Kim began his acting career two years prior, appearing on the television series Green Coach.

A friend uploaded Kim's photos onto an ulzzang website, which resulted in him being offered to become a trainee under JYP Entertainment.

Kim accepted the proposal and, attributing to other circumstances at the time, stopped playing soccer.

[3] While under the company, Kim wanted to become an actor and he enrolled at Seoul Institute of the Arts with a major in theater and film.

[4] Prior to his debut as a recording artist, Kim appeared on Seoul Broadcasting System's (SBS) 2009 television series Green Coach.

[13] He went on to compete on the survival competition program The Unit: Idol Rebooting Project along with bandmates Jun.Q, Chaejin, and Gunwoo.