Kim Bum

Kim Bum is a South Korean actor and singer. He first gained widespread recognition for his role as So Yi-jung, a member of the F4 in the hit drama Boys Over Flowers (2009). That part turned him into a household name in Korea and across Asia. Over the years, he has built a career across more than a dozen television series and several films, consistently choosing roles that showcase his range.

After Boys Over Flowers, Kim Bum took on a mix of projects, from the romantic comedy Padam Padam to the historical drama Goddess of Fire. But his career saw a major resurgence with Tale of the Nine Tailed (2020), where he played Lee Rang, a half-blood gumiho with a tragic edge. The performance earned him critical praise and a dedicated fanbase. He followed that with Law School (2021), playing Han Joon-hwi, a genius law student with a hidden past. Kim reprised his role as Lee Rang in the prequel series Tale of the Nine Tailed 1938 (2023). With a filmography spanning over 15 TV shows and 5 films, Kim Bum continues to be a versatile presence in Korean entertainment.[edit]

Kim Bum grew up in Seoul's Gangnam District as a shy, introverted child. His parents encouraged him to take acting classes to help him open up. He attended Joongdong High School, where he was a competitive swimmer. In high school, he was scouted on the street by an agency and began modeling for teen magazines.

His first acting role was a minor part in the 2006 drama Surprise. He then landed a small role in the 2008 film Gosa (also known as Death Bell). The pivotal moment came when he auditioned for and won the role of So Yi-jung in Boys Over Flowers. He was 19 years old and still a high school student when he filmed the drama.[edit]

Kim Bum's breakthrough came in 2009 with Boys Over Flowers, which achieved peak ratings of 35.5%. He also released a song for the soundtrack, Say Yes. The same year, he starred in the film Flight: Shuttle to the Sun. In 2010, he played the lead role of Seo In-dong in the sitcom High Kick Through the Roof.

He continued to take on diverse roles: the melodrama Padam Padam (2011) alongside Jung Woo-sung, the historical drama Goddess of Fire (2012), and a supporting role in That Winter, the Wind Blows (2013). After military service from 2017 to 2018, he returned in The Great Seducer (2018). His career resurgence came with Tale of the Nine Tailed (2020), where his portrayal of Lee Rang earned critical acclaim. He followed with Law School (2021) and reprised his role in Tale of the Nine Tailed 1938 (2023). In 2025, he was announced to star in the historical romance The Scandal of Chunhwa.[edit]

Kim Bum started with a pretty boy image early in his career but has transitioned to a more mature, cool aesthetic. He often wears tailored suits and minimalist fashion. The media praises him as a versatile actor who successfully moved from teen idol to respected dramatic actor, especially noting his emotional range in Tale of the Nine Tailed. His official fandom name is Bing, meaning ice in Korean, a play on his name Bum. Fans send coffee trucks to his drama sets and organize streaming parties. On social media, he is relatively quiet and reserved, posting mostly professional photos and behind-the-scenes shots, rarely sharing personal details.[edit]

Kim Bum stands as a defining figure of the Korean Wave, anchoring his legacy in the 2009 phenomenon that was Boys Over Flowers. His cultural footprint remains massive decades later, evidenced by his standing in the iFANN Global Fame Rankings. He is currently ranked as the 95th most famous person from South Korea, a position holding steady through recent cycles. Within the specific ecosystem of television drama, his influence is even more pronounced; he holds the title of the 42nd most famous person in K-Drama. These placements reflect a career spanning over a dozen series and films, where his transition from teen idol to serious dramatic actor has been tracked across global media coverage, search trends, and consumption patterns worldwide. While many stars rely on rigid fan club structures, Kim Bum operates with a distinct organic following. There is no official or widely recognized formal fandom name for his supporters. Instead, fans simply identify as followers who actively engage with his work on social platforms like Instagram, where he commands seven million accounts. This decentralized community drives consistent high viewership for his projects, from the supernatural hit Tale of the Nine Tailed to his 2026 return in Sold Out on You. Unlike organized idol groups, his fanbase manifests through spontaneous support rather than structured campaigns, creating a loyal audience that follows his career moves without a specific moniker to bind them together.[edit]

Before stepping onto acting sets, Kim Bum was a competitive swimmer during his middle school years. He shares a deep history with fellow actor Lee Min-ho; the two are childhood friends who attended the same high school and debuted around the same time. An avid gamer, he frequently plays League of Legends in his downtime. His professional stage name is actually a simplified version of his birth name, Sang-bum, chosen by his agency because they believed 'Bum' would be easier for international fans to remember. He fulfilled his mandatory military service as a public service worker due to a shoulder injury sustained prior to enlistment. The most enduring legend surrounding him involves his portrayal of So Yi Jung in the 2009 mega-hit Boys Over Flowers. This role cemented his status as a global icon and created a cultural archetype for the cold CEO character that persists in K-drama history today. More recently, his performance in the 2022 series Ghost Doctor sparked viral moments online, with clips garnering tens of thousands of reactions within months. In 2026, his appearance at a Beauty Summit in Hanoi further solidified his reputation as a representative of South Korean beauty standards on the global stage.[edit]

Kim Bum has an older sister. His parents encouraged his acting career to help him build confidence. He is not publicly known to have any children. As of 2026, he remains unmarried and lives a private life, focusing on his career.[edit]

Kim Bum is close friends with Lee Min-ho, his co-star in Boys Over Flowers. He has worked with Jo In-sung in That Winter, the Wind Blows, Lee Dong-wook in the Tale of the Nine Tailed series, and Ryu Hye-young in Law School. He also starred alongside Jung Woo-sung in Padam Padam.[edit]

Kim Bum has had two public relationships. In 2013, he dated actress Moon Geun-young after they co-starred in That Winter, the Wind Blows. They confirmed their relationship in late 2013 but split in mid-2014 due to busy schedules. In 2016, he was reported to be dating actress Oh Yeon-seo, his co-star in Mrs. Cop 2. Their agencies initially denied it, but Dispatch confirmed the relationship. They broke up in early 2017, and he enlisted in the military later that year. As of 2026, Kim Bum is single and has not been publicly linked to anyone since.[edit]

Per iFANN's editorial analysis, Kim Bum's net worth is estimated at $4 Million as of 2026. His primary income stream consists of acting per-episode fees, which for a lead role in a Korean drama can range from $15,000 to $30,000 per episode. Additional revenue flows from brand endorsements covering clothing, skincare, and electronics sectors. Fan meetings held across Asia and royalties generated from his OST song Say Yes contribute further to his earnings. He has no publicly known major business ventures or real estate holdings.[edit]

Kim Bum won Best New Actor at the Baeksang Arts Awards in 2009 for Boys Over Flowers, along with the Popularity Award. He also won Best New Actor at the KBS Drama Awards and MBC Entertainment Awards. In 2020, he won the Excellence Award for Tale of the Nine Tailed at the KBS Drama Awards, and in 2021, he won Best Supporting Actor for Law School.[edit]