Daniel Dae Kim

thumb|250px|right|Daniel Dae Kim in 2006 Daniel Dae Kim (born Kim Dae-hyun, August 4, 1968) is an American actor, voice actor, and producer. He is known for his roles as Jin-Soo Kwon in Lost, Chin Ho Kelly in Hawaii Five-0, Gavin Park in Angel, and Johnny Gat in the Saints Row series of video games. Quotes There is as much wisdom in listening as there is in speaking - and that goes for all relationships, not just romantic ones. "Our Latest TV Crush Object? Daniel Dae Kim" in Redbook (12 October 2010) It takes facing obstacles to grow strong enough to overcome them. "How Daniel Dae Kim became a leading voice for diversity in Hollywood" in The Morning Call (24 September 2018) As someone of Korean descent, I am certain my road was a bit hard. I have to say anyone who's an aspiring actor has a difficult road regardless of race. "How Daniel Dae Kim became a leading voice for diversity in Hollywood" in The Morning Call (24 September 2018) It's one thing to talk about lack of diversity and lack of representation. But that doesn't matter if you're not good at what you're supposed to be doing. "Is There Anything 'Insurgent' Star Daniel Dae Kim Can't Do?" in NBC Asian America (24 March 2015) But there’s no doubt it stung when I felt like the people I was trying to respect and please the most were the ones who were critical of me. It was painful because, as my career since then has borne out, I take a great deal of pride in being Korean American. I know that not every representation is 100 percent something we can stand behind all the time, but I choose to look at things as whether they’re moving the needle of progress on a larger scale. "Daniel Dae Kim Spoke Up to ‘Lost’ Creators Over Pilot’s Asian Stereotypes: ‘It Was a Land Mine’" in Indie Wire (12 April 2021) I think any time you have an ensemble of actors, everyone’s objectives are unique and individual. So it’s hard for me to collectively say whether they were allies in this…. I do know that the way things got spun by the end changed my relationships with them. "Daniel Dae Kim Spoke Up to ‘Lost’ Creators Over Pilot’s Asian Stereotypes: ‘It Was a Land Mine’" in Indie Wire (12 April 2021) 240px|right|thumb|That whole "sexiest man" thing, I never took seriously. I know every guy says that, but I couldn't allow myself to see me that way. The way I was brought up, in an area without many Asian people, the last thing I could ever think of myself as was sexy or good-looking. So I take all of these compliments also with a grain of salt—if I have to have my own belief in myself if people are telling me I'm ugly and unattractive, then I also have to remember that what people are saying about me now shouldn't affect how I feel about myself. Alone we are much weaker than if we are allied with others who care, not just about Asian Americans, but about the issue of hate and discrimination and bigotry in general. Now I wouldn’t deign to try and compare the Asian American experience to any other minorities’ experience in America, because each one is unique in their own ways. But what we do have in common is that we have all experienced bigotry. We have all experienced prejudice. What’s most important to understand is that this is a human issue. This is not just an Asian American one. "'This Is A Human Issue.' Daniel Dae Kim on Coming Together to Combat Bigotry" in Time (19 March 2021) The fact that you have representation on TV means that you can have an understanding of someone who doesn’t necessarily look like you and that understanding can bring acceptance and empathy. And so that’s why it’s important to have a positive but fully fleshed out portrayals of Asian Americans in the media. "'This Is A Human Issue.' Daniel Dae Kim on Coming Together to Combat Bigotry" in Time (19 March 2021) I think there are pluses and minuses to the emergence of Asian cinema in America. It's about time that a lot of these films got recognized because there are very talented people behind them - the directors, actors, writers. I don't think it is a coincidence that a lot of stories from Asia are being remade by American studios. They are really interesting stories and deserve to be shown here. "Daniel Dae Kim Gets Lost" in Asia Society Be proud to be Asian. Be proud to be American. You've earned the right to be both and we can all work together to be a united America. That's the hope. That's the dream. ""We're looking for help": Daniel Wu and Daniel Dae Kim on the fight against anti-Asian American violence" in CBS News (9 February 2021) You know, someone once said that we have, you know, a privilege card, because we are not necessarily African American or Latinx. And part of that privilege card has been perpetuated this idea, the model minority myth. But what we've been finding is that in times of stress that privilege card gets taken away very quickly and then we're reduced to someone--to a group of people who is considered other and not American. "Transcript: Race in America: Rise in Anti-Asian Violence with Actors Daniel Dae Kim and Daniel Wu" in The Washington Post (4 March 2021) External links Category:Daniel Dae Kim Category:1968 births Category:Living people Category:Actors from the United States Category:Producers from the United States Category:Korean Americans Category:Immigrants to the United States Category:New York University alumni