History of Kim Soo-hyun in Timeline
Kim Soo-hyun is a highly acclaimed and one of the highest-paid South Korean actors. He has won several awards, including five Baeksang Arts Awards, two Grand Bell Awards, and one Blue Dragon Film Award. His recognition extends beyond awards, as he's been featured in Forbes' Power Celebrity 40 and 30 Under 30 Asia lists, and was selected as Gallup Korea's Television Actor of the Year, solidifying his status as a prominent figure in South Korean entertainment.
February 16, 1988: Kim Soo-hyun's Birth
On February 16, 1988, Kim Soo-hyun, a South Korean actor, was born.
2006: Completed School in Gangnam
By 2006, Kim Soo-hyun completed elementary, middle, and high school in Gangnam, Seoul.
2007: Debut as a TV Actor
In 2007, Kim Soo-hyun debuted as a TV actor after auditions.
2007: Television Debut
In 2007, Kim Soo-hyun made his television debut in the family sitcom Kimchi Cheese Smile.
2007: Supporting Role in Kimchi Cheese Smile
In 2007, Kim Soo-hyun made his television debut with a supporting role in the family sitcom Kimchi Cheese Smile.
2008: Lead Role in Jungle Fish
In 2008, Kim Soo-hyun landed a lead role in KBS's critically acclaimed youth drama, Jungle Fish.
2009: Acting in Worst Friends and Father's House
In 2009, Kim Soo-hyun acted in the short film Worst Friends and the SBS drama special Father's House. He also co-hosted Mnet's Boys & Girls Music Countdown.
2009: Enrolled at Chung-Ang University
In 2009, Kim Soo-hyun enrolled at Chung-Ang University's Film and Theater Department.
2009: Emergence in Advertising Industry
Kim Soo-hyun started emerging as a blue chip in the advertising industry soon after he grabbed viewer's attention through his acting in Giant.
January 2010: Signed with KeyEast
In January 2010, Kim Soo-hyun signed an exclusive contract with KeyEast becoming his management company.
2011: Starring in Dream High
In 2011, Kim Soo-hyun became a household name after starring in the high school musical drama Dream High.
2011: Ambassador of Korea Goyang International Flower Festival
In 2011, Kim Soo-hyun, along with Bae Suzy, were the Ambassadors of the 16th Korea Goyang International Flower Festival.
April 18, 2012: Honorary Ambassador for Korean Tourism
On April 18, 2012, Kim Soo-hyun was appointed as the Honorary Ambassador for Korean tourism by the Korea Tourism Organization.
December 3, 2012: Public Relation Ambassador for Lotte Hotel Busan
On December 3, 2012, Kim Soo-hyun was appointed as the Public Relation Ambassador for Lotte Hotel Busan.
2012: Starring in Moon Embracing the Sun and The Thieves
In 2012, Kim Soo-hyun starred in the television drama Moon Embracing the Sun and the film The Thieves, solidifying his status. His role in "Moon Embracing the Sun" won him the Baeksang Arts Award for Best Actor – Television.
2012: Annual Rice Donations to Charity
Since 2012, Kim Soo-hyun and his fans have donated a total of 20 tons of rice every year to charity.
2013: Success with My Love from the Star
In 2013, Kim Soo-hyun began gaining further success with the fantasy series My Love from the Star.
2013: Starring in Secretly, Greatly
In 2013, Kim Soo-hyun starred in the top-grossing film Secretly, Greatly, further boosting his popularity.
February 2014: Popularity of My Love from the Star
By February 2014, My Love from the Star had over 14.5 billion hits on the online video platform iQIYI and sparked trends in fashion, make-up and restaurants.
April 2014: Donations to Charity and Sewol Ferry Victims
In April 2014, Kim Soo-hyun donated about ₩200 million to the China Children & Teenager's Fund and ₩300 million to help the teenage victims of the Sewol ferry tragedy.
May 20, 2014: Public Relations Ambassador for Chung-Ang University
On May 20, 2014, Kim Soo-hyun was appointed as one of the Public Relations Ambassadors for his alma mater, Chung-Ang University.
August 16, 2014: Performance at Summer Youth Olympic Games
On August 16, 2014, Kim Soo-hyun sang the official theme song at the opening ceremony of the 2014 Summer Youth Olympic Games in Nanjing, China.
2014: Controversy over Chinese Bottled Water Ad
In 2014, Kim Soo-hyun faced negative reactions for appearing in an ad for a Chinese bottled water company that listed the source of its water as "Jang bai shan" rather than the Korean name, "Mount Baekdusan."
March 2015: Awarded Model Taxpayer
In March 2015, Kim Soo-hyun was recognized as a model taxpayer by the local tax office for consistently fulfilling his tax obligations every Tax Day.
July 2015: Paternal Half-Sister Revealed
In July 2015, it was revealed that Kim Soo-hyun has a paternal half-sister named Kim Ju-na, who is a singer.
October 25, 2015: Goodwill Ambassador of Seoul
On October 25, 2015, Kim Soo-hyun was appointed as the Goodwill Ambassador of Seoul.
2015: Starring in The Producers
In 2015, Kim Soo-hyun starred in the variety drama The Producers, which earned him three Daesang (Grand Prize) awards.
2015: Wax Figure Displayed at Madame Tussauds
In 2015, Kim Soo-hyun's wax figure was displayed at Madame Tussauds, Hong Kong and Musée Grévin, Seoul.
2015: National Brand Awards
In 2015, Kim Soo-hyun, along with Yuna Kim, won grand prizes at the National Brand Awards for improving Korea's brand image.
2015: Alleged Relationship Start with Kim Sae-ron
In 2015, according to grooming allegations made in March 2025, Kim Soo-hyun allegedly began a relationship with Kim Sae-ron, when they were 27 and 15, respectively.
October 2016: Professional Bowler Application
In October 2016, Kim Soo-hyun, a bowling enthusiast, applied to become a professional bowler but failed to qualify after two try-out tournaments, despite showcasing his bowling skills on MBC's Infinite Challenge.
2016: Promotional Ambassador for Paradise City
In 2016, Kim Soo-hyun was the Promotional Ambassador for Paradise City.
January 2017: Participation in Online Fundraising Event
In January 2017, Kim Soo-hyun joined an online fund raising event, Give Love, to help NGOs dedicated to protecting children's rights.
June 2017: Premiere of Real
In June 2017, Kim Soo-hyun starred in the action-noir film Real, which premiered. The film received negative reviews and underperformed at the box office.
October 2017: Enlistment for Military Service
In October 2017, Kim Soo-hyun enlisted to complete his mandatory military service.
October 23, 2017: Enlistment in Mandatory Military Service
On October 23, 2017, Kim Soo-hyun began his mandatory military service, entering a military camp in Paju, Gyeonggi Province, for basic training after voluntarily undergoing re-examinations to serve in active combat duty.
November 2017: Completed Basic Military Training
In late November 2017, Kim Soo-hyun's agency announced he completed five weeks of basic training, placing fourth as an outstanding trainee and receiving a vacation and a self deployment to the 1st Reconnaissance Battalion.
February 2019: Early Promotion in Military
In February 2019, Kim Soo-hyun received an early promotion to Sergeant in the military for his exceptional conduct.
July 1, 2019: Discharge from Military Service
On July 1, 2019, Kim Soo-hyun was discharged from his military service.
December 2019: Reports of Leaving KeyEast
In December 2019, reports surfaced that Kim Soo-hyun would be leaving KeyEast to form a new agency with his cousin.
January 2020: Signed with Gold Medalist
In January 2020, Kim Soo-hyun signed with newly formed entertainment agency Gold Medalist.
February 2020: Donation for COVID-19 Relief
In February 2020, Kim Soo-hyun donated ₩100 million to support low income families affected by the COVID-19 pandemic.
2020: Return to Acting
In 2020, Kim Soo-hyun marked his return to acting with the romantic comedy It's Okay to Not Be Okay.
2020: Starring in It's Okay to Not Be Okay
In 2020, Kim Soo-hyun starred in the tvN romantic comedy It's Okay to Not Be Okay. He won the Daesang at the 5th Asia Artist Awards for his role.
2020: Highest-Paid Actor
In 2020, Kim Soo-hyun was recognized as one of the highest-paid actors in South Korea.
July 2021: Product Endorser for Bench
In July 2021, Kim Soo-hyun joined the Philippine retail brand Bench as a product endorser.
September 13, 2021: Global Ambassador for Tommy Hilfiger
On September 13, 2021, Kim Soo-hyun was selected as a global ambassador for Tommy Hilfiger.
December 21, 2021: Digital Human Production Announcement
On December 21, 2021, Gold Medalist announced it would produce and promote actor Kim Soo-hyun's digital human with EVR Studio.
2021: Starring in One Ordinary Day
In 2021, Kim Soo-hyun starred in One Ordinary Day.
2022: Product Endorser for Dunkin' Donuts
In 2022, Dunkin' Donuts revealed that Kim Soo-hyun is their newest product endorser.
2022: Confirmed Participation in Queen of Tears
In 2022, Studio Dragon confirmed Kim Soo-hyun's participation in the romantic comedy series Queen of Tears written by Park Ji-eun. He also recorded the song "Way Home" for the soundtrack of the series.
August 17, 2023: Kim Soo-hyun Brand Ambassador for Eider
On August 17, 2023, Kim Soo-hyun was selected as the new brand ambassador for the outdoor fashion brand, Eider.
March 9, 2024: Premiere of Queen of Tears
On March 9, 2024, Queen of Tears premiered and was a success. The series finale recorded a peak national viewership rating of 24.850%.
2024: Starring in Queen of Tears
In 2024, Kim Soo-hyun starred in Queen of Tears.
2024: Confirmed to Star in Knock-Off
In 2024, Kim Soo-hyun was confirmed to star in the Disney+ black comedy series Knock-Off.
February 16, 2025: Death of Kim Sae-ron
On February 16, 2025, Kim Sae-ron died of suicide.
March 2025: Grooming Allegations
In March 2025, Kim Soo-hyun became subject to grooming allegations following the death of Kim Sae-ron, with her family alleging a six-year relationship beginning in 2015; Gold Medalist denied the allegations and announced legal action.
