Introduction
James Kyson 이재혁 (born December 13, 1975) is a South Korean-born American actor best known for his television work. This includes Elementary, NCIS: Los Angeles, Sleepy Hollow, Criminal Minds: Beyond Borders, Hawaii 5-0, and portraying Ando Masahashi on the NBC television series Heroes.
Early life and education
Kyson was born in Seoul and moved with his family to New York City at the age of 10, where he later attended the Bronx High School of Science. He studied communications & broadcasting at Boston University and the New England Institute of Art.
After a stint in a hip-hop rap group in college, and trying out improv comedy, Kyson moved to LA on a one-way ticket and a single suitcase, where he began his training in music, dance, and acting.
Acting career
His first ever television audition landed him a part on CBS's J.A.G.
Other TV credits include CSI, NBC's Las Vegas, the West Wing, Heist, as well as ABC's Threat Matrix, and CW's All about the Andersons. Kyson recently finished filming Fox's hit series Sleepy Hollow, CBS's NCIS:LA, the new HBO show Animals., the sitcom School of Rock from Nickelodeon, and had recurring work on the FX drama Justified. He will next be appearing in Criminal Minds: Beyond Borders, and recently appeared in Hawaii Five-O on CBS - and had a four-year run on NBC's Heroes as 'Ando'. In that work he often spoke Japanese, but he is also fluent in Korean.
His feature films work includes the romantic comedy Another Time, the thriller The Livingston Gardener - and he will soon be seen as a mixed martial arts fighter in the upcoming action feature Banana Season.
Filmography
- The High Life (2018) - Chevy Lee
- Elementary (TV series) (2017) - Joey Ng
- Criminal Minds: Beyond Borders (2017) - Inspector Joon-Ho Kim
- Sleepy Hollow (2017) - Special Agent Mark Wong
- Blade of Honor (2017) - John 'Hoss' O'Tekjac
- Banana Season (2017) - Sun
- Breaking & Exiting (2017) - Peter
- No Trace (2017) - Detective Phil Chung
- Another Time (2017) - Kal
- Boon: the Bounty Hunter (2017) - Cameo
- NCIS: Los Angeles (2016) – James Kang
- School of Rock (2016) – David Kwon
- Animals (2016) – Boss
- The Livingston Gardender (2015) – Pierce Lawrence
- Fourth World (2015) - Legion
- Justified (2014) – Yoon
- Grand Theft Auto V (2013) – (voice of The Local Population)
- Plush (2013) – Coat and Tie Fan
- Hawaii Five-0 (2011) – Sean Leung
- Despicable Me (2010) – Additional Voices
- Why Am I Doing This? (2009) – Eric
- Celebrity Ghost Stories (2009) – Himself
- WWII in HD (2009) – voice of Jimmie Kanaya
- Star Runners (2009) – Lei Chen
- How to make love to a Woman (2009) – Aaron
- Necrosis (2009) – Jerry
- Hard Breakers (2009) – Evan
- White on Rice (2009) – Tim Kim
- CSI: Crime Scene Investigation (2009) – Korean Translator (1 episode – "Say Uncle")
- Akira's Hip Hop Shop (2008) - Akira
- Mortal Kombat vs. DC Universe (2008) – voice of Shang Tsung
- Shutter (2008) – Ritsuo
- Asian Stories (Book 3) (2006) – Jim Lee
- Big Dreams Little Tokyo (2006) – Murakami
- Las Vegas (2007) – Joon Ho Park
- Heroes (2006–2010) – Ando Masahashi
- On the Rocks (2006) – Donald Park
- Heist (2006) – Universal Studio Guide
- Doberman (2005) – Johnny
- The West Wing (2004) – Chinese Translator Zheng
- Threat Matrix (2004) – Vargas Killer
- All About the Andersons (2003) – Josh
- JAG (2003) – Lieutenant Pak (1 episode, 2003)
Other activities
A world traveler & adrenalin-junkie, Kyson once bungee jumped 8 times in one day in Cairns, Australia, slid down waterfalls in Queenstown, New Zealand, scuba dived into caves in Maui, Hawaii, and deep water solo'ed at the island of Ko Phi Phi, Thailand - where he back-flipped for the first time 50 feet high off a limestone cliff. He & his wife Jamee also just ran the 2016 LA Half Marathon.
Kyson plays basketball for "The Hollywood Knights", a charity celebrity team, and participated in Robbie Williams' "Soccer Aid" for UNICEF, at Manchester United's Old Trafford in England. He is also an Ambassador for the International Organization Good Neighbors, and their "Water for Life" campaign.
Kyson represented the Rest of the World team in 2010 Soccer Aid, a British charity soccer match in aid of UNICEF.