Kim Ji-seok Biography: Awards, Height, Net Worth, Age, Parents, Girlfriend, Instagram
Kim Bo-seok, professionally known as Kim Ji-seok, is a South Korean actor and former singer born on April 21, 1981, in Seoul, South Korea.
He began his entertainment career in 2001 as a member of the Eurodance group LEO before moving into acting.
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He later established himself as a leading television performer, appearing in dramas such as The Vineyard Man, I Hate You, But It’s Fine, Chuno, Personal Taste, Another Oh Hae-young, The Rebel, When the Camellia Blooms, Monthly Magazine Home, and Kiss Sixth Sense.
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| Wiki Facts & About Data | |
| Real Name: | Kim Bo-seok |
| Stage Name: | Kim Ji-seok |
| Born: | April 21, 1981 (age 45 years old) |
| Place of Birth: | Seoul, South Korea |
| Nationality: | South Korean |
| Ethnicity: | Korean |
| Height: | 182 cm |
| Religion: | Protestantism |
| Parents: | Kim On-yang and Lee Hwa-ja |
| Siblings: | Kim Ban-seok, Kim Ye-bon |
| Relationship: | Lee Joo-myung |
| Occupation: | Actor, Former Singer |
| Net Worth: | $5 million |
Early Life and Education
Kim Bo-seok, later professionally called Kim Ji-seok, was born on April 21, 1981, in Seoul, South Korea.
He grew up in a family of three sons, alongside his older brother Kim Ban-seok and younger brother Kim Ye-bon. He was raised by his parents, his father is Kim On-yang and his mother is Lee Hwa-ja.
His family also has a notable historical background: his grandfather, Kim Seong-il, participated in the Korean independence movement during the Japanese colonial period.
As a teenager, Kim spent several years studying in England, attending middle and high school there before returning to South Korea during his final year of high school.
His experience abroad gave him strong English-language ability, while his later education developed his interest in languages, culture, and communications.
He eventually graduated from the Department of German Education at Hankuk University of Foreign Studies and later completed graduate studies in Cultural Contents Planning at Kyung Hee University’s Graduate School of Journalism and Communication.
Kim’s older brother is highly accomplished academically and studied mathematics at Oxford University, later graduating from KAIST’s finance department and working for a financial firm in Hong Kong.
His younger brother is the third son in the family and, according to Kim’s 2026 account, was born after his father’s vasectomy unexpectedly reversed.
Kim has spoken humorously about feeling academically overshadowed by his older brother while growing up.
Career
Kim began his entertainment career in 2001 as a member of the five-member Eurodance group LEO.
The group disbanded after roughly eight months, after which he redirected his ambitions toward acting.
He adopted the stage name Kim Ji-seok, partly because his birth name, Kim Bo-seok, could potentially be confused with the names of established Korean actors.
His acting career developed during the mid-2000s, beginning in television and film before he secured increasingly prominent roles.
His early dramas included Nonstop 5, The Vineyard Man, I Want to Love, Just Run!, and I Hate You, But It’s Fine.
His performance in I Hate You, But It’s Fine brought him the Best New Actor prize at the 2007 KBS Drama Awards, establishing an important early milestone.
Kim subsequently built a substantial film and television portfolio. He appeared in Take Off, which earned him an Ensemble Acting Award at the 17th Chunsa Film Art Awards, while his television work expanded through Chuno, Personal Taste, Cheongdam-dong Alice, Angel Eyes, Unkind Ladies, and Another Oh Hae-young.
His performance as Hong Gil-dong-era historical figure Lee Yoong, Prince Yeonsan, in The Rebel brought him the Top Excellence Award at the 2017 Korea Drama Awards.
His later career included prominent roles in 20th Century Boy and Girl, Top Star U-back, and When the Camellia Blooms. His performance in When the Camellia Blooms earned him the Excellence Award for an Actor in a Mid-length Drama at the 2019 KBS Drama Awards.
He subsequently appeared in My Unfamiliar Family, Monthly Magazine Home, Kiss Sixth Sense, Destined with You, and New Recruit 2, demonstrating continued activity across television and streaming productions.
In 2026, Kim returned to a major leading role in the KBS drama OK! Let’s Get Divorced, titled 그래, 이혼하자 in Korean. He portrays Ji Won-ho, a wedding-dress-shop executive whose seven-year marriage to Baek Mi-young, played by Lee Min-jung, reaches a breaking point.
The series premiered on August 19, 2026, and remains among his latest major screen projects.
Awards and Nominations
- 2007 KBS Drama Awards: Best New Actor — I Hate You, But It’s Fine — Won
- 2009 Chunsa Film Art Awards: Ensemble Acting Award — Take Off — Won
- 2009 Golden Cinematography Awards: Best New Actor — Won
- 2017 Korea Cable TV Awards: Most Popular Star Award — Won
- 2017 Korea Cable TV Awards: Scene Stealer Award — Won
- 2017 Korea Cable TV Awards: Best Couple Award — Won
- 2017 Korea Drama Awards: Top Excellence Award, Actor — The Rebel — Won
- 2017 MBC Drama Awards: Top Excellence Award, Actor in a Monday-Tuesday Drama — 20th Century Boy and Girl — Won
- 2019 KBS Drama Awards: Excellence Award, Actor in a Mid-length Drama — When the Camellia Blooms — Won
Social Media
- Instagram: @kimjiseok16
- YouTube: Kim Ji-seok’s personal channel
Personal Life
At 45 years old, Kim Ji-seok is dating actress Lee Joo-myung. The couple publicly acknowledged their relationship in August 2024, and their relationship has continued into 2026.
Lee Joo-myung is 12 years younger than Kim, and both work in the Korean entertainment industry.
The relationship has become increasingly serious publicly. In 2025, Kim’s father confirmed that Kim had introduced Lee Joo-myung to his family.
His father also spoke about hoping the couple would eventually marry, while Kim explained that he did not want marriage to interfere negatively in Lee’s developing acting career.
The couple attracted additional attention after reportedly traveling together in Hawaii in 2025. Photographs and reports also prompted speculation about a possible couple ring, although no marriage announcement had been made.
As of September 2026, Kim and Lee remain publicly identified as a couple rather than husband and wife.
Kim comes from a particularly distinctive family background. He is the middle of three brothers, and his older brother has an impressive academic and financial career.
In a June 2026 television appearance, Kim discussed his older brother’s academic achievements at Oxford and KAIST, while also revealing the unusual circumstances surrounding the birth of his younger brother.
His grandfather Kim Seong-il was involved in the Korean independence movement during the Japanese colonial period. Family accounts have highlighted the historical significance of his grandfather’s activities, giving Kim a family connection to Korea’s independence history.
Kim has also spoken publicly about maintaining his lifestyle as he gets older. In 2026, he discussed his interest in slow aging and healthier eating, saying that he had eliminated flour from his diet and reduced his coffee consumption to one cup a day.
He has also maintained interests in exercise, music, and personal development alongside his acting career.
Net Worth
Kim Ji-seok’s net worth is $5 million, generated primarily from television and film acting, streaming productions, entertainment appearances, advertising work, hosting, and other professional activities accumulated during his career since 2001.
Filmography
- The Vineyard Man
- I Hate You, But It’s Fine
- Chuno
- Personal Taste
- Take Off
- Cheongdam-dong Alice
- Another Oh Hae-young
- The Rebel
- When the Camellia Blooms
- OK! Let’s Get Divorced
What People Ask
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