[4][5] After failing the exam to get into the theater department, Kim majored in German at the Hankuk University of Foreign Studies.

[5] He also has a master's degree in Cultural Contents Planning from Kyung Hee University's Graduate School of Journalism and Communication.

[13][14] Kim's first post-army acting project was horror film Two Moons (also known as The Sleepless), released in July.

[24][25] Kim then starred in the hit romantic comedy drama, Another Oh Hae-young (2016), garnering praise from viewers for his comic acting.

[26][27] This was followed by acclaimed historical drama The Rebel, which gained him recognition by critics for his outstanding portrayal of King Lee Yong.