Jung Da-hyun is a reporter at The Korea Times, covering social issues in Korea, including foreign residents, education, environment and politics. Driven by a deep interest in people’s stories, she focuses on investigative and feature reporting through direct interviews and field coverage. She received the Amnesty International Korea Media Award for her “Deepfake Crisis at Schools” series. Reach her at dahyun08@koreatimes.co.kr. Always open to hearing your stories.
Actor Daniel Dae Kim named honorary Seoul citizen
Daniel Dae Kim, left, an actor, producer and activist, and Seoul Mayor Oh Se-hoon pose after the Seoul honorary citizenship award ceremony at City Hall, Wednesday. Courtesy of Seoul Metropolitan Government
By Jung Da-hyun
Daniel Dae Kim, an actor, producer and activist, has been named an honorary citizen of Seoul, the Seoul Metropolitan Government said Wednesday.
Kim is widely recognized for his television roles on ABC's "Lost" and CBS's "Hawaii Five-O." He served as the executive producer of ABC's "The Good Doctor," an American remake of the Korean series of the same title.
He has been filming in Seoul since February, working on a new drama series, "Butterfly," as the lead actor and executive producer, which will be released on Amazon Prime Video. Production will continue in and around Seoul, as well as Andong in North Gyeongsang Province and Busan, until June.
"Butterfly," a spy thriller series, will be filmed in Seoul for over four months, marking the longest production period ever recorded by an international production in the city. The team plans to hire 200 local crew members throughout its filming.
Filming the series in Seoul was made possible by Kim's deep affection and respect for the city and the Seoul Location Support program, which facilitates filming in the city.
Seoul Mayor Oh Se-hoon initiated the program in 2007, aiming to attract international film productions to the city. The city aims to invite internationally renowned producers and showcase various filming spots and infrastructure that Seoul has.
The city anticipates that the series, stemming from Kim's respect and love for Korea, will generate promotional benefits by showcasing the city's beauty to a global audience.
"Though I am a proud American citizen, I'm also immensely proud of my Korean heritage," Kim said.
"Receiving this honorary citizenship brings together both my past and present and has made me feel as welcome in Korea as I do in the United States."
By granting Kim honorary citizenship, the city government aims to cultivate a more favorable atmosphere among international film producers and further promote the Seoul Location Support program to attract a diverse range of Hollywood blockbusters filming in the city.
"I anticipate 'Butterfly' will serve a role to present the city's beauty to a global audience and spark further creative productions, thereby becoming a stepping stone for Seoul to become the hub of creative industries," Oh said.