Seo Hyun-woo

Seo Hyun-woo was born in Busan on 20 November 1983. He attended elementary and middle school in Tongyeong. Seo later moved to Gongju, South Chungcheong Province, attending boarding school Hanil High School [ko], recognized as a prestigious high school for talented students. Alums include actors Park Jeong-min and Cho Hyun-chul.^[5]

During high school, Seo was known for his lively personality and held positions as both class president and vice president. However, the immense academic pressure he faced caused him to lose interest in his studies, leaving him feeling adrift. At the end of his first year, he went to the School Festival and saw a play for the first time. His literature teacher wrote the play. Watching his classmates and older students perform on stage was a memorable experience for him. As a result, in his second year, he decided to join a theater class, which helped him better manage his emotions despite his quick temper. However, he chose to keep his passion for acting a secret from his parents and lacked the courage to pursue it as a career.^[5][6]

He enrolled in the English literature department at Kookmin University, believing that excelling in English was important. However, he soon realized that many of his classmates had more experience living in English-speaking countries, and he felt this path wasn't right for him. In his early twenties, feeling lost and facing challenges, the impending military service intensified his sense of helplessness. Around the age of 20, after completing his first year, he took a hiatus and worked as a bartender in Daehak-ro. It was during this time that he encountered the theater scene and his desire to become an actor began to grow.^[5][7]

"Every night, theater people from Daehak-ro came to the bar where I worked. They were like uncle figures, but they engaged in serious discussions every night. They recited lines from Greek tragedies like Sophocles and Aeschylus, and they pondered if Hamlet felt this way or if Othello's anger was like this. I secretly observed them every night. I'm not sure if this expression is appropriate, but it was like 'adults playing make-believe.' It was cool. And I was curious about what made them so obsessed. It was from this time that I made up my mind to become a real actor."^[5]

During a phone call with his high school literature teacher, Seo revealed that he had taken a break. Despite being seven years older, the teacher listened attentively to his concerns. During the conversation, Seo reminisced about his high school theater class, and the teacher mentioned studying acting at the Graduate School of Korea National University of Arts. The teacher suggested Seo take the entrance exam for his school. Inspired, Seo decided to drop out of college that day.^[5]

However, Seo's decision to pursue acting caused turmoil within his family.^[6] In 2003, undeterred, he enrolled in an acting academy but left after a month due to its ineffectiveness. Despite paying a monthly tuition of 850,000 won, attending a class three times a week with over 50 students proved inconvenient as he had to wait for his turn. Seo briefly considered private lessons but ultimately decided to study independently. He regularly visited a nearby video store close to his residence at Kookmin University, renting three films per day. With dedication, he would imitate the acting styles of his admired actors. Whenever he encountered challenges, he turned to professional books for guidance. His relentless efforts paid off, resulting in his successful passing of the test.^[5]

He was accepted into the Theater Department at Korea National University of Arts. Despite being a couple of years older than his peers, he was unfazed by the age difference. His unwavering determination and perseverance set him apart. Notably, he received a full scholarship for every semester, except the first one.^[5]

After completing his studies, Seo made his acting debut at the age of 27 in the musical^[8][9][10] Following that, he took part in a Korean production of Kiss Me, Kate, a musical adaptation of William Shakespeare's The Taming of the Shrew. From July 9, 2010, to August 14, 2010, Seo portrayed the character Ralph at the National Theater Haeoreum Theater.^[6]

In the same year, Seo played male lead Balroja in Oleg Askerovich Yernev [ru]'s play "Evening with a Pretty and Lonely Girl". Under the direction of Park Sang-ha and produced by The Glass Mask Theater Company, the play made its appearance at the 9th Off Daehakro Festival. Held at the Samil-ro Warehouse Theater in Myeong-dong, the play ran for a week, starting from November 2nd to December. It garnered success, with all tickets being sold out during the festival. Seo's outstanding performance led him to receive the Acting Award at the 9th Off Daehakro Festival, capturing the attention of both audiences and critics alike.^[11]

In 2011, Seo Hyun-woo started his onscreen acting career with the movie White: The Melody of the Curse (2011).^[12] He took on a darker role in the same year, portraying Malcolm in Shakespeare's play Macbeth, directed by Lee Young-seok. The production was staged by the troupe Elephant Manbo at the Jeongmiso installation theater as part of a performance commemorating the troupe's 25th anniversary and the 2011 Guerrilla Theater Overseas Director Special Exhibition.^[13] Then, Seo Hyun-woo reprised his role Balroja in Oleg Askerovich Yernev [ru]'s "Evening with a Pretty and Lonely Girl" The production took place at the Small Pine Theater from the 8th to May 8th, presented by The Glass Mask Theater Company.^[14]

In March 2012, Seo played the role of Campbell in the three-person play Hamlet, directed by Seong Cheon-mo. This unique adaptation of Shakespeare's work reorganized it into a play within a play format. Actress Jeong Soo-young showcased her versatility by portraying five different roles, including Ophelia and Queen Gertrude. Ryu Ji-wan took on the role of Hamlet. The play ran at the Seoul Arts Center's Jayu Theater until May 6.^[15]

He appeared in a drama in 2013 as an escort warrior in KBS Drama Special - Devil. Since then, he has been active in plays, dramas, and movies.^[16]

Seo faced a period of obscurity that lasted for five years following his graduation. Determined to make his mark, he diligently visited film companies on a daily basis, submitting his profile and attending auditions without fail. Seo naturally turned his attention to Daehakro plays and independent films. In the process, he appeared in independent films such as 'Jack Boy' and 'Traveler from the North' and performed on stage almost every year.^[5][7]

Eventually, Seo's talent was recognized, and he began to establish himself in independent films. In particular, his performance in A Hard Day (2014) and Fatal Intuition (2015) stood out.^[17] Seo portrayed Doo-su, a detective in Fatal Intuition. Doo-su suspects Jang-woo (played by Joo Won), of being a murderer. Through his performance, Seo effectively depicted a seasoned character who skillfully balances with the harsh realities of the situation. Seo, being a native of Busan, played a crucial role in assisting Joo Won with his acting in the movie. Joo Won had to deliver all his lines in the Gyeongsang dialect, and for two months, he received private tutoring from Seo. Furthermore, at the director's request, Seo created personalized textbook containing all of Joo Won's lines, which he personally recorded.^[7]

Seo's first series was Woman of the Storm, an MBC morning drama that aired from November 3, 2014, to May 15 of the following year. He played the role of Peter Yoon. Following the drama, he is now pursuing another opportunity by filming the new film Tunnel.^[18]

In 2015, he starred in the film Byeong-gu (Allergy), which won the Grand Prize at the 2016 Fukuoka Independent Film Festival.^[19] Also in 2015, Seo auditioned for role Lee in Korean revival of Sam Shepard's acclaimed True West, directed by Oh Man-seok, produced by Aligator Theater Company. He was cast as Lee with Jeon Seok-ho, Kim Jun-won, and Lee Dae-il. They alternately acted opposite Kim Seon-ho, Lee Hyun-wook and Moon Sung-il, who played Lee's younger brother Austin. According to Interpark, the play ranked first for theater ticket sales at the same time as ticket sales was opened. It was performed at the University Road A Art Hall from August 13 to November 1.^[20]

Seo Hyun-woo made special appearance in The Good Wife. He took on the role of Baek Min-hyuk, a cold-blooded prosecutor also known as the Knife Holder. He appeared in episode 7, which was broadcast on July 29, 2016, and episode 8, which was broadcast on July 30, 2016. He received favorable reviews for his solid acting skills. In the drama, he confronted Yoon Kye-sang in order to find out the truth regarding his lover and the victim of the incident, Yoo Yeon-jeong. He is also a person with unwavering cool-headedness who, in order to win the trial, collected GPS data from the car's navigator instead of searching for evidence inside the car, where the evidence was nullified due to illegal handling.^[21]

In August 2016, Byeong-gu (Allergy) became the first foreign film to receive the grand prize at the 2016 Fukuoka Independent Film Festival.^[22] In the same year, Seo also did two back-to-back plays with Aligator Theater Company. He reprised his role as Lee in Korean encore performance of playwright Sam Shepard's play True West Return.^[23][24] Then Seo appeared in the 2016 revival of Patrick Marber's hit play Closer, directed by Roh Deok as Larry. He was triple-cast with Bae Seong-woo and Kim Jun-won, as well as acted opposite Kim Seon-ho, Park Eun-seok, Lee Dong-ha, Kim So-jin, Song Yu-hyeon, Lee Ji-hye, and Park So-dam.^[25]

In November 2016, Seo, whose hometown is Gyeongnam, participated in the 10th Gyeongnam Independent Film Festival hosted by the Gyeongnam Film Association. The festival took place from November 18th to the 20th at Lotte Cinema Changwon branch and Cine Art 'Rhizome', the only art theater in Gyeongnam. Seo Hyun-woo's short films 'Byeonggu', 'Jackboy', '6D Theater', and 'Men in the Basement' were introduced on the opening day, the 18th.^[26][27]

In 2017, Seo made appearances in a diverse range of films, showcasing his versatility. He had roles in five films, including three full-length commercial films: 1987: When the Day Comes, Heart Blackened, and A Taxi Driver. In addition to these mainstream projects, he also ventured into the realm of independent cinema with the film Coffee Noir: Black Brown and explored the short film format with Hatred (Baekcheon), in which he appeared as the lead.^[5] The recognition of his work came when Hatred (Baekcheon) received an official invitation to the esteemed Cannes International Film Festival.^[19]

In 2018, Seo made a total of nine film appearances, solidifying his presence in the industry. He showcased his versatility through notable roles such as Cha Woo-jin in The Discloser, Dong-gu in The Vanished, Detective Lee in Seven Years of Night, Jeong in A Tiger in Winter, Jeong Il in Believer, and Jung Woo in Cinema with You. Moreover, during the autumn season, he garnered attention for his portrayal of a homeroom teacher in the independent film After My Death. Both Kim Eui-seok's After My Death and Lee Kwang-guk's A Tiger in Winter received invitations to the prestigious 22nd Busan International Film Festival held in October.^[19]

"Independent films are relatively disadvantaged compared to commercial films, but that's why they seem more interesting to me. The passion to learn and the desire to grow through work are great. Playing the lead role in an independent film allows me to experience a long breath and experiment with myself. This year, After My Death and A Tiger in Winter were invited to the Busan International Film Festival, and personally, I think it will be a very meaningful year."^[19]

Further solidifying his presence in the industry, Seo played a significant role as the lover of a North Korean defector with a compelling backstory (played by Lee Na-young) in the opening film of the 23rd Busan International Film Festival. This film, titled Beautiful Days and directed by Yoon Jae-ho, captivated audiences and added to Seo's growing reputation as an actor.^[5]

In 2019, he showed his performance in Hong Seung-wan's film Juror 8. The ending featureed outstanding performances by Seo Hyun-woo as Kang Doo-sik the defendant.^[28] Followed by Bring Me Home (2019), where He was the scene-stealer among scene-stealers. Also in 2019, Seo Hyun-woo took on the role of In Dong-gu in the OCN Saturday-Sunday drama series titled The Lies Within, which was directed by Lee Yoon-jeong. In Dong-gu is the head of the strategic planning office of JQ Group and is a person filled with wrong beliefs who will do anything for JQ Group Chairman Jeong Young-moon (Moon Chang-gil [ko]), even if it means killing.^[29] Seo was injured while filming an action scene, he has to focus on rehabilitation at the end of the year.^[16] He stood on stage as the emcee for the closing ceremony of the Seoul Independent Film Festival 2019.^[16]

In 2020, Seo reunited with director Roh Deok in SF8, episode Manshin. Seo played the role of In-hong, the first Manshin developer. However, in exchange for selling his technology to Jiham, he leads a luxurious life and follows the Manshin prophecy. Seon-ho (Lee Yeon-hee), who doesn't believe in Manshin, and Garam (Lee Dong-hwi), who blindly believes in Manshin, embark on a journey to find In-hong. Unfortunately, before Seon-ho can gather any clues about Manshin, In-hong falls in his bathroom and loses consciousness.^[30]

In the same year, Seo showcased his versatility through notable roles such as Secretary Oh in Son Jae-gon's film Secret Zoo. He strengthened his presence in the public eye through the film The Man Standing Next. He played the role of Chun Doo-hyuk, a character based on Chun Doo-hwan, the 10th KCIA director and chief of the Defence Security Command, who later became the 5th President of South Korea. He immersed himself in the role by actually shaving his head to look the part.^[31] He was nominated for the New Male Actor of the Year award in the film category at the 20th Director's Cut Awards.

Seo also got his first lead role in tvN drama Flower of Evil. The drama was written by Yoo Jeong-hee, directed by Kim Cheol-gyu, and produced by Studio Dragon and Monster Union. Seo Hyun-woo played the character Kim Moo-jin, a reporter who was obsessed with finding scoop. Kim was a carefree, self-centered, and sometimes cunning person. After quitting journalism, he started looking for a scandalous event that would attract views. However, things got complicated when Do Hyun-soo (Lee Joon-gi) someone who had caused him past trauma, showed up. Kim also had a special romantic relationship with Do Hyun-soo's older sister, Do Hae-soo (Jang Hee-jin).^[32][33]

"It was my first lead role, so I felt pressured, but I was able to take on the role in an interesting way because it changes like a chameleon depending on the situation. I was really moved when I first started receiving calls after auditioning non-stop. I had really mixed emotions. It's my first time doing a melodrama, and it's my first time acting with someone my age. Even in my 20s, I mainly played roles older than my age, such as teacher rather than student, but everything was new to me. I got to discover new sides of myself while playing roles of people my age."^[34]

In 2021, Seo joined a concept performance live dubbing show, Exotic Garden, a combination of film screening with musical theater, directed by Jeon Gye-soo. Love with an Alien [ko] or An Exotic Garden, produced in 1957, was Korea's first color film and the first Korean-Hong Kong collaboration film directed by Jeon Chang-keun, Tu Kuang-chi, and Wakasugi Mitsuo. In 2013, the film was discovered in a Shaw Brothers warehouse in Hong Kong, but the gorgeous natural colors had lost their luster and the sound was lost. Upon returning to Korea, the film underwent extensive remastering and was restored close to the original, but the sound was never found. Fortunately, a script with recorded lines was found. The show recreated the film by adding imagination and includes on-site dubbing by actors and the insertion of vivid sound effects by Foley artists. Alongside Seo Hyun-woo, the show features talented musical actors such as Park Si-won, Park Hyeong-gyu, Lee Su-an, and Son Hyun-jung. The show were held at the Seoul Arts Center CJ Towol Theater from April 29 to May 2.^[35] Following Seoul, 'Exotic Garden' also performed at Busan Cinema Center Haneul Theater on May 8th.^[36] From July 9th to July 10th, it was showcased at Bupyeong Arts Center Haenuri Theater.^[37][38] Additionally, it was presented at Gimpo Art Hall for three days from October 22nd to 24th.^[39] In the midst of the project, in September 2021, Seo Hyun-woo signed an exclusive contract with Just Entertainment.^[40]

In 2022, Seo appeared in Park Chan-wook's film Decision to Leave. In April 2022, Decision to Leave was selected to compete for the Palme d'Or at the 2022 Cannes Film Festival,^[41][42] where Park Chan-wook won Best Director.^[43] The film was released theatrically on 29 June 2022 in South Korea.^[44] Seo acted as Sa Cheol-seong, a character who brings conflict to the story, particularly with Seorae (portrayed by Tang Wei).^[45] Seo landed the role after auditioning, when he had lost a significant amount of weight. After the audition, the director expressed admiration for Seo's performance but mentioned disappointment regarding his lack of an intimidating physical presence. However, the director still desired to collaborate with him, so Seo dedicated himself to gaining weight for the role. In recognition of his portrayal, he was honored with the New Male Actor of the Year award in the film category at the 21st Director's Cut Awards.^[46]

In the same year, Seo Hyun-woo stars in the film Thunderbird, which follows the story of Tae-gyun, a taxi driver from Jeongseon, Gangwon-do, who searches for his brother's pawned car. Directed by Lee Jae-won from the Korean Film Academy, the movie showcases Seo Hyun-woo's natural portrayal of Tae-gyun's desperation for money and the associated emotions, resonating with the audience and eliciting empathy, pity, and bitterness.^[47] It had its world premiere at the 24th Far East Film Festival on April 27, 2022, and was released theatrically on September 21, 2022, in South Korea.^[48] It was also selected at 26th Bucheon International Fantastic Film Festival in 'Korean Fantastic: Features', where it won two awards, Seo was honored with the Korean Fantastic Actor Award.^[49][47]

Seo's other film Honest Candidate 2 was released a week later, on September 28, 2022.^[50] He acted as Cho Tae-joo. A few weeks after film The Man Standing Next was released in 2020, Seo watched Honest Candidate. Seo felt like he wanted to expand his horizons as an actor, he wanted to try the genre of comedy someday. Later, director Jang Yu-jeong sent him the scenario for Honest Candidate 2. Up until then, He was very excited. But when He actually saw the scenario, Cho Tae-joo seemed difficult. He was worried about how to set the tone of a new character appearing in a movie that was already well established. He felt like his excessive greed would ruin the work. So He started researching ways to naturally absorb it among the original members.^[51][52] On August 6, the casting of Seo was confirmed.^[53] The principal photography began on July 31, 2021^[54] and was wrapped up on October 31.^[55]

In November Seo appeared in Behind Every Star, Korean adaptation of the French TV series Call My Agent!.^[56] He acted alongside Lee Seo-jin, Kwak Sun-young, and Joo Hyun-young. It premiered on tvN on November 7, 2022, and aired every Monday and Tuesday at 22:30 (KST) for 12 episodes.^[57][58] It is available for streaming on Netflix in selected regions.^[59] Seo acted as Kim Jung-don, a team leader of Method Entertainment, a good manager having a good personality.^[60]

Seo Hyun-woo acted as a killer in Disney Plus's A Shop for Killers.^[61] His role was Lee Seong-jo, a cold-blooded, top-notch sniper, who spoke in the Jeolla-do dialect. Besides using guns, he also acted with an axe in close combat. He attended an action school and practiced for 3 months before starting the work. He had long hair and gold teeth.^[62][63][64]

• Seo Hyun-woo at HanCinema
• Seo Hyun-woo at IMDb
• Seo Hyun-woo at the Korean Movie Database