According to the South China Morning Post, Nam initially wanted to become a basketball player, but his dreams were cut short after he tore his ligament in middle school. After moving to Seoul, the star got his big break after winning a modelling contest in 2013, which led him to debut as a model under the Korean brand Songzio.
Since then, Nam has walked runways for other Korean brands like Beyond Closet and Push Button, per Metro Style. It's also worth noting in 2014, he won the Male Fashion Model of the Year Award at the CFDK Awards. Currently, Nam is a brand ambassador for Dior and can be seen on the cover of major magazines like Esquire and Marie Claire.