Any fans mourning the recent cancellation of the spy-thriller series, Butterfly, and still want their fix of the show’s amazing star, Daniel Dae Kim, should revisit another show he starred in for seven of its ten seasons. Kim was part of the hit action-drama series, Hawaii Five-0, from the show’s 2010 debut to Season 7, when he and co-star Grace Park sadly exited the series. Despite the circumstances of his exit, Kim had a great run in Hawaii Five-0, with the series showcasing the actor in pure action-hero mode, and he was routinely a highlight of the long-running series. It’s time to unpack why Butterfly fans should check out the actor in the amazing crime procedural series. ‘Hawaii Five-0’ Features Daniel Dae Kim at His Action Hero Best Before his starring role in Hawaii Five-0, Kim was a working actor and a fixture across movies and television. He appeared in a recurring role in multiple seasons of 24 as the memorable character, Agent Baker, and also had a recurring role in Star Trek: Enterprise. Additionally, Kim was featured in bit parts in some prominent Marvel blockbusters in the 2000s, such as Spider-Man 2 and The Hulk. The actor finally landed his breakout role in the juggernaut series Lost, portraying Jin-Soo Kwon in all six seasons of the hit series. Hawaii Five-0 was Kim’s follow-up to Lost, allowing him to play a very different character, portraying the disgraced ex-Hawaii Police Department detective-turned-security guard, Chin Ho Kelly. An old acquaintance of Steve McGarrett (Alex O’Loughlin) removes Chin from obscurity and recruits him to the Hawaii Five-0 task force to deal with major crimes. The premise of Hawaii Five-0 allowed Kim to stretch his action muscles once again, but this time, as a recurring fixture and lead character. Kim looks like an absolute natural throughout the action-heavy series, performing exceptionally well in his impressive action and fight sequences. Kim had the opportunity to do action scenes before in 24, but the actor truly cut his action hero teeth in Hawaii Five-0, which makes this the perfect series to watch following his stunt-heavy turn in Butterfly. Kim’s performance and believability in the action sequences elevate both the character of Chin and the overall series. Chin Ho Kelly Is the Emotional Heart and Soul of the Series Kim came off as the emotional heart and soul of Hawaii Five-0 in many ways. As someone born and raised in Hawaii, Chin has a unique connection to the islands, people, and culture. He is often seen riding his motorcycle to work, and he is well known across the islands, giving him an intimate knowledge of the community that the Hawaii Five-0 task force serves. He also speaks Hawaiian, which significantly helps the task force in their investigations. Chin’s knowledge of Hawaii, along with his experience as a police officer, reinforces his character as an invaluable member of the team. Chin was also the protégé of Steve McGarrett’s father, John McGarrett (William Sadler), who served as Kelly’s training officer at the HPD. This proves important when Steve is forming his new task force, knowing that Chin is trustworthy, due to Steve’s father serving as Chin’s mentor. Chin provides a beating heart to the Hawaiian community and people in the series, and Kim captured these aspects of his character exceptionally well. One of the best examples of Chin’s compassion and respect for others is the classic Season 4 episode, “Ho’onani Makuakane,” when he meets David Toriyama (James Saito), an elderly man who was once forced to stay in a Japanese internment camp during World War II in his youth. Toriyama is initially arrested as a suspect for attempting to murder a soldier whom Toriyama believes killed his father. Although Toriyama is suspicious of Chin at first, Chin quickly earns Toriyama’s respect by pointing out that, as an experienced soldier, David knew his gun wasn’t capable of firing, and he wanted to make a point rather than trying to kill someone. Additionally, Chin’s Japanese uncle was previously interned in the Sand Island Camp during the war. It’s a great scene that highlights Chin’s respect for his elders and historical knowledge. Chin Ho Kelly Goes Through Tremendous Heartbreak Throughout the Series At the start of the series, Chin’s reputation is in the gutter after he was falsely accused of police corruption and stealing evidence from an investigation, putting his career in tatters, before Steve brings him onto his new team. Kim exceptionally captures Chin’s trauma as he suffers from being wrongly accused of crimes he did not commit, though he creates a newfound family with the task force, who look out for and support one another. Later, Chin reconciles with his estranged girlfriend, Malia Waincroft (Reiko Aylesworth), and they get married in the second season. Unfortunately, their wedded bliss is short-lived when Malia is held hostage as part of a plot to free the corrupt police officer Frank Delano (William Baldwin). Delano ultimately forces Chin to make the impossible choice of his wife’s life or that of his cousin, fellow task force member Kono Kalakaua (Park). Ultimately, Kono is saved from a watery grave thanks to the help of her boyfriend, Adam Noshimuri (Ian Anthony Dale). Unfortunately, Delano’s accomplice still shoots Malia, and she tragically succumbs to her wounds in the Season 3 premiere. Later in the episode, Chin tracks down Delano and corners him in an alley before shooting him in cold blood with a shotgun. Chin’s execution of Delano is easily the darkest and most intense moment in the entire series. Although Chin avenged his murdered wife by killing Delano, his revenge gave him no solace or peace. Seeing Chin suffer through this ordeal was difficult because he stood out as such a strong beacon of good throughout the series, a pillar of his community, and always sought to help the less fortunate. Kim Departed the Series After Seven Seasons Sadly, Kim and Park both departed from Hawaii Five-0 after seven seasons following a well-documented pay dispute with CBS, as both actors sought to receive equal pay to the show’s stars, O’Loughlin and Scott Caan, who portrayed Danny “Danno” Williams. Unfortunately, new deals with the actors could not be reached, and they were written out of the show after the seventh season finale. Fortunately, even though Chin was written out of the series, the character receives a well-deserved happy ending. Early in Season 8, it’s revealed that Chin accepted an offer to head up a new Five-0 task force in San Francisco, and he moved there with his new girlfriend, Detective Abby Dunn (Julie Benz), and his niece, Sara Waincroft (Londyn Silzer), whom he adopted earlier in the show. At the very least, Chin received a graceful exit and a nice ending for his character.
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