazine/media recognition
 2000: Best Dresser of the year
 2002: Voted as the "April 2002 Most Beautiful Man" by MostBeautifulMan.com. The first Asian celebrity to win in this monthly poll.
 2005: Voted #1 "Favorite Asian Star" (2005) in the readers' survey by Japanese magazine "CanCam".
 2005: Voted #1 "Favorite Asian Star" (2005) in the readers' survey by Japanese magazine "an.an".
 2006: Voted #1 "Favorite Asian Star" (2006) in the readers' survey by Japanese magazine "an.an".
 2007: Voted #1 "Favorite Asian Star" (2007) in the readers' survey by Japanese magazine "an.an".

Listicles

References

External links 

 Won Bin Official Website
 
 
 

 
 

UNICEF Goodwill Ambassadors
20th-century South Korean male actors
21st-century South Korean male actors
South Korean male film actors
South Korean male television actors
South Korean male models
South Korean male taekwondo practitioners
Yong In University alumni
People from Gangwon Province, South Korea
1977 births
Living people
Best New Actor Paeksang Arts Award (television) winners
원빈(, 1977년 11월 10일 (음력 9월 29일) ~ )은 대한민국의 배우이다.

생애 및 경력 
강원도 정선군 북면(現 여량면)에서 2남 3녀 중 막내로 태어났다. 1995년 케이블채널인 제일방송 공채 3기로 데뷔했다. 케이블TV 드라마에서 단역배우로 활동한 지 얼마되지 않아 디자이너 앙드레 김의 눈에 띄어 앙드레 김 패션쇼에 서게 되면서 소속사와 계약하게 되었고, 그 후 소속사 대표의 권유로 지금의 "원빈"이란 예명으로 활동하게 되었다.

데뷔 이전에는 H.O.T의 오디션에 참가하기도 했으나 선발되지 못했다.

원빈은 브라운관 정식 데뷔는 1997년 방영된 드라마 《프로포즈》를 통해서다. 원빈이 청춘 스타 이미지를 확고히 한 작품은 2000년 방영된 드라마 《꼭지》그리고 《가을동화》로 "얼마면 돼, 얼마면 되는데!"라는 명대사를 남기며 여성들의 심금을 울리는 연기로 미남의 상징으로 떠오르며 일약 스타덤에 올랐다. 본격적인 영화 데뷔작인 2001년 장진 감독의 《킬러들의 수다》에서 4인조 킬러 막내 하연 역을 맡으며 브라운관이 아닌 스크린에서 새롭게 주목을 받았다. 2004년 강제규 감독의 영화 《태극기 휘날리며》를 통해 1174만 명의 관객을 동원, 천만배우에 합류하였다.

2006년 6월 입대한지 7개월만에 '왼쪽 무릎 십자인대 파열'이라는 진단을 받고 의병 전역한 이후 재활치료를 하며 오랜기간 휴식을 취하다가 2007년 9월 6일 유니세프 한국위원회 특별대사로 임명되면서 공식석상에 처음 모습을 드러냈다. 2009년 개봉한 봉준호 감독의 영화 《마더》를 통해 배우로서는 4년만에 복귀하였다. 이후 2009년 5월 28일에 개봉한 《마더》 301만 3523명의 관객들을 동원하며 흥행에 성공했으며 원빈의 연기력 논란도 완전히 떨쳐버렸다.

2010년에는 628만 2774명의 관객을 동원한 이정범 감독의 영화 《아저씨》를 통해 그동안의 보호본능을 일으키는 여린 꽃미남 이미지에서 강인한 이미지로 변신, 완성도 있는 액션연기에 감성까지 곁들인 드라마라는 호평을 받으며 원톱배우로서의 가능성은 물론 연기력에서도 인정을 받았다.

사생활 
2013년 7월 한 언론 매체에서 배우 이나영과 서로의 집을 오고 가는 원빈의 모습을 포착·보도하면서 두 사람은 2012년 8월부터 남몰래 데이트를 즐기며 연인사이로 발전되었다며 열애 사실을 공식 인정하였다. 두 사람은 2011년 8월에 이나영이 원빈의 소속사인 이든나인으로 옮기면서 첫 인연을 맺었고, 두 사람 모두 평소에 신비주의 배우인 만큼 연애도 다른 사람들의 눈에 띄지 않게 교제해왔다. 2015년 5월 30일, 두 사람은 교제 2년 만에 그의 고향인 강원도 정선에서 결혼식을 올렸다. 결혼식에는 두 사람의 가족들만이 유일하게 참석하여 가마솥에 국수를 끓여 50여명의 가족들과 조촐한 피로연을 가진 것으로 전해졌다. 이날 원빈과 이나영은 각각 패션 디자이너 지춘희의 턱시도와 웨딩드레스를 입었는데, 원빈은 평소 지춘희 디자이너와는 사적으로 돈독한 관계를 유지해온 것으로 알려졌다. 2015년 3월에 이나영의 임신 소식이 알려지고 그 이후에 득남하였다.

자선 활동 
원빈은 현재까지 오랜기간 유니세프 친선대사로 활동하고 있으며, 데뷔전부터 인연이 있는 디자이너 故 앙드레김의 적극 추천으로 2007년 9월 유니세프 한국위원회 특별대표에 위촉되었다. 원빈은 유니세프의 여러 자선행사에 참석, 홍보를 위한 사진전 및 영상촬영, 어린이를 위한 기금 기부 등 적극적인 유니세프 후원활동을 펼치고 있다. 2009년 4월에는 아프리카 감비아의 유니세프 구호현장에 방문하였는데, 떠나기전 영화 《마더》에서 함께 공연한 선배 배우이자, 월드비전의 한국 친선대사로 활동중인 김혜자는 원빈에게 자상한 충고를 아끼지 않았다고 한다. 이후 "포토그래퍼 권영호, 유니세프, 원빈이 함께하는 사진전 - 감비아, 웃는 해안의 아이들"이라는 주제로 서울 인사동 갤러리 이즈에서 6월 3일부터 6월 9일까지 사진전으로 전시되었다.

2010년 9월 동티모르를 방문해 유니세프가 지원하는 예방접종과 교육사업 현장 등을 돌아보고, 현지 어린이들과 유니세프 공익캠페인을 위한 촬영을 하였다. 또한 2년만에 남이섬 유니세프홀에서 "유니세프 특별대표 원빈이 전하는 동티모르 이야기" 주제로 사진전을 오픈하여 그해 12월 11일부터 2월말까지 전시되었다. 2011년 7월 원빈이 광고모델로서 활동하였던 CJ푸드빌의 뚜레쥬르와 유니세프 한국위원회에서 공동 협약식을 맺어 "원빈과 함께하는 뚜레쥬르-유니세프, 마음 나눔 캠페인" TV 광고를 제작하여 8월부터 방영되었다. 2012년 10월 유니세프 후원 광고의 모델로 출연하였다.

출연 작품

영화

드라마

방송

라디오

뮤직 비디오

광고

기타

홍보대사 
 2002년 3월 - 세계평화아동축제 아동평화대사 위촉
 2004년 3월 - 제38회 납세의날 "서울 강남세무서" 일일명예실장 위촉
 2007년 9월 ~ 현재 - 유니세프 한국위원회 특별대사 위촉
 2009년 6월 - 제8회 미쟝센 단편영화제 명예심사위원 위촉

수상 및 후보

각주

외부 링크 

 원빈 공식 홈페이지 
 
 
 

1977년 출생
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