Daniel Dae Kim explains why he likes the Lost series finale and reflects on the show's enduring legacy. After six seasons and countless fan theories, the hit ABC show aired its series finale on May 23, 2010. The ending proved to be divisive, with fans either loving the character-driven conclusion, or hating it due to being unsatisfied because of misconceptions and frustrations about how certain mysteries were handled. Lost's cast has since gone on to do a variety of projects, including Kim's starring roles in Hawaii Five-O, Disney's Raya and the Last Dragon, and Netflix's live-action Avatar: The Last Airbender.

While speaking with People 15 years after the series finale, Kim explains that he enjoyed the ending "because it provided closure for the characters" and that this was what he wanted most out of the show's conclusion. He acknowledges that the finale was controversial and shares that his conversations with showrunners Carlton Cuse and Damon Lindelof helped him further understand the last episode. Kim also addresses the show's unique legacy and how fans still come up to him more than 20 years after the show first debuted in 2004. Read his comments below:

I think I have some understanding of it. 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.

The fact that people come up to me 20 years after it aired … is very special, very unique. It doesn't often happen in this business when there's so much content to watch all the time.

What This Means For Lost

Daniel Dae Kim Explains Why The Series Finale Works

Many of Lost's cast have spoken about the ending, and Kim now s those who appreciate the show's finale. The episode does not directly answer all the lingering mysteries and many viewers mistakenly believed that the finale was saying the characters were dead the entire time. More importantly, the finale honors the emotional journeys that Jin-Soo Kwon (Kim) and the rest of the characters have been on since season 1 and provides closure to each of the main characters' respective arcs.

While Lost's season 6 ending did not work well for all viewers, the divisive reactions to the finale have not damaged the show's positive and lasting legacy. This is evident in Kim's comments about fans still coming up to talk to him about the show more than two decades after it first aired. Kim is now known for plenty of other movies and television series, yet his fans still want to talk to him about Lost, and as he acknowledges, that kind of legacy is rare in the ever-evolving entertainment industry.

Our Take On Daniel Dae Kim's Comments

His Words Are Gratifying

I always loved Lost's ending, which makes it all the more gratifying when Kim and others involved in the show speak highly of it. Kim eloquently captures how the show managed to do its characters justice after six seasons and more than 100 episodes. While he is right about the finale being controversial, it does seem to be more celebrated now than it used to be. This is partly due to a greater understanding of what happens in the finale and the show being discovered by new audiences on streaming services, all of which further strengthens the legacy of Lost.

Source: People