L (entertainer)

Kim Myung-soo (Korean: 김명수; born March 13, 1992), known professionally as L, is a South Korean singer and actor. He debuted as a vocalist of boy band Infinite in 2010 and its sub-group Infinite F in 2014. He left Woollim Entertainment in August 2019 but is still a member of the group.[1]

In this Korean name, the family name is Kim.
L
L in 2019
Born
Kim Myung-soo

(1992-03-13) March 13, 1992
Seoul, South Korea
Alma materDaekyung University
Occupation
  • Singer
  • actor
Agent
  • Management 2sang
Musical career
Genres
Instruments
  • Vocal
  • Guitar
Years active2010–present
LabelsWoollim
Associated acts
Korean name
Hangul
김명수
Hanja
金明洙
Revised RomanizationGim Myeong-su
McCune–ReischauerKim Myŏng-su

Early life

Kim Myungsoo was born on March 13, 1992,[2] in Seoul, South Korea. He has a brother, Kim Moon-soo, who is two years younger than him. Kim attended Duk-soo High School and graduated from Daekyung University on February 15, 2013, majoring in practical music.[3]

Career

2010–2016: Music and acting career

As a high school student, L auditioned for Woollim Entertainment after being street cast for his good looks. He was selected as the first member of idol group Infinite.[4] He made his debut as a vocalist of the boy group in June 2010.[5] In 2011, he made his acting debut in Japanese drama Jiu Keishicho Tokushuhan Sousagakari, which aired on TV Asahi in July.[6] In 2012, he was cast in tvN's romance comedy series Flower Band, as a guitarist of a rock group.[7] He was also cast in MBC's sitcom What's The Deal, Mom?[8]

On May 15, 2013, L released a photo essay book titled L's Bravo Viewtiful, showing photos taken by him on a 93-day journey. The book was a best-seller, and reached No. 1 in pre-orders on online bookstores such as Yes24 and Kyobo.[9] In August 2013, he had a cameo in SBS's Master's Sun, playing the younger version of So Ji-sub's character.[10]

In 2014, he was cast in supporting roles in MBC's Cunning Single Lady and SBS's My Lovely Girl.[11][12]

With bandmates Sungyeol and Sungjong he comprised the subgroup Infinite F, which released a single album, Koi No Sign, in Japan on November 19, 2014, and a Korean album, Love Sign, in December 2014.[13]

In 2015, he was cast in his first film Mister Shark, about a boy who befriends a shark.[14]

In 2016, L was cast in the Korean-Chinese web drama My Catman.[15] He also starred in the drama special The Day After We Broke Up, which was his first lead role.[16]

2017–present: Rising popularity and military enlistment

In 2017, L starred in MBC's historical drama The Emperor: Owner of the Mask.[17] His portrayal of a commoner who stands in for the king earned viewers' approval, and he was named Actor of the Month in June by MBC Dramanet.[18]

In 2018, L starred in the legal drama Ms. Hammurabi portraying a judge.[19][20] His performance in the series was well-received, earning him increased recognition.[21][22][23]

In 2019, L starred in the fantasy romance drama Angel's Last Mission: Love.[24] In August 2019, L left Woollim.[1]

In 2020, L is set to star in the fantasy romance drama Welcome as a cat who turns into a human male.[25][26] In December 2020, L starred in historical comedy Royal Secret Agent.[27]

On February 22, 2021, L enlisted for his mandatory military service as a member of the Republic of Korea Marine Corps.[28][29] Before his enlistment, he released his debut single album Memory on February 3. He also held an online fan meeting on February 20.[30]

While serving his military enlistment, it was announced on September 25, 2021 that L will make his musical theatre debut in the military musical Meisa's Song alongside EXO's Chanyeol, B.A.P.'s Daehyun and actor Moon Yong-suk.[31]

Discography
For L's works with Infinite & Infinite F, see Infinite discography and Infinite F § Discography.

Single albums
Title Details Peak chart positions Sales
KOR
[32]
Memory 5

Singles
Title Year Peak chart
position		 Sales Album
KOR
[34]
As lead artist
"It's All For You" 2013 — N/A Non-album single
"Reminisce" 2018 — Top Seed
"Memory" (기억과 기억 사이) 2021 —[upper-alpha 1] Memory
Soundtrack appearances
"Love U Like U"
(with Kim Yerim)		 2012 27 Flower Band OST
"It's Okay Even If It's Not Me" (내가 아니어도 좋아) 2017 — N/A The Emperor: Owner of the Mask OST
"The Nights That I Miss You" (널 그리는 밤) 2019 — Angel's Last Mission: Love OST
Compilation
"Go Get Her" (그녀를 잡아요)
(with Park Jae-jung)		 2016 — N/A King of Mask Singer Ep. 63
"In the Rain" (빗속에서) —
"—" denotes releases that did not chart or were not released in that region.

Songwriting and producing credits
Year Album Artist Song Lyrics Music
Credited With Credited With
2013 Non-album single L "It's All For You" Yes — Yes —
2018 Top Seed L "Reminisce" Yes Jeong Min-ji No —

Filmography

Television series
Year Title Role Notes Ref.
2011 Jiu Jiu Japanese drama [6]
Welcome to the Wara Store Himself Voice only [37][38]
2012 Flower Band Lee Hyun-soo [7]
Salamander Guru and The Shadows Himself Cameo, (Episode 3) [39]
What is Mom? Kim Myung-soo [8]
2013 Master's Sun Joo Joong-won (young) [10]
2014 Cunning Single Lady Gil Yo-han [11]
My Lovely Girl Shi-woo [12]
2015 The Time We Were Not in Love Ki Sung-jae Cameo (Episode 2–4) [40]
2016 One More Time Yoo Tan Drama special [16]
2017 The Emperor: Owner of the Mask Lee Sun [17]
2018 Ms. Hammurabi Im Ba-reun [19]
2019 Angel's Last Mission: Love Kim Dan [24]
2020 Welcome Hong-jo [25]
2020–2021 Royal Secret Agent Sung yi-gyeom [41]

Web series
Year Title Platform Role Notes Ref.
2016 My Catman Tencent & MBC Jung Ho-yeon unreleased [15]

Theater
Year English title Korean title Role Notes Ref.
2021 The Meisa’s Song 메이사의 노래 Yeon Jun-seok Military musical [42][43]

Publication

Photobook
Year Title Publisher Ref.
2013 L's Bravo Viewtiful Tokyo [9]
L's Bravo Viewtiful Part. 2 Tokyo

Awards and nominations
Name of the award ceremony, year presented, category, nominee of the award, and the result of the nomination
Award ceremony Year Category Nominee / Work Result Ref.
APAN Star Awards 2018 Best New Actor Ms. Hammurabi Nominated [44]
Asia Artist Awards 2018 Best Icon L Won [45]
Asia Model Award 2019 Popular Star (Actor) Angel's Last Mission: Love Won [46]
KBS Drama Awards 2019 Excellence Award, Actor in a Miniseries Nominated [47]
Best New Actor Won
Netizen Award, actor Nominated
K-Drama Hallyu Star Won
Best Couple Award Kim Myung-soo with Shin Hye-sun
Angel's Last Mission: Love		 Won
2020 Excellence Award, Actor in a Miniseries Welcome Nominated
2021 Top Excellence Award, Actor Royal Secret Agent Nominated [48]
Excellence Award, Actor in a Miniseries Nominated [49]
Korea Drama Awards 2013 Best Young Actor Master's Sun Nominated
2017 Best New Actor The Emperor: Owner of the Mask Nominated
2019 Angel's Last Mission: Love Nominated [50]
Korea First Brand Awards 2017 Male Acting Idol L Nominated
MBC Drama Awards 2017 Excellence Award, Actor in a Miniseries The Emperor: Owner of the Mask Nominated
Best New Actor Nominated
Popularity Award, actor Won [51]
Best Character Award, Fighting Spirit Acting Won
Seoul International Drama Awards 2021 Outstanding Korean Actor Royal Secret Agent Nominated [52][53]
Seoul Webfest Awards 2017 Best Rising Star My Catman Nominated
Special Award Won [54]
Soompi Awards 2018 Best Idol Actor The Emperor: Owner of the Mask Nominated [55]
The Seoul Awards 2017 Popularity Award, actor Nominated

Notes
  1. "Memory" did not enter Gaon Digital Chart, but debuted and peaked at number 62 on Gaon Download Chart.[35]

References
  1. "울림 측 "엘, 전속계약 종료‥인피니트 해체 NO"(공식입장 전문)". MBN (in Korean). August 19, 2019.
  2. Mark Russell (April 29, 2014). K-Pop Now!: The Korean Music Revolution. Tuttle Publishing. p. 63. ISBN 978-1-4629-1411-1.
  3. "5 Infinite Members to Graduate from University Together". enewsWorld. February 15, 2013.
  4. Park, Se-yeon (May 2, 2010). 신예 인피니트 엘(L), 김범 닮은꼴 '눈길'. Newsen (in Korean). Retrieved February 23, 2021.
  5. 포토엔,인피니트,긴장되는 첫 무대~ (in Korean). Newsen. June 9, 2010. Retrieved March 15, 2010.
  6. "인피니트 엘, 일드 시청률 1위 日 시끌". The Chosun Ilbo (in Korean). August 9, 2011.
  7. Lee, Nancy (January 6, 2012). "Infinite's L Rocks Out in Flower Boy Band Still Cuts". enewsWorld. CJ E&M. Archived from the original on July 3, 2013. Retrieved May 30, 2013.
  8. "INFINITE's L may land a role in MBC sitcom". TenAsia. September 3, 2012.
  9. "인피니트 엘 포토에세이, 하루만에 베스트셀러 등극". Star Daily (in Korean). May 16, 2013.
  10. Lee, Eun-ah (July 17, 2013). "INFINITE's L to Make Cameo Appearance in So Ji-sub Drama". TenAsia. Archived from the original on March 28, 2014.
  11. Jeong, Jee-won (January 20, 2014). "Infinite's L Cast in Cunning Single Lady with Lee Min Jung and Joo Sang Wook". enewsWorld. Archived from the original on January 22, 2014. Retrieved February 21, 2014.
  12. "'My Lovely Girl' blends K-pop eye-candy and romance". Kpop Herald. September 15, 2014.
  13. "Infinite F unveils first Korean EP 'Love's Sign'". Kpop Herald. December 15, 2014.
  14. "Infinite L to make silver screen debut". Kpop Herald. August 18, 2015.
  15. "'마이캣맨' 임시완X엘, 채수빈 놓고 아슬아슬 삼각로맨스 '포착'". Xports News (in Korean). September 24, 2016.
  16. "인피니트 측 "엘, 단막극으로 연기돌 도전…연기연습 중"". Osen (in Korean). October 10, 2016.
  17. "Infinite's L to star in drama as Yoo Seung-ho's double". Kpop Herald. November 24, 2016.
  18. "Korean actor Kim Myung Soo has crushes on anime characters with long, wavy hair". The Straits Times. September 28, 2017.
  19. "'Miss Hammurabi' to search for warmhearted justice". Kpop Herald. May 21, 2018.
  20. "JTBC '미스 함무라비' 고아라X김명수X성동일 캐스팅 확정". JTBC (in Korean). January 15, 2018.
  21. "Kim Myung-soo receives praise for role in 'Miss Hammurabi'". Kpop Herald. July 19, 2018.
  22. "A career shift: From Infinite to beyond : After first lead role in a drama, Kim Myung-soo is ready to take on more". Korea JoongAng Daily. July 23, 2018.
  23. "[Interview] "Miss Hamurabi's" Kim Myung-soo (L) Talks about His Future as an Actor and Solo Music". Mwave. July 18, 2018.
  24. "김명수, '단, 하나의 사랑' 출연 확정…천사 된다 [공식]". TV Report (in Korean). December 17, 2018.
  25. "L Confirms Role in KBS's "Welcome"". Hancinema. August 26, 2019.
  26. "Kim Myung Soo and Shin Ye Eun talk about their co-stars in Welcome". JTBC Plus. March 25, 2020.
  27. "Kim Myung Soo, Kwon Nara, Lee Tae Hwan, and Lee Yi Kyung Will Star in New Drama 'Royal Secret Inspector'". ZAPZEE. September 10, 2020. Retrieved February 3, 2021.
  28. "[단독]김명수, 해병대 합격…내년 2월말 입소". Sports Seoul (in Korean). December 28, 2020.
  29. "[단독]김명수, 2월 22일 해병대 입대..'진짜 사나이' 된다". Spotv News (in Korean). January 22, 2021.
  30. "김명수, 2월 '해병대 입대' 전 온라인 팬미팅 연다 [단독]". Osen (in Korean). January 21, 2021.
  31. Park, So-young (September 25, 2021). "인피니트 엘, 해병대 가더니 상남자 됐네..엑소 찬열과 뮤지컬 출격 [공식]". OSEN (in Korean). Retrieved October 19, 2021.
  32. "Gaon Album Chart" (in Korean). Korea Music Content Industry Association.
    • "Memory". January 31 – February 6, 2021. Retrieved April 29, 2021.
  33. "2021년 02월 Album Chart". Gaon (in Korean). Retrieved April 29, 2021.
  34. Charted songs:
  35. "Memory". January 31 – February 6, 2021.
  36. "Gaon Download Chart – March, 2012". n.d. Retrieved April 14, 2017.
  37. "인피니트 엘, '와라! 편의점' 애니 캐릭터로 더빙도전". Ilgan Sports (in Korean). January 14, 2012.
  38. Lee, Nancy (n.d.). "Infinite Members Become Voice Actors for 'Wara! Store' Cartoon". enewsWorld. Archived from the original on December 15, 2015. Retrieved May 31, 2015.
  39. "용준형 도롱뇽도사 카메오, 인피니트 엘+민호와 '꽃도둑 3인방'". The Star (in Korean). February 8, 2012.
  40. "Infinite's L talks about his role in weekend drama". Kpop Herald. July 6, 2015.
  41. "김명수, '암행어사' 출연확정…현대판 킹스맨 암행어사". mk.co.kr (in Korean). Retrieved September 10, 2020.
  42. Mang Soo-yeol (September 22, 2021). "육군 창작뮤지컬 '메이사의 노래'...다음달 15일부터 스트리밍 공개" [Army's creative musical 'Meisa's Song'... Streaming from the 15th of next month]. Defense Ilbo (in Korean). Retrieved September 22, 2021.
  43. Kang Min-kyung (September 23, 2021). "엑소 찬열·김명수, 軍 뮤지컬 '메이사의 노래'로 첫 도전 [공식]" [EXO Chanyeol and Kim Myung-soo, first challenge with military musical 'Meisa's Song' [Official]]. Star News (in Korean). Retrieved September 23, 2021 – via Naver.
  44. "이병헌·손예진·아이유 APAN스타어워즈 노미네이트". Star News (in Korean). September 27, 2018.
  45. "BTS win the Daesang at Asia Artist Awards 2018 – and are among Artists of the Year". Metro. November 28, 2018.
  46. "INFINITE's L, Lai Kuanlin, Stray Kids, Lovelyz, And More Win at 2019 Asia Model Awards". Soompi. June 9, 2019.
  47. "Winners of the 2019 KBS Drama Awards". HanCinema. December 31, 2019. Archived from the original on April 6, 2020. Retrieved December 31, 2019.
  48. Jung Ji-hyun (January 1, 2022). "차태현·이도현·김소현·박은빈, 최우수상 수상 [2021 KBS 연기대상]" [Cha Tae-hyun, Lee Do-hyun, Kim So-hyun, Park Eun-bin, Grand Prize Winner [2021 KBS Drama Awards]] (in Korean). My Daily. Retrieved January 1, 2022 – via Naver.
  49. Lee Chang-gyu (January 1, 2022). "1980년 5월을 빛내주신 분들께"…김민재·정용화·권나라·고민시, 미니시리즈 우수상 [KBS 연기대상]" ["To the people who made May 1980 shine"... Min-jae Kim, Yong-hwa Jung, Nara Kwon, Min-si Ko, Miniseries Excellence Award [KBS Acting Awards]] (in Korean). EXportsnews. Retrieved December 31, 2021 – via Naver.
  50. "'2019코리아드라마어워즈(KDA)' 연기대상 후보..김해숙·최수종·염정아·조정석 등". Sedaily (in Korean). September 27, 2019.
  51. "Winners of the 2017 MBC Drama Awards". Hancinema. December 30, 2017.
  52. Lee Han-lim (August 20, 2021). "서울드라마어워즈 2021', 한류드라마상 온라인 투표 진행" [Seoul Drama Awards 2021', online voting for Hallyu Drama Awards]. TheFact (in Korean). Naver. Retrieved August 20, 2021.
  53. "Excellent Actor Prize". Twitter (in Korean). August 20, 2021. Retrieved August 20, 2021.
  54. "'서울웹페스트 2017' 수상 후보 발표.. 30개국 124개 작품 경합". TenAsia (in Korean). July 7, 2017.
  55. "13th Annual Soompi Awards: The Winners". Soompi. April 16, 2018. Retrieved November 10, 2019.
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