15 years after Lost ended its run, a new Prime Video crime thriller series seems to have confirmed one thought I had about an actor from the ABC show. Like most, I still remember Lost as one of the best sci-fi shows of all time, but more than that, I remember how certain actors from the series left me with the feeling that their best work was still ahead of them.
Even though Lost ended on a divisive note, the show lasted for six strong seasons, and its legacy still looms large over modern television. Many factors contributed to the show’s success, with its compelling puzzle-box approach towards storytelling being one of them. However, it would not have been half as popular if it were not for its brilliant performances.
Almost all the main cast members in Lost perfectly captured their characters, allowing viewers to feel immersed in all the bizarre things they experience on the central island. After seeing one specific actor in the series, I also could not help but think about the immense potential they held on the small screen. A new show proves my belief was not misplaced.
Butterfly Further Shows That Daniel Dae Kim Is A Great Leading Star
Even before Daniel Dae Kim appeared in Lost, he was involved with many big movie and television productions. For instance, he appeared as a soldier in Hulk, briefly showed up as Doc Ock’s lab assistant in Spider-Man 2, and was also a lawyer in Angel. However, Lost is one of the first few shows that allowed him to shine as a main character.
The ABC show gave him enough screen time to let him put his acting skills on full display. Daniel Dae Kim did not let the opportunity go to waste and perfectly captured the sense of alienation and isolation Kwon felt when he first ended up on the island with his wife. The actor’s portrayal of his character’s struggles and gradual catharsis in Lost proved his potential as a leading man.
Fifteen years after Lost, Daniel Dae Kim has finally fulfilled that promise with his new Amazon Prime Video’s Butterfly, which features him as the protagonist. In the show, the Lost star masterfully displays the inner conflicts of a hardened former intelligence operative who hopes to rectify his past mistakes and reconcile with his estranged daughter.
Lost First Proved That Daniel Dae Kim Deserved To Lead More Shows
Daniel Dae Kim was born in Korea but moved to the US at the age of two. Owing to this, he grew more comfortable speaking in English than in Korean, which added an extra layer of challenge when he had to portray Jin-Soo Kwon in Lost. The actor, however, put in the work by practicing his Korean and ensuring that his delivery sounded natural and true to his character in the show.
Did You Know: To prepare for his role in Lost, Daniel Dae Kim also reportedly (via Asia Society) studied the mannerisms of his father’s friends because they were Korean and “came over at the same time Jin was exposed to the Western world.“
Jin-Soo Kwon is arguably not among the most likable characters in Lost‘s early arcs, especially because of how controlling and stern he appears toward his wife, Sun. However, Daniel Dae Kim still did an incredible job of making him seem layered and less like a one-dimensional villain, which showed how he always deserved to be a leading man in many shows, even after Lost.
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Butterfly
5/10
- Release Date
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August 13, 2025
- Network
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Prime Video
- Directors
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Kitao Sakurai
