Kim began his modeling career as a runway model and made his acting debut playing supporting roles in Korean dramas including A Gentleman’s Dignity (2012). In 2013, he came to prominence as one of the main cast in the highly popular Korean dramas School 2013 and The Heirs. His roles in both films garnered him award nominations including Best New Actor in Television by the Baeksang Arts Awards. Kim later starred as the male lead in the box office hits film Friend: The Great Legacy (2013), The Con Artists (2014), and Twenty (2015).