Daniel Dae Kim released a statement on Facebook earlier this morning to address his fans and confirm his departure from Hawaii 5-0.
After seven years of being with Hawaii 5-0 as Chin Ho Kelly, Kim announced he will not be coming back due to contract equity issues with CBS.
“Though I made myself available to come back, CBS and I weren’t able to agree to terms on a new contract, so I made the difficult choice not to continue,” Kim wrote.
The crime drama reboot will also be losing long-time actress Grace Park, who played Kono Kalakaua.
Kim and Park decided to leave Hawaii 5-0 because they were not given the same contract deal as White co-stars Alex O’Loughlin and Scott Caan, reports the Hollywood Reporter. Although Kim is grateful to CBS for being able to play a lead actor, he said minorities face many obstacles in the Hollywood business.
“As an Asian American actor, I know first-hand how difficult it is to find opportunities at all, let alone play a well developed, three dimensional character like Chin Ho Kelly,” Kim wrote. “I will miss him sincerely.”
With production starting next week, CBS said they were sad to lose Kim and Park.
“Daniel and Grace have been important and valued members of ‘Hawaii Five-0’ for seven seasons,” CBS said in a statement Wednesday. “We did not want to lose them and tried very hard to keep them with offers for large and significant salary increases.”
Proud of @danieldaekim #GracePark for sticking to guns in demand for equal pay on #HawaiiFive0. Can’t wait to support them in next projects.
— Jenn | Reappropriate (@reappropriate) June 30, 2017
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?Here’s to @danieldaekim & Grace Park standing up for equality. ?Know ur worth, ur value… & don’t be afraid to stand up for it ? https://t.co/UzBN1oWhit
— Constance Wu (@ConstanceWu) July 5, 2017
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Kim thanks his fans and is looking forward to the launch of a new show that he is producing called THE GOOD DOCTOR.
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