He is an actor who first made a name for himself as a model, then expanded his scope into acting, widening his range from fresh youth dramas to chilling action. He started with a tall stature and a kind impression, but through repeated works, he has solidified his position as an actor who portrays the inner lives of characters, and he foreshadows another transformation with Donggung in 2026.
| Category | Content |
|---|---|
| Born | 1994년 2월 22일 |
| Debut | 2013 Model · 2014 Acting |
| Occupation | Actor · Model |
| Representative Works | Weightlifting Fairy Kim Bok-joo, Start-Up, The Light in Your Eyes, Donggung |
He began his acting career with KBS 'Who Are You: School 2015' (2015) after working as a fashion model. Subsequently, he gained widespread popularity through tvN 'Three Meals a Day' and MBC 'Weightlifting Fairy Kim Bok-joo' (2016), quickly emerging as the face representing the excitement of youth. His visual appeal, befitting a former model, and naturalistic acting were strengths from the beginning.
He garnered broad sympathy by portraying the growth and love of youth as Nam Do-san in tvN 'Start-Up' (2020), and swept various film festival newcomer awards for the film 'The Great Battle'. Most notably, he took a step forward as 'Actor Nam Joo-hyuk' by showcasing profound acting in JTBC 'The Light in Your Eyes' (2019). This work is also a representative work of writer Lee Nam-gyu, who wrote True Education.
He broadened his spectrum, moving between romance, fantasy, and comedy, in works like 'The School Nurse Files' on Netflix, where he played Hong In-pyo, and '18 Again'. He has consistently challenged himself with new types of characters, not staying confined to a stable youth drama image.
In Donggung, he plays Gucheon, a 'ghost slayer' who traverses between the real world and the world of ghosts (鬼), directly cutting down ghosts with his sword. With arrogant charisma and intense action, this is considered his biggest transformation, shedding the youthful image he had built up until now.
Other main cast members of Donggung include Roh Yoon-seo and Cho Seung-woo, and the direction/screenplay is by Choi Jeong-gyu and Kwon So-ra · Seo Jae-won. More works continue under Drama.
Recommended Search Keywords for Foreigners: Nam Joo-hyuk, Nam Joo-hyuk Donggung, Start-Up Nam Do-san, Nam Joo-hyuk drama, 남주혁 동궁