Full name: Daniel Dae Kim
Usually goes by: Daniel, Dan, Danny or sometimes DDK

Birthday: August 4th
Background: Born in Pusan, Korea. Immigrated with family when two years old. Raised in a family of educated professionals.
Hometown: Easton, Pennsylvania.

Early years:
Went to Freedom High School, Bethlehem, Pennsylvania.
Played in several sports.
Only acting role was in "Harvey".
Edited the school newspaper and was student government president.
Quote from high school friend:

"Danny was very outgoing, very friendly -- I don't remember him arguing with anyone, ever. I guess you could say he was one of the `in' crowd. I always thought he would have gone into politics." (Morning Call News interview)

Training:
Earned a Bachelor of Arts degree from Haverford College/Bryn Mawr College in Theatre & Political Science.
Spent a semester studying at the National Theatre Institute at the Eugene O'Neill Theater Center in Waterford, Connecticut during junior year. Studied under Lynn Britt, Morris Carnovsky, Rod Marriott, and Dennis Scott. (Daniel cites Morris as one of the reasons he loves Shakespeare today.)
While in New York, he performed in original comedies that he co-wrote and performed in while part of an improv group.
Was "very close" to accepting positions at one of several major Wall Street investment banks before deciding to try acting full time.
In 1993, started the MFA acting program at NYU's Tisch School of the Arts. Graduated with a Masters in Acting in 96. The Tisch Acting Program is an exclusive and rigorous three-year course, accepting only 18 to 20 students each year.
After moving to Los Angeles in 1997, he immediately began finding work in television and film, appearing in over twenty projects in two years.

First major role: a "very young" Torvald in Pan Asian Repertory Theater's presentation of Ibsen's Classic, A Doll's House

Recent residences: Lived in New York for a while, then moved to Santa Monica in April 1997. Maintained residences in New York and the Los Angeles area, but has recently relocated his family to Hawaii to be near him while filming Lost.

Family status: Married, two sons aged 2 and 8.

Hobbies: Loves sports, including tennis, football, skiing and Tae Kwon Do.

Some idols: Paul Scofield, Gene Hackman, Robert DeNiro, Jonathan Pryce, Sidney Poitier, Gene Kelly, Denzel Washington, Robert Duvall.

"[About Jonathon Pryce] He's got such a simplicity about the way he works and I tend to like actors who do very little on the outside. There's such a relaxed quality to the way he acts and approaches his work that I find very compelling. He's simple, his voice is incredibly relaxed and he's also got an 'everyman' quality that makes him very vulnerable. Yet at the same time, he's very sophisticated and I think, elegant. It's an interesting combination." (The Bronze Shelter, January 2002.)

Career thoughts:

"[Daniel's first love is theater.] There's something about being in a house with an audience, and having that immediate feedback. I started acting because of that energy; it's what feeds me on stage and informs my choices. What's great in theater is that you can sustain the arc of a character for a full three hours, whereas in film or TV, you have to create that arc in little pieces, and usually out of sequence." (A. Magazine: Ethnic News Watch, November 30, 1997)

"I like directing for the stage. It's something that I started to do in NY, and would like to explore further when I get the chance. I also write regularly, but it's mainly in the form of a journal I like to keep." (B5/Crusade Spoiler Junkies Page, July 11, 1999.)

Misc: Participated in Starnight 2000, an annual celebrity fundraising event to support Asians for Miracle Marrow Matches.

If you have information not listed here, please email me at webmistress@danieldaekim.org!