In 2003, the year he turned 21, he debuted in a bit part as a stalker in KBS2’s Bodyguard. In 2004, he gradually made his face known through the film Spin Kick and the MBC sitcom Nonstop 4, and won best new actor at the MBC Drama Awards for Kang Guk in Ireland.
The breakthrough yearThe year he turned 23, he played Hyun Jin-heon in MBC’s My Lovely Sam Soon. The final episode’s rating rose to 50.5% nationwide, and Nocut News writes that the drama engraved his name on the public. That December he became the first Korean actor on the cover of Esquire Hong Kong.
In 2006, he appeared on screen in A Millionaire’s First Love, which was sold to Japan for $1.5 million. That autumn he moved to Star M Entertainment and played Han Tae-woong in The Snow Queen.
In 2008, he played a broadcast producer in KBS2’s Worlds Within. Maeil Business writes that the question broadcasters get most often is whether they have many handsome producers like him. In 2009, he played Han Dong-soo in MBC’s Friend, Our Legend, and I Am Happy, shot the year before, opened after first being shown as the closing film of the Busan International Film Festival.
In 2010, he played Kim Joo-won in SBS’s Secret Garden. Its ratings passed 30%, and advertising sold out through the final episode, totaling more than 8.2 billion won. In January 2011, his own OST “That Man” reached No. 1 on music charts on the day of its release, and Late Autumn and Come Rain, Come Shine were both invited to the Berlin International Film Festival. In March he volunteered for the Marine Corps, and in May he won his first Baeksang grand prize in TV for Secret Garden.
In 2012, he finished 21 months of service and was discharged from the Marine Corps. About 400 fans and more than 100 reporters gathered for the ceremony. In 2014, he played King Jeongjo of Joseon in The Fatal Encounter, his first return after discharge, and served as ambassador for the Incheon Asian Games. In 2015, he took on a dual role for the first time since his debut in SBS’s Hyde Jekyll, Me.
In 2016, he founded the one-person agency VAST Entertainment with his acting teacher Kang Geon-taek. In 2017, he played the North Korean detective Rim Cheol-ryeong in Confidential Assignment, which drew 7.81 million admissions, and the con man Hwang Ji-seong in The Swindlers. In 2018, he took on his first villain in The Negotiation and Prince Yi Cheong in Rampant, and played Yoo Jin-woo in tvN’s Memories of the Alhambra. In 2019, he played the North Korean soldier Ri Jeong-hyeok in tvN’s Crash Landing on You. Its final episode’s rating of 21.7% was the highest in tvN history, and it was released worldwide through Netflix.
In 2020, it came to light that he had given 200 million won in COVID-19 relief through the Community Chest of Korea. In 2022, he married Son Ye-jin and returned as Rim Cheol-ryeong in Confidential Assignment 2: International, which drew 4 million viewers in 11 days. A son was born in November. In 2023, he played the intelligence service agent Dae-sik in The Point Men, inspired by the 2007 kidnapping in Afghanistan. In 2024, he played An Jung-geun in Harbin, which took No. 1 at the box office on its first weekend with 2.38 million admissions. The year he turned 43, he won best actor at the 46th Blue Dragon Film Awards for Harbin. His wife Son Ye-jin won best actress the same day, the first married couple to win the lead acting awards in the 46-year history of the awards. He played the Korean Central Intelligence Agency section chief Baek Gi-tae in Disney+’s Made in Korea, and donated 200 million won with Son Ye-jin at year’s end. In 2026, he won best actor in broadcast at the 62nd Baeksang Arts Awards for Made in Korea.
Hyun Bin (born Sep 25, 1982) debuted in 2003, the year he turned 21, in KBS2’s Bodyguard, and became known on Jun 1, 2005, the year he turned 23, as Hyun Jin-heon in MBC’s My Lovely Sam Soon. He won his first Baeksang Arts Awards grand prize in 2011, the year he turned 29.
Ages are by calendar year (the year minus the birth year), birthdays aside.
He stepped into entertainment in a bit part as a stalker who follows a top model. His birth name is Kim Tae-pyung.
Source 01 · Hankook Ilbo (Korean) · Hyun Bin begins to shine · opens in a new tabSource 40 · Wikipedia (Korean) · Hyun Bin · opens in a new tab The broadcast timing is from the Hankook Ilbo’s description of summer and from Wikipedia; the exact date was not confirmed.He gradually made his face known as a straight-laced young man who excels at taekwondo. His character was also named Hyun Bin, the same as his stage name.
Source 01 · Hankook Ilbo (Korean) · Hyun Bin begins to shine · opens in a new tabSource 40 · Wikipedia (Korean) · Hyun Bin · opens in a new tab The month he became a regular is from Wikipedia; not confirmed in news reports.He played Lee Min-gyu, the captain of the taekwondo team.
Source 01 · Hankook Ilbo (Korean) · Hyun Bin begins to shine · opens in a new tabSource 40 · Wikipedia (Korean) · Hyun Bin · opens in a new tabSource 41 · Namu Wiki (Korean) · Hyun Bin · opens in a new tab The role description is from Wikipedia and the release date is from the Namu Wiki filmography.As the bodyguard Kang Guk he showed signs of joining the ranks of stars. In December that year he won best new actor at the MBC Drama Awards.
Source 01 · Hankook Ilbo (Korean) · Hyun Bin begins to shine · opens in a new tabSource 40 · Wikipedia (Korean) · Hyun Bin · opens in a new tab The date of the new actor award is from Wikipedia; not confirmed in news reports.He played the restaurant owner Hyun Jin-heon. The final episode’s rating rose to 50.5% nationwide and 53.4% in the Seoul area, and Nocut News writes that the drama engraved his name on the public.
He appeared as the cover model of the Hong Kong edition of the international men’s magazine Esquire.
Source 05 · Lady Kyunghyang (Korean) · Asian reach beyond Korea · opens in a new tabHe played Kang Jae-kyung, and the film was sold to Japan for $1.5 million.
Source 05 · Lady Kyunghyang (Korean) · Asian reach beyond Korea · opens in a new tabSource 41 · Namu Wiki (Korean) · Hyun Bin · opens in a new tab The release date is from the Namu Wiki filmography.He left Boram Film, where he had been since he was a newcomer, and signed with Star M Entertainment.
Source 40 · Wikipedia (Korean) · Hyun Bin · opens in a new tab Not confirmed in news reports.He played Han Tae-woong (Han Deuk-gu), a math prodigy.
Source 04 · Nocut News (Korean) · Hyun Bin steps out of Sam Soon’s shadow · opens in a new tabSource 40 · Wikipedia (Korean) · Hyun Bin · opens in a new tab Nocut News writes that the drama drew less attention than Sam Soon. The month of the broadcast is from Wikipedia.He played a drama producer. Maeil Business writes that the question broadcasters get most often is whether they have many handsome producers like Hyun Bin.
Source 06 · Maeil Business (Korean) · Is the drama Worlds Within really like that? · opens in a new tabSource 40 · Wikipedia (Korean) · Hyun Bin · opens in a new tab The role name (Jung Ji-oh) is from Wikipedia.The drama was directed by Kwak Kyung-taek, who made the film Friend. He says he pressed ahead with the role out of a spirit of challenge although everyone opposed it.
Source 07 · Mediaus (Korean) · Friend: rediscovered gems · opens in a new tabSource 08 · Newsen (Korean) · Hyun Bin on Friend · opens in a new tabSource 40 · Wikipedia (Korean) · Hyun Bin · opens in a new tab The month of the broadcast is from Wikipedia.He played Jo Man-su, a patient with delusions of grandeur. Shooting finished in 2008 and the film was first shown as the closing film of that year’s Busan International Film Festival, then opened the next year.
Source 09 · Sports Kyunghyang (Korean) · Hyun Bin on endless transformation · opens in a new tabSource 41 · Namu Wiki (Korean) · Hyun Bin · opens in a new tab The regular release date is from the Namu Wiki filmography.He played Kim Joo-won, a third-generation chaebol heir who swaps bodies. Its ratings passed 30%, and advertising sold out through the final episode, totaling more than 8.2 billion won.
Source 10 · Kukinews (Korean) · SBS’s Secret Garden ends · opens in a new tabSource 40 · Wikipedia (Korean) · Hyun Bin · opens in a new tab The exact date of the first broadcast was not confirmed.He sang it himself. On the day of release it reached No. 1 on several music sites and was still at the top a week later.
Source 11 · Mydaily (Korean) · Hyun Bin’s “That Man” · opens in a new tabHe starred opposite Tang Wei. The film was officially invited to the Forum section of the 61st Berlin International Film Festival.
Source 12 · OSEN (Korean) · Late Autumn invited to the 61st Berlin International Film Festival · opens in a new tabHe appeared with Lim Soo-jung, and the film advanced to the competition at the 61st Berlin International Film Festival.
Source 13 · Asia Economy (Korean) · Come Rain, Come Shine in the Berlin competition · opens in a new tabHe enlisted voluntarily in the Marine Corps (1137th class) and began his first posting on Baengnyeong Island.
Source 40 · Wikipedia (Korean) · Hyun Bin · opens in a new tab Not confirmed in news reports.He won it for Secret Garden.
Source 14 · Joynews24 (Korean) · Hyun Bin wins the grand prize in TV at the Baeksang Arts Awards · opens in a new tabHe finished 21 months of service and was discharged at the Marine Corps Command in Hwaseong, Gyeonggi Province. About 400 fans and more than 100 reporters gathered for the discharge ceremony.
Source 15 · Hankook Ilbo (Korean) · From enlistment to discharge · opens in a new tabSource 16 · Sports Kyunghyang (Korean) · The day Marine Hyun Bin was discharged · opens in a new tabIn his first return after discharge he played the young King Jeongjo, the 22nd king of Joseon. The director gave as his reason for casting that Hyun was the closest to the Jeongjo he had imagined.
Source 17 · TenAsia (Korean) · The director’s reason for casting in The Fatal Encounter · opens in a new tabSource 18 · OSEN (Korean) · Hyun Bin on The Fatal Encounter · opens in a new tabHe attended the appointment ceremony at the Press Center in Jung District, Seoul, and became the first buyer of the games’ commemorative coin set.
Source 19 · OBS (Korean) · Hyun Bin on the Incheon Asian Games · opens in a new tabIn his first drama after discharge he took on a dual role for the first time since his debut, playing Gu Seo-jin and Robin.
Source 20 · Sports Donga (Korean) · Hyun Bin back on TV after four years with Hyde Jekyll, Me · opens in a new tabSource 40 · Wikipedia (Korean) · Hyun Bin · opens in a new tab The role names and broadcast timing are from Wikipedia; the date of the first broadcast was not confirmed.He set up a one-person agency with his acting teacher Kang Geon-taek.
Source 21 · Newsen (Korean) · Hyun Bin’s one-person agency VAST Entertainment · opens in a new tabSource 40 · Wikipedia (Korean) · Hyun Bin · opens in a new tab The founding month follows Newsen’s report of the Feb. 2 opening of its official Facebook page and Wikipedia.He played the North Korean detective Rim Cheol-ryeong with Yoo Hae-jin and Kim Joo-hyuk. Final cumulative admissions were 7.81 million.
Source 22 · Newsen (Korean) · Confidential Assignment first shoot today · opens in a new tabSource 23 · Xports News (Korean) · Confidential Assignment wraps · opens in a new tabSource 31 · Korea Economic TV (Korean) · Confidential Assignment 2 passes 4 million on day 11 · opens in a new tabSource 42 · Segye Ilbo (Korean) · Confidential Assignment chases The King · opens in a new tabIn the crime caper with Yoo Ji-tae he played the con man Hwang Ji-seong.
Source 43 · Yonhap News Agency (Korean) · Weekend theaters: The Swindlers leads · opens in a new tabSource 41 · Namu Wiki (Korean) · Hyun Bin · opens in a new tab The role name is from Namu Wiki; not confirmed in news reports.He took on his first villain since his debut, the arms dealer Min Tae-gu.
Source 41 · Namu Wiki (Korean) · Hyun Bin · opens in a new tab The release date is from the Namu Wiki filmography.He played Prince Yi Cheong of Joseon, who returns after being held hostage in the Qing.
Source 41 · Namu Wiki (Korean) · Hyun Bin · opens in a new tab The release date is from the Namu Wiki filmography.He appeared with Park Shin-hye in a drama about an augmented reality game, set in Granada, Spain.
Source 40 · Wikipedia (Korean) · Hyun Bin · opens in a new tab The exact date of the first broadcast was not confirmed.He played the North Korean soldier Ri Jeong-hyeok. The final episode’s rating of 21.7% was the highest in tvN history, and the series was released worldwide through Netflix.
Source 24 · Dong-A Ilbo (Korean) · Crash Landing on You, a day before its end · opens in a new tabSource 25 · Herald Business (Korean) · Crash Landing on You popular worldwide on Netflix · opens in a new tabIt came to light afterward that he gave 200 million won through the Community Chest of Korea, for masks and medical supplies for the Daegu and North Gyeongsang region.
Source 26 · Sports Seoul (Korean) · Lee Si-eon and Hyun Bin donate · opens in a new tabThey held the wedding at the Walkerhill Hotel in Gwangjang-dong, Seoul. The two had announced the marriage in letters on Feb. 10 that year.
Source 27 · JoongAng Ilbo (Korean) · Hyun Bin and Son Ye-jin wedding gifts · opens in a new tabSource 28 · Sports Chosun (Korean) · Hyun Bin and Son Ye-jin announce marriage · opens in a new tabHe returned as Rim Cheol-ryeong with Yoo Hae-jin, Yoon-a, Daniel Henney and Jin Sun-kyu. It passed 4 million admissions on day 11, on the 17th, two days faster than the first film.
Source 31 · Korea Economic TV (Korean) · Confidential Assignment 2 passes 4 million on day 11 · opens in a new tabBoth agencies said that day that mother and baby were healthy.
Source 29 · JTBC (Korean) · Hyun Bin and Son Ye-jin welcome a son · opens in a new tabHe played the intelligence service agent Dae-sik with Hwang Jung-min. It is inspired by a true story in which 23 Koreans were kidnapped by the Taliban in Afghanistan in 2007, and the two characters are fictional.
Source 32 · Seoul Shinmun (Korean) · Slam Dunk takes No. 1 from The Point Men · opens in a new tabSource 33 · Sisa Journal (Korean) · Phantom and The Point Men, alike yet different · opens in a new tabIn a film with director Woo Min-ho, who made The Man Standing Next, he played the patriot An Jung-geun. It took No. 1 at the box office on its first weekend, with 2.38 million cumulative admissions.
Source 30 · Sports Chosun (Korean) · Hyun Bin confirmed for the spy action film Harbin · opens in a new tabSource 34 · SBS (Korean) · Harbin seen by 2.38 million, No. 1 on its first weekend · opens in a new tabHe won it for Harbin. His wife Son Ye-jin also won best actress the same day for No Other Choice, and they were the first married couple to win the lead acting awards in the 46-year history of the Blue Dragon Film Awards.
Source 35 · Dong-A Ilbo (Korean) · Hyun Bin and Son Ye-jin become the first lead-award couple · opens in a new tabSet in the 1970s, he played the Korean Central Intelligence Agency section chief Baek Gi-tae, who has ambitions for wealth and power. He appeared with Jung Woo-sung, Cho Yeo-jeong and Jung Sung-il.
Source 36 · Sports Donga (Korean) · Made in Korea cast confirmed · opens in a new tabSource 37 · Financial News (Korean) · Nine Puzzles, No. 1 on Disney+ in Asia-Pacific · opens in a new tabSource 44 · Hankyoreh (Korean) · Made in Korea: Hyun Bin · opens in a new tabThey gave 200 million won, to be used for treatment costs of pediatric and adolescent patients at Samsung Medical Center and low-income adult patients.
Source 39 · Maeil Business (Korean) · Hyun Bin and Son Ye-jin donate 200 million won again · opens in a new tabHe won it for Made in Korea at the ceremony at COEX in Gangnam District, Seoul.
Source 38 · Yonhap News Agency (Korean) · Baeksang Arts Awards · opens in a new tabEND OF SELECTED RECORDSSelected records, 2003–2026 · not a complete list of work. “Key moment” is an editorial label, not a measure of success.
What did they do, and at what age?
AgeTrail lines up the key moments of a life by age.
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Film & TV · South Korea
Sep 25, 1982 —
Ages are counted from the birth year 1982: the year of the event minus 1982, birthdays aside. “Key moment” labels and the connecting story are AgeTrail's editorial reading.
Fact-checked: 2026.09.22 · An independent archive, not affiliated with the person or their agency.