Daniel Dae Kim 'Thinks' He Understands the Controversial Finale of Lost 15 Years Later

Published: May 23, 2025

The two-part series finale of Lost aired on May 23, 2010, and remains a hot-button topic for fans of the iconic TV show. While many viewers were left confused or unsatisfied by the ending, star Daniel Dae Kim tells PEOPLE he thinks he understands what happened, and why.

The actor also says his sons are now old enough to enjoy watching the show, too. Fifteen years later, the Lost finale is still one of TV's most debated endings. While some fans found it emotional and meaningful, others were left frustrated by the lack of clear answers.

The mystery-heavy show left much open to interpretation, fueling ongoing discussions that continue today, even among the show's stars.

Daniel Dae Kim's Take on the Finale

"I think I have some understanding of it," Daniel Dae Kim, 56, tells PEOPLE. "I was able to talk to the showrunners and I enjoyed it. I know it was controversial, but I enjoyed it because it provided closure for the characters, and that's the thing I wanted most from that finale."

In 2016 during a Watch What Happens Live with Andy Cohen, Kim defended the show's ending, emphasizing that the emotional resolutions for the characters were more important than unanswered questions.

"I liked it. I genuinely liked it only because, to me, it didn't matter all the questions that got unanswered and the minutiae of kind of details that everyone was obsessing about, it didn't matter as much as what happened to the characters," Kim said. "And I liked to see that they were moving off together because they spent some of their lives together. Now they were gonna spend eternity together."

Kim's Sons Are Now Fans of Lost

Now that Kim's sons Zander and Jackson are older, he says that they "both are fans" of the show even though they were quite young when it first premiered.

"When Lost first came on the air, my youngest was only 3 years old, and so he was way too young to watch anything that's scary," he tells PEOPLE. "I'll never forget that when those opening drumbeats would come on, or when you hear the whoosh of the logo credit, my youngest son would jump up and run out of the room because he was so frightened to watch it."

Apart from television and the big screen, Kim is also recognized on the Broadway stage. Last fall, he starred in the play Yellow Face by David Henry Hwang, earning him a Tony Award nomination — making him the first Asian American to be nominated in the Lead Actor in a Play category.

"It feels incredibly special," Kim told PEOPLE at the Tony Awards' annual 'Meet the Nominees' event on May 8. "I found out that stat a couple of weeks ago, and it really surprised me because the Tonys have been around for 78 years! To know that I'm the first makes me a little sad, but a lot happy. It's very meaningful. In fact, it means more for that reason than it does for my own achievement."

The 2025 Tony Awards air live from Radio City Music Hall in New York City Sunday, June 8, on CBS.

For more on Lost and its iconic finale, check out these related stories:

Leave a comment below and let us know what you think about Lost and its iconic finale.

For more entertainment news, check out these stories:

Leave a comment below and let us know what you think about Lost and its iconic finale.

Daniel Dae Kim's Take on the Finale

Kim's Sons Are Now Fans of Lost

Sheinelle Jones' Former Today Co-Hosts Hoda Kotb and Tamron Hall React to Husband's Death

Farmer Wants a Wife: John and Claire Take Their Time, No Pressure on the Horizon

Sports Journalist Creates Viral 'Hoops for Hotties' Series, Which Shaq Calls 'Funny as Hell'

Dave Franco Finds Refreshing Unhingedness of His The Studio Character

The Devil Wears Prada 2: Everything We Know So Far