Kim Mu-yeol

Kim Mu-yeol (born May 22, 1982) is a South Korean actor. Following a successful career in musical theatre, Kim was first cast in minor parts on film and television. After gaining recognition for his performance in War of the Arrows (2011), Kim landed his first major role in Jung Ji-woo's critically acclaimed film A Muse (2012). Kim went on to star in notable films Northern Limit Line (2015), Forgotten (2017), The Gangster, the Cop, the Devil (2019), Honest Candidate (2020), and The Roundup: Punishment (2024).

Early life and education
Kim Mu-yeol, born on May 22, 1982, given the name 'Mu-yeol-wang' by his grandfather with the hope that He would contribute to the reunification of North and South Korea. He had a humble upbringing, due to In 1997, during his middle school years, his family faced financial difficulties due to the IMF crisis, and his father's health declined. As a result, Kim became the main provider for his family, putting his dreams of becoming a theater actor on hold. To make ends meet, he took on various part-time jobs and had to take multiple breaks from school.

Despite the strong opposition of his father, a civil servant, Kim Moo-yeol attended acting school since middle school and dreamed of becoming an actor. He went one step closer to his dream by attending Anyang Arts High School. While attending Anyang Arts High School, Kim participated in a performance called "Sins of this World," where he portrayed the role of an old man. Balancing his studies with part-time work became a necessity for him. He took on a range of jobs, including construction work, building security, distributing flyers, event assistance, safety guard, working in a cellphone factory, and part-time positions at a department store. In his pursuit of earning more money, he even ventured into nightclubs, but this period of his life was marked by desperation and uncertainty. He resorted to drinking and neglected his well-being, resulting in a weight gain from 70kg to 100kg. One day, after a night of drinking, he had a moment of realization and decided to change his lifestyle. He started exercising, quit drinking and smoking, and regained his determination. Despite his challenging circumstances, Kim performed exceptionally well on the college entrance exam, despite his poor high school grades, and was admitted to the Acting Department of Sungkyunkwan University.

Throughout his journey, Kim Mu-yeol never abandoned his passion for acting. He continued to navigate the delicate balance between making a living and pursuing his dreams. Unfortunately, his father passed away in 2010.

Career
He made his debut in 2002 with the musical "Jjangtta" and dedicated four years to honing his skills as part of the ensemble. In 2005, he gained recognition by successfully auditioning for the play "Subway Line 1" by Hakjeon Theater Company, catching the attention of Shin Chun-soo, the representative of O-Dream Music Company. This led to his lead roles in productions such as "Assassin" and "Grease."

In 2006, Kim participated in the musical Altar Boyz, which took place at the Chungmu Art Hall Grand Theater in Seoul from May 12th to May 21st. Altar Boyz presents a narrative centered around a five-member Christian boy band, self-proclaimed pop evangelists with a mission to rescue troubled souls. Kim Tae-woo, played the role of Matthew, the lead character, with musical actor Song Yong-jin, who shared the role as well.

Kim's career flourished, and he on various roles in popular works including Singin' in the Rain, Thrill Me and Finding Mr. Destiny.

In 2007, Kim joined the domestic premiere of the musical Thrill Me, and made a lasting impression with his portrayal of child murderers Richard/Nathan.

The same year, Kim made his television debut in the KBS2TV one-act drama "Drama City - For the New Wave," where he played the role of Song Hyeon-wook, a noble and gentle man unable to forget his first love. He also appeared in the drama "Chosun Police," which aired on the 'MBC Dramanet' channel. Set in the Joseon Dynasty, the drama featured Kim as the youngest police officer conducting research in the investigation lab to solve cases.

As Kim made strides in the world of theater, he also explored opportunities in television and film, initially taking on smaller roles. One notable moment came in 2009 when he caught the attention of audiences with his supporting role as a bond broker named Jo Min-hyung in the film The Scam (produced by Silk Road, directed by Lee Ho-jae). Jo Min-hyung is portrayed as the Korean stock strategy ace, harboring the belief that dark money governs the nation's economy. Period action epic War of the Arrows became one of the biggest hits of 2011 and further raised his profile. He continued to showcase his versatility by appearing in the South Korean premiere of the musical Jack the Ripper and starring in the drama Wife Returns.

He won Best Actor at the 2009 Korea Musical Awards for his portrayal of Melchior in Spring Awakening, a rock musical which dealt with such taboo subjects as teenage pregnancy, sexual and physical abuse, and homosexuality.

In 2010, Kim Mu-yeol took on his previous role as child murderers Richard/Nathan in the musical "Thrill Me." The production also featured talented performers such as Choi Soo-hyung, Choi Ji-ho, Choi Jae-woong, Kim Ha-neul, Ji Chang-wook, Kim Jae-beom, and Jo Kang-hyeon. The musical was held at The Stage in Sinchon and ran from the 14th to November 14th.

Kim's rugged appearance and charismatic presence propelled him to be recognized as a promising talent. Among the roles he's played on stage were Gwanghwamun Love Song and The Three Musketeers.

In 2011, Kim was chosen to join the cast of the musical Guys and Dolls alongside Ok Joo-hyun, Jin-gu, Lee Yong-woo, Kim Young-joo, Lee Yul, and Jeong Seon-ah. Kim took on the role of Sky Masterson in the production. The musical ran from August 2nd to September 18th, at the LG Arts Center in Yeoksam-dong, Seoul.

In 2012, Kim rose to stardom following his remarkable performance in the provocative and psychologically rich film A Muse. He portrayed the conflicted novelist Seo Ji-woo, who becomes envious of his teacher's genius talent, portrayed by Park Hae-il.

In 2012, Kim went to Japan on July 19, to perform the musical "Thrill Me" alongside Choi Jae-woong. The Japan performances had been scheduled well in advance, and they were set to perform a total of five shows. The musical was co-produced by Musical Haven and Horipro, a Japanese entertainment company, aiming to bring the production to a broader audience. The Japanese version of "Thrill Me" featured a cast and crew composed of both Japanese and Korean members. The production was directed by Tamiya Kuriyama, the former artistic director of the New National Theater in Tokyo. While most of the performances were conducted in Japanese, five of the 27 shows were performed in Korean.

Kim returned to acting upon his military discharge in 2014. He starred in Northern Limit Line in 2015, a naval thriller about the Second Battle of Yeonpyeong.

He was cast as leading man in Bad Guys.

Military service
In June 2012, Kim came under growing public criticism over allegations he dodged his compulsory military service. In a report released by the Korean Board of Audit and Inspection (BAI), Kim was deemed fit to serve in active duty as a level two recruit after a March 2001 physical examination. However, throughout 2007 to 2009, Kim was granted postponement on the grounds that he was taking civil service examinations or had been admitted to a work training facility, neither of which took place. During this time he reportedly earned approximately from films, musicals, and television work. In December 2009, he received his final notice for enlistment, having used up the 730 days allowed for postponement. He submitted a request to change his military status in January 2010 because of a knee injury, which was rejected. Finally, a valid exemption was granted on the grounds that he was a "low-income individual" and the sole provider for his family. BAI's contention was that Kim's income is substantially higher than the standard for disqualification due to poverty; thus, the Military Manpower Administration was negligent in their duties by granting the exemption.

Kim’s agency Prain TPC defended him, stating that Kim had been supporting his family by working as a security guard, construction worker, and at a mobile phone factory since his late teens. When his father collapsed from a cerebral hemorrhage and was diagnosed with cancer in 2008, the treatments incurred a lot of debt for the family. Their worsening financial condition caused them to become totally dependent on Kim, resulting in his said filing for an exemption in 2010.

Given the publicity, a reinvestigation into the case was launched and Kim was asked by the production company to leave the film 11 A.M. (he was replaced by Choi Daniel).

On October 4, 2012, Kim released a statement that though there was no wrongdoing on his part, he had decided to voluntarily enter the army "to recover his honor damaged by the rumors."

In January 2013, Kim starred in military musical The Promise. It was co-produced by the Ministry of National Defense and Korea Musical Theatre Association, to commemorate the 60th anniversary of the signing of the armistice. It ran from January 9 to 20 at the National Theater of Korea, with a cast composed of actors Ji Hyun-woo and Jung Tae-woo, as well as singers Leeteuk of Super Junior, Yoon Hak of Supernova, and Lee Hyun of 8Eight. The musical centered around a group of soldiers who keep a promise made to each other during the 6.25 war. When the "entertainment soldiers" unit was disbanded in August 2013, Kim was reassigned to a frontline combat unit of the 12th Infantry Division headquartered in Inje County, Gangwon Province.

In February 2014, Kim underwent surgery to treat a cartilage injury in his left knee, and afterwards received rehabilitation treatment for nearly two months at a military hospital near Seoul. Criticism was raised regarding his lengthy sick leave, but the defense ministry refused to provide detailed information regarding Kim's health condition, arguing that it was an infringement on his privacy.

Kim was discharged on July 8, 2014.

Personal life
After a romantic tweet that Kim meant to be a private message to Yoon Seung-ah was accidentally posted on the actor’s Twitter page, their agencies confirmed in February 2012 that the two were dating. Kim and Yoon married on April 4, 2015.

In December 2022, their agency announced that Yoon is pregnant with the couple's first child and expected to give birth in June 2023. Yoon gave birth to a son, Kim Tae-myeong, on June 8, 2023.