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Growing up on TV

March 4, 2014

13-yr. old Lance Lim on NBC’s Growing Up Fisher is

the newest Korean American actor to hit prime-time TV

Lance Lim, right, and the show's main character, Eli Baker, poses with the guide dog they work with on Growing Up Fisher. (Courtesy of NBC)

Lim’s character, Runyen, acts as best friend and mentor to Henry (Eli Baker), left, on looks and dating advice. (Courtesy of NBC)

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Lance Lim says he wants to pursue singing in the future. (Courtesy of NBC)

By Ha Eun-sun

Lance Lim, 13, is the newest Korean American actor to appear on prime-time television.

NBC’s newest family sitcom, Growing Up Fisher, aired its first episode on Feb. 25. It’s a coming-of-age story of a young boy, Henry, who has a blind father.

Lim’s character, Runyen, acts as best friend and mentor to Henry on looks and dating advice.

His acting career began when he was nine years old. After starring in short independent films like Mandevilla and Innocent Blood, he was cast in the sitcom following six rounds of auditions.

He may be surrounded by hundreds of staff and large film sets and the large personal trailer provided for him, but there’s no time to rest.

Lim, who is fluent in both English and Korean, is home-schooled when he’s not filming. Time on the set is spent practicing lines and improving his craft through J.K. Simmons (Law & Order) and Jenna Elfman (Dharma and Greg), both of whom are veteran actors who appear on the show.

Acting isn’t his only interest. In 2011, Lim participated in the auditions for MBC’s The Great Birth 2, where he was told by judges that he would “change the world” one day.

He says he wants to pursue singing in the future.

For now, he’ll be a regular face on Fisher. Runyen will have a bigger role after the third episode and introduce a Korean family by the fifth, he says.

Growing Up Fisher airs Tuesdays on NBC at 9:30/8:30 CT.