Daniel Dae Kim, a key character on "Lost," has been cast as police detective Chin Ho Kelly in the upcoming remake of "Hawaii Five-0," a CBS spokesman confirmed yesterday.

CBS is preparing to shoot a pilot for the cop series, and production scouts are in Hawai'i to start working on the look of the remake, said Jennifer Solari, executive director for communications at CBS Television Studios. Filming will begin in mid-March, she said.

Kim, who plays Jin on ABC's "Lost," had said that he wanted to stay in Hawai'i after "Lost" concludes its final season in May.

"Hawaii Five-0" has been a rumored project for several years, but last fall CBS brought in writers Alex Kurtzman and Roberto Orci to craft an updated version. Kurtzman and Orci have teamed up on feature films such as "Star Trek" and "Mission Impossible III," Solari said.

Peter Lenkov, who has written for "CSI: NY" and "24," will be the executive producer, she said.

Details about the new team of elite crime fighters have not been released but, at the very least, the trim Kim will be a different kind of Chin Ho.

In the original series, the stocky, streetwise detective was played by local actor Kam Fong Chun, who adopted the stage name Kam Fong when he started appearing in "Hawaii Five-0." Chun was part of the ensemble cast from its premiere in 1968 until 1978.

Kim is the first actor cast for the remake and producers must still find someone to play Steve McGarrett, Jack Lord's role in the original.

But the remake has a ways to go before anyone says "Book 'em, Danno" on a weekly basis.

"This is a pilot episode, which is being considered for broadcast next season," Solari said. "However, we won't know if it is picked up until May, when the network announces their fall lineup."