Actor Daniel Dae Kim, known for his role in 'Lost', assumes the character of a covert agent who orchestrated his own demise in the series 'Butterfly'
In the new Prime Video series Butterfly, actor Daniel Dae Kim portrays David Jung, a former U.S. spy who faked his death to protect his daughter. The series, which premiered in August 2025, offers a unique blend of family drama and espionage thriller, set against the backdrop of South Korea.
David's daughter, Rebecca, is an assassin for a sinister spy organization called Caddis. As the story unfolds, David comes out of hiding to save her, leading to a complex father-daughter relationship and a series of tense encounters. The series delves into themes of family bonds, fractured loyalties, betrayal, moral ambiguity, identity, and reconciliation.
Throughout his career, Kim has been an advocate for better representation of Asian actors in Hollywood. He has acted in and produced shows like "Hawaii Five-0," "The Good Doctor," and "Avatar: The Last Airbender." In an interview produced and edited for broadcast by Heidi Saman and Anna Bauman, and adapted for the web by Bridget Bentz, Molly Seavy-Nesper, and Beth Novey, Kim expressed his belief that representation in media is not about never playing certain types of characters, but about having a wider range of roles to play, representing all aspects of humanity.
Kim's character in Butterfly offers a departure from the stereotypical roles often offered to Asian actors. He enjoys doing his own stunts in his acting career, which helps ground him in scenes and improves his acting. One notable scene in Butterfly sees Kim performing in a beach in Connecticut wearing a seaweed loin cloth.
Despite the progress in representation for Asian actors in Hollywood, Kim has not yet played a romantic lead role in his 30-year career, a goal he has had since he started. He sometimes feels the pressure to be successful and represent his race/ethnicity well, a feeling he refers to as "rep sweats."
The impact of Kim's work on his children's perceptions and the example he sets for them has been a significant factor in his career decisions. His kids often ask him if his characters die in the roles he accepts, due to the frequent portrayal of Asian characters as the first to die in movies.
Butterfly was filmed in more than 20 locations throughout South Korea, including Busan, Kim's hometown. The series serves as an example of progress in Hollywood, as it centers Asian Americans in a way that was not possible when Kim started his career. The romantic comedy "Crazy Rich Asians" is another example of this progress.
As the series progresses, David and Rebecca navigate deadly spy games, personal reckonings, and the complexities of their relationship. Butterfly is a testament to Kim's versatility as an actor and a compelling addition to the world of espionage thrillers.
[1] NPR, "Daniel Dae Kim on His New Prime Video Series 'Butterfly' and Representation in Hollywood," 2025. [2] Variety, "Daniel Dae Kim on 'Butterfly' and the Importance of Representation in Hollywood," 2025. [3] The Hollywood Reporter, "Daniel Dae Kim on 'Butterfly' and the East-West Cultural Dynamics of the Series," 2025. [4] IndieWire, "Butterfly Review: Daniel Dae Kim Leads a Tense Espionage Thriller Wrapped in a Family Drama," 2025. [5] IMDb, "Butterfly (TV Series)," n.d.
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