Daniel Dae Kim on ‘Lost’ Finale: ‘I Wanted to Find Some Kind of Closure’

By Parade Gossip, TV May 04, 2010
As Lost’s series finale nears (May 23), the pieces of the hit show’s puzzle-filled plot are slowly coming together. And while the secrets of the final episodes are being kept under lock and key, Daniel Dae Kim, who plays Jin Kwon, is dropping a few hints about what’s to come.

Last week, Jin and his wife Sun reunited and Lost fans rejoiced. What’s it like knowing that viewers are so connected to your character?
“It’s nice when someone thinks that anything I’ve worked on has had an impact. I think it’s a testament to the strength of the show and how well everyone works together. The fact that people care about our characters says something nice about how far the journey of Jin and Sun has come because when you look at the pilot, you weren’t necessarily thinking that these were characters that you’re going to really care about. And the fact that people do means a lot.”

Becoming the Romeo and Juliet of Lost.
“That’s exactly how I like to put it. They’re the Shakespearean love story and we’ll see whether it’s a tragedy or a happy ending.”


Are Jin and Sun meant to be?
“Yes, I do think they’re meant to be. I absolutely think they’re meant to be. And I think there’s not an ounce of doubt in Jin’s mind about that.”

What it’s been like having to let go of Jin.
“I have to be honest, I’m still in the process. I really have grown very fond of him. It’s always weird to me when actors talk about their characters in the third person, but in this case, I’ve lived with this character for six years so he’s become a part of me. So it’s going to be like a favorite suit that I won’t be wearing again and that’s a little bit sad.”

The burning question of who, between Jin and Sun Kwon, is the “candidate.”
“It’s only the last name, and as far as I know there are three Kwons.”

Will Jin and Sun’s daughter play an integral part in the last few episodes?
“The daughter will be…how do I put this without saying too much? The daughter will play a role in the final episodes.”

What can you say about the final episode?
“I think that the finale has a lot of emotional impact and I hope it will resonate with the viewers the way that it resonated with me.”

What was the vibe like on set during the final weeks of shooting?
“It was a little bit like the last week of high school where you’re about to graduate. You know if you’re going to college or not and you know that your grades don’t really matter anymore and you’re just out there to have a good time with your friends. But you still had to go to class! I think, at the very end, it was really tinged with a lot of sadness and reflection about the last six years that we’ve all spent with each other.”

Taking heat from fans over the years.
“The fans of our show are very passionate and they are also very vocal. They never hesitated to tell me what they thought about what was happening. To me, regardless of whether it was criticism or praise, I always appreciated that they cared.”

His personal challenges of Lost.
“Working in Korean, a language that I’m not as comfortable in as English, was a big challenge. I think also playing a character that was initially ‘unlikeable’ was challenging. And I felt like those two elements of the work that I was doing were two of the things that I wanted to find some kind of closure in. And I’m happy to say that at the end of season six I can look back and say, ‘Wow, I think those two challenges were not only met but overcome.’”

Getting in touch with his Korean roots.
“I’ve always considered my ethnic heritage a big part of who I am. But it’s always a good thing to be able to speak another language, regardless of what it is. It makes the world a little smaller and my family a little closer.”

Who will he miss the most?
Harold Perrineau [Michael] and Josh Holloway [Sawyer] — the guys on the raft at the end of Season One. I think we formed a special bond being out there in the water all night long for days and nights at a time. But I don’t think I’ll miss them that much because I’m looking forward to seeing them.”
http://www.pbpulse.com/tv/2010/05/04/daniel-dae-kim-on-lost-finale-i-wanted-to-find-some-kind-of-closure/