Born Yim Woong-jae in Busan in 1988, he is best known by his stage name Siwan as a member of the K-pop outfit ZE:A. He first tried a mechanical engineering major at the Busan National University, but he was recruited at a young age by Star Empire and trained to be a member of the group Children of Empire, which debuted in 2009. The group later changed its name to ZE:A. His acting career began in 2012 when he joined the cast of the popular television show Moon Embracing the Sun. He is best known for starring in the film The Attorney in 2013 and the television series Misaeng: Incomplete Life in 2014.