A young thief skilled in the art of kombat, Kung Jin was visited by Raiden who told him that he possessed great promise, much like that of his deceased relative, Kung Lao. Kung Jin reluctantly accepted Raiden's offer of guidance and was trained by Master Bo' Rai Cho at the Wu Shi Academy for several years. Once his training had been completed, Johnny Cage enlisted him as an agent of the Special Forces, knowing full well his skills as a bowman would be incredibly valuable to the unit.

For his role in saving Earthrealm, Kung Jin's family created a statue in his likeness, for inclusion in Raiden's revered collection. But Kung Jin's thoughts were with one no longer accepted by his family: Kung Lao. Kung Jin set out to locate his cousin--and found him in the Netherrealm. Raiden believed Kung Lao's tortured soul was forever trapped without Quan Chi's magic to free him. But Kung Jin knew the Shaolin were stronger than any sorcerer's spell. He vowed to help Kung Lao fight off the evil that had remade him.