Namkoong Min (Hangul: 남궁민, born March 12, 1978) is a South Korean actor, director and screenwriter. He first gained recognition with neo-noir film A Dirty Carnival (2006), and has since received praise for his performances in Remember: War of the Son (2015–2016), Beautiful Gong Shim (2016), Good Manager (2017), Falsify (2017), Doctor Prisoner (2019), Hot Stove League (2019–2020), Awaken (2020–2021), The Veil (2021), and One Dollar Lawyer (2022) .
Namkoong Min | |
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Born | (1978-03-12) March 12, 1978 (age 44) Seoul, South Korea |
Nationality | South Korean |
Education | Chung-Ang University (Mechanical Engineering)[1] |
Occupation |
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Years active | 1999–present |
Agent | 935 Entertainment |
Height | 177[2] cm (5 ft 10 in) |
Spouse | Jin Ah-reum (m. 2022) |
Awards | Full list |
Korean name | |
Hangul | |
Hanja | |
Revised Romanization | Namgung Min |
McCune–Reischauer | Namkung Min |
Website | Official website |
He won the Grand Prize (Daesang) at the 2020 SBS Drama Awards for his performance as Baek Seung-soo in the Hot Stove League.[3] and year later, again won the Grand Prize at the 2021 MBC Drama Awards for his performance in The Veil.[4]
Namkoong Min was born on March 12, 1978, in Seoul. He has a brother, Namkoong Yoon. His father, Namkoong Hwon, was a principal of Sinneung Middle School (2005-2009). Namkoong was educated at Daesung High School in Eunpyeong-gu, Seoul, and Ilsan Seongsa Elementary School. He graduated from the Chung-Ang University with a bachelor's degree in Mechanical Engineering. After his graduation on August 31, 2006, he worked as a Social Service Agent for 18 months at Korea Army Training Center in Nonsan.
Namkoong Min debuted as an actor in the film Bungee Jumping of Their Own as the protagonist's best friend, and subsequently appeared in the movie Bad Guy as the female lead's boyfriend. In 2002, Namkoong featured in the sitcom Dae Bak Family and attracted attention with his performance. Since then, he appeared in the television series and single-act dramas such as Rose Fence, Pearl Necklace, Mould Flower and After Love. Namkoong also became known as "little Bae Yong-joon" due to his resemblance with the actor. In 2004, Namkoong starred in the KBS daily drama My Lovely Family, which garnered over 30% in ratings and led to increased recognition for the actor.[5][6][7]
Namkoong subsequently received acclaim with neo-noir film A Dirty Carnival (2006),[8][9] and drew widespread notice for his performance in melodrama Listen to My Heart (2011).[10][11] Namkoong subsequently returned with a changed mindset and new-found determination.[12] His efforts paid off when he achieved recognition for his villainous role as a serial killer in The Girl Who Sees Smells (2015),[13][14] and he won the Best Villain Award at the annual 2016 DramaFever Awards.[15] Since then, he has received praise for his performances in legal thriller Remember: War of the Son (2015–2016) and romantic comedy Beautiful Gong Shim (2016).[16][17][18][19]
Namkoong's breakout role was in the hit comedy drama Good Manager (2017), where he played the central protagonist.[20][21] Namkoong was praised for his "perfect amalgamation of character creation and acting" which contributed to the success of the drama.[22][19] He then starred in SBS's legal thriller Falsify (2017), playing a trashy tabloid reporter with no work ethics.[23]
In 2018, Namkoong starred alongside Listen to My Heart co-star Hwang Jung-eum in the romantic comedy series The Undateables.[24][25]
In 2019, Namkoong starred in the medical prison drama Doctor Prisoner.[26]
From 2019 to 2020, Namkoong starred in the sports television series Hot Stove League.[27][28] The television series received positive reviews for its high quality script and attained high ratings.[29] He played the role of the new leader of the last-place team, the Dreams. Hot Stove League won 56th Baeksang Arts Awards 2020 for best drama. Through that drama, he also received his first daesang/grand prize in his career from 2020 SBS Drama Awards.
In September 2021, Namkoong decided to renew his contract with 935 Entertainment. This is the third contract renewal.[30]
Namkoong has been in a relationship with model Jin Ah-reum since late 2015, who he met while filming movie Light My Fire as a director and actress.[31] They married in a private ceremony on October 7, 2022, at Hotel Shilla in Seoul.[32][33] The ceremony was attended by the couple's closest family and friends, including actors Jung Moon-sung as host, and TVXQ was the congratulatory song.[34]
Year | English title | Original title | Role | Notes | Ref. |
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2001 | Bungee Jumping of Their Own | 번지점프를 하다 | Kim Sung-chul | ||
2002 | Bad Guy | 나쁜 남자 | Hyun-soo | ||
2006 | A Dirty Carnival | 비열한 거리 | Min-ho | ||
2007 | Beautiful Sunday | 뷰티풀 선데이 | Min-woo | [35] | |
2015 | Hot Service: A Cruel Hairdresser | 화끈한 써비스: 어느 잔인한 미용사의 | — | credited as production staff | |
Light My Fire | 라이트 마이 파이어 | — | short film; credited as director/screenwriter | [36] | |
2016 | Moonlit Motive | 夜色撩人 | Chowbei | Chinese film | [37] |
2017 | Part-Time Spy | 비정규직 특수요원 | Min-seok | [38] |
Year | English title | Original title | Role | Notes | Ref. |
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2002 | Dae Bak Family | 대박가족 | Namkoong Min | ||
2003 | Rose Fence | 장미울타리 | Han Dong-hyun | ||
Drama City – "To William" | 윌리엄을 위하여 | Yoon Joon-ho | |||
Wedding Story – My Love My Oppa | 나의 사랑 나의 오빠 | Sung-soo | [39] | ||
Pearl Necklace | 진주 목걸이 | Hwang Joon-ho | |||
HDTV Literature "Mould Flower" | 곰팡이꽃 | Ki-hoon | [40] | ||
2004 | Drama City – "After Love" | 사랑한 후에 | Eun-jae | ||
My Lovely Family | 금쪽같은 내새끼 | Ahn Jin-gook | [41] | ||
2005 | My Rosy Life | 장밋빛 인생 | Dr. Ji Bak-sa | [42] | |
2006 | One Fine Day | 어느 멋진 날 | Kang Dong-ha | [43] | |
2009 | Iris | 아이리스 | Cameo | ||
2010 | Becoming a Billionaire | 부자의 탄생 | Chu Woon-seok | [44][45] | |
2011 | Listen to My Heart | 내 마음이 들리니 | Jang Joon-ha / Bong Ma-roo | ||
2012 | Drama Special – "Still Picture" | 스틸사진 | Kim Hyun-soo | [46] | |
Cheongdam-dong Alice | 청담동 앨리스 | So In-chan | Guest (Episodes 1–3) | [47] | |
2013 | Hur Jun, the Original Story | 구암 허준 | Yoo Do-ji | [48] | |
Unemployed Romance | 실업급여 로맨스 | Kim Jong-dae | [49] | ||
2014 | I Need Romance 3 | 로맨스가 필요해 시즌3 | Kang Tae-yoon | '[50] | |
12 Years Promise | 달래 된, 장국: 12년만의 재회 | Yoo Joon-soo | [51] | ||
My Secret Hotel | 마이 시크릿 호텔 | Jo Sung-gyeom | [52] | ||
2015 | A Girl Who Sees Smells | 냄새를 보는 소녀 | Kwon Jae-hee | ||
2015–2016 | Remember | 리멤버 – 아들의 전쟁 | Nam Gyu-man | ||
2016 | Beautiful Gong Shim | 미녀 공심이 | Ahn Dan-tae / Seok Joon-pyo | ||
The Doctors | 닥터스 | Nam Ba-ram | Guest (Episodes 13–15) | [53] | |
2017 | Good Manager | 김과장 | Kim Sung-ryong | ||
Man to Man | 맨투맨 | Cameo | [54] | ||
Falsify | 조작 | Han Moo-young | |||
Drama Special – "You Are Closer Than I Think" | 당신은 생각보다 가까이에 있다 | Cameo | [55] | ||
2018 | The Undateables | 훈남정음 | Hoon Nam | ||
2019 | Doctor Prisoner | 닥터 프리즈너 | Na Yi-jae | ||
2019–2020 | Hot Stove League | 스토브리그 | Baek Seung-soo | ||
2020–2021 | Awaken | 낮과 밤 | Do Jung-woo | [56] | |
2021 | The Veil | 검은 태양 | Han Ji-hyuk | [57] | |
2022 | One Dollar Lawyer | 천원짜리 변호사 | Chun Ji-hoon | [58] | |
Year | Title | Role | Notes | Ref. |
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2004–2005 | Music Bank | Host | with So Yi-hyun | [59] |
2014 | We Got Married Season 4 | Paired | with Hong Jin-young | [60] |
2016 | Saturday Night Live Korea | Host | Episode 142 | |
2016–2017 | Singing Battle | Host | (Pilot, Episode 1–21) | [61] |
2020 | I-Land | Namkoong Min is the main storyteller | of the survival/reality show, I-Land. | [62] |
2021 | My Little Old Boy | Special Host | Episode 229 | |
Year | Title | Notes | Ref. |
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2017 | 2017 KBS Drama Awards | with Lee Yoo-ri, Park Soo-hong | [63] |
Year | Song title | Artist |
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2002 | "백설공주를 사랑한 난장이" | Cool |
"작년, 오늘" | ||
2006 | "The Thing That I Forget You"[64] | Lee Jung Bong |
2014 | "Cheer Up"[65] | Hong Jin-young |
2016 | "Sketch"[66] | Hyomin |
Award ceremony | Year | Category | Nominee / Work | Result | Ref. |
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APAN Star Awards | 2016 | Excellence Award, Actor in a Miniseries | Remember: War of the Son | Won | [67] |
2021 | Top Excellent Actor in a Miniseries | Hot Stove League | Nominated | [68][69] | |
Popular Star Award, Actor | Nominated | ||||
2022 | Top Excellence Award, Actor in a Miniseries | The Veil | Nominated | [70] | |
Asia Artist Awards | 2016 | Best Celebrity Award, Actor | Remember: War of the Son | Won | [71] |
2017 | Best Artist Award, Actor | Good Manager | Won | [72] | |
Baeksang Arts Awards | 2016 | Best Actor – Television | Remember: War of the Son | Nominated | |
2017 | Good Manager | Nominated | |||
2020 | Hot Stove League | Nominated | [73] | ||
Grimae Awards | 2020 | Best Actor | Won | [74] | |
KBS Drama Awards | 2003 | Best Actor in a One-Act/Special Drama | To William | Won | [75] |
Best New Actor | Pearl Necklace | Nominated | |||
2005 | Popularity Award | My Rosy Life | Won | [76] | |
2012 | Best Actor in a One-Act/Special Drama | Still Picture | Nominated | ||
2017 | Top Excellence Award, Actor | Good Manager | Won | [77] | |
Excellence Award, Actor in a Mid-length Drama | Nominated | ||||
Best Couple Award | Namkoong Min with Lee Jun-ho Good Manager |
Won | |||
2019 | Top Excellence Award, Actor | Doctor Prisoner | Nominated | [78] | |
Excellence Award, Actor in a Miniseries | Nominated | ||||
KBS Entertainment Awards | 2016 | Best Entertainer Award — Variety Show Category | Singing Battle | Won | [79] |
KMTV Music Star Contest | 1999 | VJ Grand Prize | NamKoong Min | Won | [80] |
Korean Broadcasting Awards | 2017 | Best Actor | Good Manager | Won | [81] |
Korea Drama Awards | 2017 | Top Excellence Award, Actor | Nominated | ||
Korea PD Awards | 2021 | Best Actor | Hot Stove League | Won | [82] |
MBC Drama Awards | 2011 | Excellence Award, Actor in a Miniseries | Listen to My Heart | Nominated | |
2013 | Excellence Award, Actor in a Serial Drama | Hur Jun, the Original Story | Nominated | ||
2021 | Grand Prize (Daesang) | The Veil | Won | [4] | |
Top Excellence Award, Actor in a Miniseries | Nominated | ||||
MBC Entertainment Awards | 2014 | New Star of the Year | We Got Married | Won | [83] |
SBS Drama Awards | 2015 | Special Award, Actor in a Miniseries | The Girl Who Sees Smells | Won | [84] |
2016 | Top Excellence Award, Actor in a Romantic Comedy Drama | Beautiful Gong Shim | Won | [85] | |
Top 10 Stars | Remember: War of the Son, Beautiful Gong Shim | Won | |||
Best Couple Awards | Namkoong Min with Bang Min-ah Beautiful Gong Shim |
Nominated | |||
2017 | Top Excellence Award, Actor in a Monday–Tuesday Drama | Falsify | Won | [86] | |
2020 | Grand Prize (Daesang) | Hot Stove League | Won | [87][88] | |
Top Excellence Award, Actor in a Miniseries Action Drama | Nominated | ||||
The Seoul Awards | 2017 | Best Actor | Good Manager | Nominated | [89] |
Country Or Organization | Year | Honor Or Award | Ref. |
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South Korea[note 1] | 2017 | Minister of Culture, Sports and Tourism Commendation | [93] |
APAN Star Awards for Excellence in Acting, Actor | |
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Miniseries |
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Serial Drama |
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OTT Drama |
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Grimae Awards for Best Actor | |
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1990s |
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2000s |
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2010s |
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2020s |
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General |
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National libraries |