Yim Si-Wan: Biography, Career, and Filmography

Yim Si-Wan (Hangul: 임시완), also known mononymously as Siwan, is a prominent South Korean singer and actor. Born as Im Woong-Jae on December 1, 1988, in Busan, South Korea, he later legally changed his name to Yim Si-Wan. He initially rose to fame as a member of the South Korean boy band ZE:A before establishing a successful transition into television and film acting.

Yim Si-Wan portrait photo — Yim Si-Wan during his entertainment career.

Military Service

In accordance with South Korean mandatory military service requirements, Yim enlisted on July 11, 2017. He completed his service and was officially discharged on March 27, 2019.

Acting Career

Yim transitioned smoothly from idol singer to acclaimed actor, earning critical praise for both television series and feature films. His breakthrough television role came in the 2014 hit series Misaeng: Incomplete Life, where he portrayed Jang Geu-Rae, earning multiple accolades including Best New Actor at the 51st BaekSang Arts Awards. Over the subsequent years, he took on diverse roles in television dramas such as Strangers From Hell, Run On, Tracer, and the acclaimed 2023 comedy-drama Boyhood, for which he won Best Actor at the 3rd Blue Dragon Series Awards.

In film, Yim has appeared in notable works including The Attorney (2013), A Melody To Remember (2016), The Merciless (2017), the disaster thriller Emergency Declaration (2022), and the historical sports drama Road to Boston (2023). He also expanded his international profile by joining the cast of the Netflix series Squid Game.

Selected Filmography

Movies

Ronin Pop (2011) - Lee
The Attorney (2013) - Park Jin-Woo
A Melody To Remember (2016) - Second Lieutenant Han Sang-Yeol
One-Line (2017) - Min-Jae
The Merciless (2017) - Jo Hyun-Soo
Emergency Declaration (2022) - Jin-Seok
Road to Boston (2023) - Suh Yun-Bok
Unlocked (2023) - Oh Jun-Yeong
Mantis (2025) - Lee Han-Ul (Mantis)

Television Series

The Moon Embracing The Sun (2012) - Heo Yeom (teen)
Misaeng: Incomplete Life (2014) - Jang Geu-Rae
The King in Love (2017) - Wang Won
Strangers From Hell (2019) - Yoon Jong-Woo
Run On (2020) - Ki Seon-Gyeom
Tracer (2022) - Hwang Dong-Ju
Boyhood (2023) - Jang Byeong-Tae
Squid Game Season 2 & 3 (2024-2025) - Lee Myung-Gi (333)