Biography
Who is Namkoong Min?
Early life and education
Namkoong Min was born on March 12, 1978, in Goyang, South Korea. He attended Daesung Middle School and later Daeseong High School in Eunpyeong-gu, Seoul. He also attended Ilsan Seongsa Elementary School during his childhood.
He pursued higher education at Chung-Ang University, where he earned a bachelor's degree in Mechanical Engineering. After graduating on August 31, 2006, he fulfilled his mandatory military service obligation. He worked as a Social Service Agent for a period of 18 months at the Korea Army Training Center located in Nonsan.
Acting career beginnings
Namkoong made his acting debut in the film Bungee Jumping of Their Own, where he portrayed the best friend of the protagonist. He also appeared in the movie Bad Guy as the boyfriend of the main female character. His early television work included the 2002 sitcom Dae Bak Family, which helped him gain initial attention.
Throughout the early 2000s, he appeared in several television series and dramas, including Rose Fence, Pearl Necklace, Mould Flower, and After Love. During this period, some observers nicknamed him little Bae Yong-joon due to his physical resemblance to that actor. His participation in the 2004 KBS daily drama My Lovely Family helped increase his public profile, as the show achieved ratings exceeding 30 percent.
Rise to prominence and awards
In 2006, he gained critical notice for his performance in the neo-noir film A Dirty Carnival. He later appeared in the melodrama Listen to My Heart in 2011. He earned particular recognition for playing a villainous serial killer in the 2015 series A Girl Who Sees Smells, which resulted in him winning the Best Villain Award at the 2016 DramaFever Awards. He continued to build his career with roles in the legal thriller Remember: War of the Son and the romantic comedy Beautiful Gong Shim.
His career reached a new height with the 2017 comedy drama Good Manager, where he played the lead role. Later, he starred in the sports drama Hot Stove League, which aired from 2019 to 2020. This series won Best Drama at the 56th Baeksang Arts Awards, and Namkoong won the Grand Prize at the 2020 SBS Drama Awards for his performance. He also won the Grand Prize at the 2021 MBC Drama Awards for his role in The Veil, and again in 2023 for his performance in My Dearest.
Personal life
Namkoong began a relationship with model Jin Ah-reum in 2015. The two met while he was directing the film Light My Fire. They held a private wedding ceremony on October 7, 2022, at the Hotel Shilla in Seoul. The event included guests such as actor Jung Moon-sung, who served as the host, and a musical performance by the group TVXQ.
In June 2026, his wife announced that she was expecting their first child. The couple welcomed a son on July 26, 2026.
Birthday and age
Namkoong Min was born on March 12, 1978, which makes Namkoong 48 years old today. That birthday falls under the Pisces sign. Namkoong shares the date with 33 other famous people.
Explore more
