Kim Min-jong (born 23 March 1971) is a South Korean actor and singer who was a matinée idol in the 1990s. His recently notable role was in Mrs. Cop (2015) and Mrs. Cop 2 (2016).

Kim Min-jong
Born (1971-03-23) 23 March 1971 (age 53)
Seoul, South Korea
EducationSeoul Institute of the Arts (Department of Film)
Occupations
  • Actor
  • Singer
Years active1988–present
Korean name
Hangul
김민종
Hanja
金旼鐘
Revised RomanizationGim Min-jong
McCune–ReischauerKim Minchong
Websiteminjong.co.kr

Career

edit

Kim Min-jong began his career in Korean film and television in the 1990s as a matinee idol with a gentle, serious image. He starred in popular TV series that kicked off pre-Hallyu Korean drama trends, notably Feelings, A Faraway Country, Mister Q, Secret and Guardian Angel. He also appeared in the films You Know What, It's a Secret, Resistance of Teenagers, and Park Chan-wook's sophomore effort Trio.

In 1992 he and fellow actor Son Ji-chang launched duo The Blue (더 블루).[1] They were playing leads in hit dramas at the time, and enjoyed explosive popularity among women when they debuted with ballads and dance music. They went their separate ways for a while after their first album, but reunited in 1995 for a second project and produced many chart-toppers.[2]

Kim simultaneously launched a successful career as a solo singer. But in 1996, at the height of his popularity, due to the controversy over the similarity of the song "Gwi cheon do ae"(1996) to the Japanese song "Summer Dream"(1987, by Tube), he faced criticism and eventually announced his retirement. He made a comeback two years later with his fourth album.[3]

Though his popularity dimmed in the mid- to late-2000s, Kim remained active in the entertainment industry as an actor, appearing in the film Mr. Butterfly opposite Kim Jung-eun,[4] as well as the romantic comedy/police procedural Woman of Matchless Beauty, Park Jung-geum, risqué cable drama Hyena, period drama The Return of Iljimae, and manhwa adaptation A Man Called God.[5]

In 2009 The Blue returned to the K-pop scene. Kim said Son had been toying with the idea of releasing a "best of" album for a while. When the two appeared together for an event in 2007, the positive response convinced them to get back together, so they re-recorded some of their old hits such as "Feeling Only for You," "With You," and "Endless Love." They released a four-song single album, and during that year went on official The Blue promotional activities.[2] He and Son are also business partners and co-CEO of Blue M Company since 2010.[6]

Kim had a scene-stealing turn as a North Korean agent who defects to South Korea in 2010 spy series Athena: Goddess of War.[7][8][9]

In 2012 his management agency SM Entertainment designated him as a non-executive director of one of its subsidiaries, SM Culture & Contents (SM C&C).[10] That same year, he gained new fans after he starred in A Gentleman's Dignity, which portrayed the humorous love lives of a group of close-knit male friends in their forties.[11][12][13][14][15] After the series ended, Kim and co-star Jang Dong-gun visited refugees in the Republic of the Congo on a mission trip sponsored by UNICEF and UNHCR's World Food Programme. It was televised on SBS documentary program Hope TV.[16][17] Then he and another co-star Kim Su-ro co-hosted the show My Queen on cable channel Story On, in which they travel the world meeting Korean "queens" who've distinguished themselves in their respective fields.[18]

On July 13, 2023, it was announced that Kim left SM Entertainment after 17 years as his exclusive contract has expired.[19]

Filmography

edit

Film

edit
  • Rosebud (2019)
  • Along with the Gods: The Last 49 Days (2018)
  • The Windmill Palm Grove (2005)
  • Romantic Assassins (2003)
  • Mr Butterfly (2003)
  • Family (2002)
  • The Beauty in Dream (2002) (cameo)
  • This is Law (2001)
  • Saturday 2.00 pm (1998)
  • The Last Defense (1997)
  • Trio (1997)
  • Holiday In Seoul (1997)
  • Change (1997)
  • The Gate of Destiny (1996)
  • Returned Hero Hong Gil-dong (animated, 1995)
  • A Hot Roof (1995)
  • Coffee, Copy, and a Bloody Nose (1994)
  • Orange County (1993)
  • A Keeper of the Heart (1992)
  • Resistance of Teenagers (1991)
  • A Pale Rainy Day (1991)
  • Autumn Journey (1991)
  • Back To You Once More (1991)
  • Only Because You are a Woman (1990)
  • Young-shim (1990)
  • You Know What, It's a Secret (1990)
  • Happiness Does Not Come In Grades (1989)
  • My Love, Don Quixote (1989)
  • Don Quixote On Asphalt (1988)

Television series

edit

Television show

edit

Discography

edit

The Blue

edit
  • The Blue, The First Memories (2009)
  • 2nd: The Blue (1995)
  • 1st: New Release (1992)

Solo albums

edit
  • 8th: 상처받은 사람들을 위해 (2003)
  • 7th: You're My Life (2001)
  • Kim Min-jong Best Album (2001)
  • 6th: 왜 (2000)
  • 5th: 因緣(인연) (1999)
  • 4th: 愛(애) (1998)
  • 3rd: 귀천도애 (1996)
  • 2nd: 하늘아래서 (1993)
  • 1st: 사랑 이별이야기 (1992)

Soundtrack contributions

edit

Awards

edit

References

edit
  1. ^ "Archived copy". Archived from the original on 2012-01-01. Retrieved 2010-11-19.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: archived copy as title (link)
  2. ^ a b Lee, Hyo-won (16 March 2009). "Actors Reunite for Music Album". The Korea Times. Archived from the original on 2024-07-21. Retrieved 2012-11-25.
  3. ^ Bae, Ji-sook (24 June 2010). "Hyo-ri's plagiarism scandal snowballs". The Korea Times. Archived from the original on 4 March 2016. Retrieved 2012-11-25.
  4. ^ Kim, Kyu Hyun. "Mr. Butterfly". Koreanfilm.org. Archived from the original on 2021-02-26. Retrieved 2012-11-25.
  5. ^ Wee, Geun-woo (February 26, 2010). "PREVIEW: MBC TV series The Man Called God". Asiae. Archived from the original on 2015-09-23. Retrieved 2012-11-25.
  6. ^ '더 블루' 손지창·김민종, 홍보기획사 '블루엠 컴퍼니' 창업. My Daily via Naver (in Korean). 27 February 2010. Archived from the original on 2012-12-11. Retrieved 2012-11-25.
  7. ^ Han, Sang-hee (30 November 2010). "Athena to sneak into homes this month". The Korea Times. Archived from the original on 23 September 2015. Retrieved 2012-11-25.
  8. ^ Kang, Seung-hun (2 September 2010). "Kim Min-jong says Choi Si-won has much potential as actor". Asiae. Archived from the original on 2021-03-10. Retrieved 2012-11-25.
  9. ^ Beck, Una (31 May 2010). "INTERVIEW: Producer Chung Tae-won - Part 3". Asiae. Archived from the original on 2021-06-11. Retrieved 2012-11-25.
  10. ^ 김민종 "배운 게 많은 잊지 못할 드라마". The Daily Focus (in Korean). 19 August 2012. Archived from the original on 2014-10-13. Retrieved 2012-12-03.
  11. ^ Suk, Monica (8 March 2012). "Kim Min-jong to hold fan meeting in Japan this weekend". Asiae. Archived from the original on 2021-12-06. Retrieved 2012-11-25.
  12. ^ Kim, Ji-yeon (23 June 2012). "A Gentleman′s Dignity Kim Min Jong Says He Wants More Scenes with Women". enewsWorld. Archived from the original on 29 January 2013. Retrieved 2012-11-25.
  13. ^ Sunwoo, Carla (July 28, 2012). "Gentleman's Dignity to air in Japan". Korea JoongAng Daily. Archived from the original on 15 August 2012. Retrieved 2012-11-25.
  14. ^ Hong, Grace Danbi (17 August 2012). "Kim Min Jong and Yoon Ji Ni Reunite as a Honeymoon Couple for High Cut". enewsWorld. Archived from the original on 18 August 2012. Retrieved 2012-11-25.
  15. ^ Sunwoo, Carla (August 21, 2012). "Kim Min-jong proves he still got it". Korea JoongAng Daily. Archived from the original on 26 January 2013. Retrieved 2012-11-25.
  16. ^ Jeon, Su-mi (18 November 2012). "Jang Dong Gun and Kim Min Jong Meet Children in Congo and Ask for Help". enewsWorld. Retrieved 2012-11-25.
  17. ^ Sunwoo, Carla (November 16, 2012). "Gentlemen show a sensitive streak". Korea JoongAng Daily. Archived from the original on 27 January 2013. Retrieved 2012-11-25.
  18. ^ "Kim Min-jong from 20 years ago". Hancinema. 22 November 2012. Archived from the original on 2012-12-05. Retrieved 2012-11-25.
  19. ^ Kang Kyung-yoon (July 13, 2023). "김민종, 이수만 회사 따라가나...'껄끄러워진' SM과 결국 이별". SBS Entertainment News (in Korean). Archived from the original on July 21, 2024. Retrieved July 13, 2023.
  20. ^ [단독]김민종·백윤식·이경영·문성근, 250억원 '배가본드' 출연. Ilgan Sports (in Korean). May 11, 2018. Archived from the original on July 1, 2019. Retrieved June 7, 2018.
  21. ^ Yoon Seong-yeol (June 20, 2022). "김민종 '한국의 둘레길' 출연..울주서 패러글라이딩 도전" [Kim Min-jong appeared in 'Korea's Dullegil'... Paragliding challenge in Ulju-si] (in Korean). MT Star News. Archived from the original on July 21, 2024. Retrieved June 20, 2022 – via Naver.
  22. ^ Hong, Grace Danbi (23 July 2012). "A Gentleman's Dignity Revives Kim Min Jong's Hit Song for OST". enewsWorld. Retrieved 2012-11-25.
edit