Namgoong Min: Age, Height, Wiki, Bio, Net Worth, and Wife

Namgoong Min (남궁민, born March 12, 1978) is a South Korean actor, director, and screenwriter — and the only performer in Korean television history to win three consecutive Daesang (Grand Prize) awards across three different major networks in four years. He stands 179 cm tall, weighs 70 kg, and is represented by 935 Entertainment. He married actress Jin Ah-reum on October 7, 2022. As of 2026, he is returning to KBS for the first time in nearly seven years with the crime-thriller romance The Completion of Marriage.

Quick Facts

Early Life & Education

Namgoong Min was born on March 12, 1978, in Seoul. He has a brother, Namgoong Yoon. His father, Namgoong Hwon, was a principal of Sinneung Middle School.

Namgoong was educated at Daeseong High School in Eunpyeong-gu, Seoul, and Ilsan Seongsa Elementary School. He graduated from Chung-Ang University with a bachelor's degree in Mechanical Engineering.

What makes this extraordinary: he is one of very few elite Korean actors with zero formal drama training. He studied mechanical engineering — and that analytical precision shapes how he dissects every role.

After graduation on August 31, 2006, he worked as a Social Service Agent for 18 months at Korea Army Training Center in Nonsan.

Career Milestones

Early roles in dramas like Rose Fence (2003) and My Rosy Life (2005) earned him the nickname "Little Bae Yong Joon" for his resemblance to the senior actor. His breakthrough came with the 2006 neo-noir film A Dirty Carnival, followed by widespread recognition for his role in the 2011 melodrama Listen to My Heart. After a two-year break due to his decision to accept only lead roles, he returned with a villainous performance as a serial killer in A Girl Who Sees Smells (2015).

He won the Grand Prize (Daesang) at the 2020 SBS Drama Awards for Hot Stove League. The next year, he received the Grand Prize at the 2021 MBC Drama Awards for The Veil. In 2023, he again received the Grand Prize at the 2023 MBC Drama Awards for My Dearest.

Most Iconic Roles:

Wife: Jin Ah-reum

Namkoong has been in a relationship with model Jin Ah-reum since late 2015, who he met while filming movie Light My Fire as a director and actress. They married in a private ceremony on October 7, 2022, at Hotel Shilla in Seoul. The ceremony was attended by the couple's closest family and friends, including actors Jung Moon-sung as host, and TVXQ performed the congratulatory song.

The couple has no publicly known children and maintains a relatively private life despite their celebrity status.

Net Worth 2026: ~$5 Million USD

Namgoong Min has an estimated net worth of $5 million USD. His wealth is primarily derived from his acting roles in high-rating dramas and films, directing and screenwriting projects, and brand endorsements through his social media presence, with over 1.6 million Instagram followers.

Income breakdown:

• Acting fees & royalties — top-bracket drama episode rates (~60% of total)
• NKM Film — production company revenue from independent projects (~15%)
• Brand endorsements — including WELLMADE fashion (signed Feb 2023) (~25%)

KBS recently unveiled its upcoming slate through a teaser video, drawing particular attention to the new weekend miniseries The Completion of Marriage (working English title). The drama is scheduled to air on KBS 2TV every Saturday and Sunday at 9:20 PM. It centers on a man forced into a brutal confrontation with criminals to rescue his wife, who is abducted on the brink of divorce. Nam Goong Min takes on the lead role of Kang Tae Joo, a hospital director and former neurosurgeon.

Nam Goong Min's decision to share a photo of the episode one script cover on his personal social media further fuelled anticipation surrounding the production.

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References

1. Wikipedia — Namkoong Min (Jan 2026)
2. MyDramaList — Namkoong Min profile
3. AllKPop — Nam Goong Min returns to KBS 2026
4. Soompi — The Completion of Marriage casting
5. TheCityCeleb — Namkoong Min biography
6. DramaForLife Wiki — stats & awards
7. AsianWiki — Namkoong Min
8. IMDB — Namgoong Min