Kim Jae-won is the “it-boy” of the moment, boasting a handsome face, a towering 187cm height, and stable acting skills. After debuting as a model in 2018, he caught the public’s eye in writer Noh Hee-kyung’s ‘Our Blues’ in 2022 and has been on a roll ever since.
His filmography is growing fast, with ‘King the Land’ in 2023, ‘Hierarchy’ and ‘The Tale of Lady Ok’ in 2024, and ‘Eunjung and Sangyeon’ in 2025. He especially surprised viewers with his acting potential as host bar employee Kang Ji-hwon in the Netflix series ‘Lady Dua’ earlier this year.
He is also making waves in the variety world, serving as a fixed member of KBS 2TV’s ‘Going Jung Coming Jung Lee Min-jung’ last year and landing the MC spot for KBS 2TV’s ‘Music Bank’.
Most recently, Kim Jae-won has skyrocketed to fame as the “national younger man” in the TVING original 8-episode series ‘Yumi’s Cells 3’.
Following in the footsteps of Ahn Bo-hyun in Season 1 and Park Jin-young (GOT7) in Season 2, how did he feel about landing the lead role in the major production ‘Yumi’s Cells 3’? Kim Jae-won shared, “Actually, Soon-rak was such a unicorn-like younger man in the original work. I did feel a pleasant sense of pressure, wondering if I could portray him well. But when I first read the script, I thought, ‘Such a huge opportunity has come my way, this is great.’ I was so happy and focused entirely on how to express the character best.”
He added, “The ‘Yumi’s Cells’ series is so solid and is a ‘mega IP’. Seasons 1 and 2 received so much love, and the previous actors did such an amazing job. When I wondered if Season 3 could be just as loved, I decided the most important thing was to ‘do my own part well.’ I wanted to give 200%, not just 100%, so as not to let the production down.”
Regarding the character Soon-rak, he said, “Director Lee Sang-yeob mentioned that I resembled Soon-rak physically. I wore glasses when I was young and still like the style in my daily life. I think he liked that physical synchronization. I believe Soon-rak’s biggest charm is his ‘puppy-like’ vibe. He’s like a puppy but cold and sharp when working, and I found that contrast very appealing.”
Kim Jae-won expressed his gratitude, saying, “I’m a rookie actor without much experience, but the director and Kim Go-eun are both veterans. I’m grateful they led me so well despite my shortcomings. I learned a lot by watching them. It was reassuring to have them guide me through our communication and acting. Working with her felt like a dream.”
Just like his character, Kim Jae-won is actually 10 years younger than Kim Go-eun. When asked about the age gap, he replied, “I didn’t think much about the age difference. I knew he was a younger man in the original work. Whether in the drama or in real life, the age gap was never an obstacle. I just focused on how to act as Soon-rak,” giving a response truly fitting for the “national younger man.”
On how Soon-rak fell for Yumi, he noted, “He naturally seeped in.” He explained, “Although they started with a ‘hate-relationship,’ I don’t think Soon-rak ever approached Writer Yumi to make things difficult or tease her. From the start, he didn’t dislike her; he had a favorable impression, which grew into love. There are many reasons why he likes her, but I think the biggest one was telling her she’s ‘pretty,’ which made her the happiest.”
Regarding the happy ending and the marriage, Kim Jae-won said, “I know they married in the original, but I started the project without knowing the ending. After reading the early scripts, I was curious if Soon-rak and Yumi would actually marry. So, the marriage didn’t influence my decision to join the project; I just naturally flowed with the script. Either way, I’m happy they married. It’s an honor to be Yumi’s last man. I’m just grateful to be part of such a glorious project.”
