# Seo Sang-won

Seo Sang-won (Korean: 서상원, November 11, 1967) is a South Korean actor. He has appeared in supporting roles in various films and television dramas, but is better known for his work as a stage actor. His most known works in television series are Record of Youth (2020), Hometown Cha-Cha-Cha (2021) and Queen of Tears (2024).

## Education

In 1986, Seo enrolled in the Department of Tourism Management at Catholic Kwandong University. While studying, he actively participated in the theater club called 'Gil Donga People.' Seo's passion for acting was ignited during his travels in Europe, where he witnessed street musicians living with pride and receiving positive treatment. This experience led him to reflect on his own values and view of art, hoping to live a fulfilling life. Initially seeking a corporate job for financial reason, he realized the insignificance of wasting time and decided to pursue a career as a theater actor in 1992.

## Career

In 1992, he briefly worked in the service sales department of Hyundai Motor Company before joining the Theatre Company Michu. He spent five years at the Theatre Company Michu, gaining experience in translation, creative writing, and performing in various theater productions. Seo took part in many important plays of the company such as "General Oh’s Claw" by Park Jo-yeol and "Namsadang Sky," as well as MBC Madangnori.
After leaving Theatre Company Michu in 1995, he pursued a freelance career in the theater industry. In 1997, he served as a lecturer in the Department of Acting at Sungkyunkwan University Social Education Center. Director Lee Gwang-mo discovered him through a video of his play, and this unexpected opportunity led to his debut in the film industry with the movie 'Beautiful Days.' Seo believes that his existence as an actor is a result of establishing his own values, pursuing his long-standing dream, and maintaining a positive outlook on his given circumstances while utilizing them to his advantage.
In 2001, Seo became member of National Theater Company of Korea. In the same year he took part in stage play Shakespeare's Hamlet, one of the most loved repertoires in the world of performing arts. His roles were nobleman, Norwegian soldier, and Guildenstern.
After six years, he finally got lead role as Hamlet in Terrorist Hamlet (2007), a collaboration between National Theater Company of Korea and German director Jens-Daniel Herzog. He was former Artistic Director of the Mannheim National Theater and considered to be the next-generation director of German contemporary theater. Adaptation of the script were written by Kim Min-hye and Johannes Kirsten. It was premiered as NTCK Regular Performance The 209th World Masterpiece Stage.
In the play, Hamlet appears as an unfamiliar figure in jeans and a pistol in hand, and Claudius who ascended the throne after killing the previous king, is portrayed as a democratic figure representing the new era. For his performance as Hamlet, Seo received the best actor award from 2008 Korean Drama Awards and a 2008 Commendation from the Minister of Culture, Sports and Tourism.
A year later, the National Theater Company of Korea and German director Jens-Daniel Herzog collaborated again in Terrorist Hamlet (2008) for NTCK Regular Performance The 210th World Masterpiece Stage.
Two years later, Seo was rewarded 2010 Commendation from the Minister of Culture, Sports and Tourism, but didn’t attend the ceremony.
In 2011, Seo acted alongside Kim Young-pil, Kim Joo-wan, and Jeon Mi-do in the play "The Author" by British playwright Tim Crouch. Director Kim Dong-hyeon, known for his skill in creating nuanced stage language, reinterpreted this powerful theatrical work and brought it to the stage. "The Author" serves as the inaugural production in the 'Borderline' series, curated by Doosan Art Center. The play breaks down the barriers between art and reality, blurring the lines between the stage and the audience. It explores the story within a story, delving into the impact that a violent and shocking play has on the actors, writers, and audience members involved.
His first television appearance was minor role as Pastor in drama Prison Playbook (2017). After that he took mostly minor and supporting roles because his focus still in his theater works. In 2019 he appear in movie Lucky Chan-sil as cameo.

## Filmography
### Film

List of Film(s) :
| Year | Title | Title | Role | Ref. |
| Year | English | Original | Role | Ref. |
| 1993 | Three Cups of Coffee | 커피석잔 | Tae-shik | |
| 1998 | Beautiful Times | 아름다운 시절 | Seong-hwan | |
| 1998 | Lee Jae-soo's Rebellion | 이재수의 난 | Musician 2 | |
| 2003 | I live in the train station | 역전에 산다 | Reporter | |
| 2005 | Typhoon Taeyang | 태풍태양 | CF cameraman | |
| 2005 | Blood Silkworm | 혈의 누 | Villager 3 | |
| 2009 | Marine Boy | 마린보이 | VIP Member 2 | |
| 2015 | The Black Priests | 검은 사제들 | Professor | |
| 2016 | Detective Hong Gil-dong: The Lost Village | 탐정 홍길동: 사라진 마을 | TV Debate Professor | |
| 2017 | The Mayor | 특별시민 | Park Won | |
| 2019 | Lucky Chan-sil | 찬실이는 복도 많지 | Director Ji | Cameo |
| 2019 | Ruby | 루비 | Director | |

### Television

List of television series :
| Year | Title | Title | Role | Note | Ref. |
| Year | English | Original | Role | Note | Ref. |
| 2017 | Prison Playbook | 슬기로운 감빵생활 | Pastor's prison guard | tvN | |
| 2018 | KBS Drama Special: "Review Notebook of My Embarrassing Days" | 나의 흑역사 오답노트 | Professor Bong | KBS | |
| 2018 | My Mister | 나의 아저씨 | Go Jin-beom | tvN | |
| 2018 | Mr. Sunshine | 미스터 션샤인 | Go Sa-Hong's relative | tvN | ep.10 |
| 2019 | Her Private Life | 그녀의 사생활 | Noh Seok Photographer | tvN | |
| 2019 | Be Melodramatic | 멜로가 체질 | Jin-joo’s father | JTBC | |
| 2019 | Vagabond | 배가본드 | Choi Jeong-woon - Airplane captain | SBS TV | |
| 2020 | My Unfamiliar Family | 아는 건 별로 없지만 | Yoo Seon-il | tvN | |
| 2020 | Melting Me Softly | 날 녹여주오 | Doctor Yoon | tvN | |
| 2020 | Record of Youth | 청춘기록 | Won Tae-kyeong | tvN | |
| 2020 | More Than Friends | 경우의 수 | Kyung Man-ho | JTBC | |
| 2020 | True Beauty | 여신강림 | Kang Joon-hyuk | tvN | |
| 2020 | Sell Your Haunted House | 대박부동산 | Yang Woo-Jin's father | KBS2 | Ep. 1 |
| 2021 | Hometown Cha-Cha-Cha | 갯마을 차차차 | Yoon Tae-ha | tvN | |
| 2023 | My Demon | 마이 데몬 | Priest | tvN | |
| 2024 | Queen of Tears | 눈물의 여왕 | Dr. Park Jin-kook | tvN | |

## Stage
### Theater

All works as Member of Theater Company Michu (1992 to 1997) :
| Year | Title | Title | Role | Theatre | Date | Ref. |
| Year | English | Korean | Role | Theatre | Date | Ref. |
| 1992 | 16th Seoul Theatre Festival: Strangers | (제16회) 서울연극제 : 이방인들 | Lee Ju-seok | Literary Centre Big Theatre | September 2 to 7 | |
| 1993 | Namsadang's Sky | 남사당의 하늘 | Beonaso | National Theatre of Korea Grand Theatre | June 18 to 24 | |
| 1993 | Incense Day | 제향날 | soldier, commander, friend, primitive person | Cultural Center Small Theater | November 26 to 29 | |
| 1994 | Macbeth | 맥베드 | Macbeth | Arts and Culture Center Grand Theater | May 24–30 | |
| 1994 | Namsadang's Sky | 남사당의 하늘 | Beonaso | National Theatre of Korea Grand Theatre | June 18 to 26 | |
| 1994 | General Oh’s Claw | 오장군의 발톱 | Sergeant, Driver | Seoul Arts Center Towol Theater | November 22 to 25 | |
| 1995 | General Oh’s Claw | 오장군의 발톱 | Sergeant, Driver | National Theatre of Korea Small Theatre | June 5 to 17 | |
| 1995 | From heaven to earth - Gyunwoo and Jiknyeo | 하늘에서 땅에서 - 견우와 직녀 | Elders of Heaven | National Theatre of Korea Grand Theatre | November 25 to 29 | |
| 1995 | The Good Person of Szechwan | 사천사는 착한사람 | | Jeonbuk Cultural Center | December 16 to 17, 1995 | |
| 1996 | In the mountains when spring comes | 봄이오면 산에들에 | | | | |
| 1996 | Tom Tom Nangrang Tom, Love Story of Hodong and Nangrang | 둥둥 낙랑 둥 | Dwarf | Seoul Art Center CJ Towol Theater | July 12–24 | |

### Theater performances started from 2001

Theater Performances started from 2001 :
| Year | Title | Title | Role | Theater | Date | Ref. |
| Year | English | Korean | Role | Theater | Date | Ref. |
| 1998 | Flower Swing | 꽃그네 | Geo Seung-pae | National Theatre of Korea Small Theatre | March 13 to 22 | |
| 1999 | 23rd Seoul Theater Festival: White Circle | (제23회) 서울연극제 : 하얀 동그라미 | | Hakjeon Blue Small Theater | September 4 to October 17 | |
| 2001 | The Wedding Day | 맹진사댁 경사 | Close Relative | National Theatre Daloreum Theatre | January 21 to 28 | |
| 2001 | Secret History of King Gongmin, Pamonggi | 공민왕 비사, 파몽기 | People | National Theatre Haeoreum Theatre | March 23 to April 1 | |
| 2001 | When I Turned Nine | 나 어릴적에 | Close up philosopher, Geum Boklee’s father | National Theatre Daloreum Theatre | May 3 to 25 | |
| 2001 | Hamlet | 햄릿 | nobleman, norwegian soldier, guildenstern | National Theatre Haeoreum Theatre | September 7 to 16 | |
| 2002 | Presto Korea Fantasy | 마르고 닳도록 | Secretary of the Embassy, Don Carlos Secundo | National Theatre Daloreum Theatre | February 8 to 17 | |
| 2002 | Ki-saeng-bi-saeng ChunhyangJeon | 기생비생 춘향전 | Corpse’s brother | National Theatre Daloreum Theatre | April 9 to 21 | |
| 2002 | Korean Wooturi | 우리나라 우투리 | Donkey, Wooturi Soldier | Seoul Arts Center Jayu Small Theater | August 23–September 1 | |
| 2002 | Three Loves about Family - Home | 집 | Brother in law | National Theatre Daloreum Theatre | September 4 to 10 | |
| 2002 | Julius Caesar | 줄리어스 시저 | Citizen, Athedorus, Klitters | National Theatre Daloreum Theatre | November 29 to December 8 | |
| 2003 | Three Loves about Family - Home | 집 | Brother in law | National Theatre Daloreum Theatre | February 14 to 23 | |
| 2003 | Titus Andronicus | 타이터스 앤드러니커스 | Saturninus | National Theatre Daloreum Theatre | April 18 to 25 | |
| 2003 | Problematic Human Yeoun-san | 문제적 인간 연산 | Instead of young 2 | National Theatre Daloreum Theatre | September 11 to 21 | |
| 2004 | Thunderstorm | 뇌우 | Jo Woo-ping | National Theatre Daloreum Theatre | April 1 to 7 | |
| 2004 | The Bourgeois Gentleman | 귀족놀이 | Swordsman Teacher, Mufti | National Theatre Daloreum Theatre | September 11 to 24 | |
| 2005 | The Robbers | 떼도적 | Spiegelberg | National Theatre Haeoreum Theatre | April 29 to May 28 | |
| 2005 | Splash | 물보라 | Yong-man | National Theatre Daloreum Theatre | June 9 to 19 | |
| 2005 | The Wedding Day | 맹진사댁 경사 | Close Relative | National Theatre Daloreum Theatre | November 9 to 13 | |
| 2005 | Story of a Stairway | 어느 계단 이야기 | Urbano | National Theatre Daloreum Theatre | April 1 to 12 | |
| 2006 | The Bourgeois Gentleman | 귀족놀이 | Swordsman Teacher, Mufti | National Theatre Daloreum Theatre | June 3 to 11 | |
| 2006 | Our Town | 우리 읍내 | Choir Sosi | National Theatre Daloreum Theatre | July 21 to August 6 | |
| 2006 | Life Cord | 태 | Dan-jong | National Theatre Daloreum Theatre | November 10 to 19 | |
| 2007 | The Yellow Inn | 황색여관 | Lawyer | National Theater Byuloreum Theater | March 22 to April 8 | |
| 2007 | Wildfire | 산불 | Won-tae | National Theatre Daloreum Theatre | June 22 to 29 | |
| 2007 | Life Cord | 태 | Dan-jong | National Theatre Daloreum Theatre | September 11, 2007 – September 23, 2007 | |
| 2007 | Terrorist Hamlet | 테러리스트 햄릿 | Hamlet | National Theatre Daloreum Theatre | November 6, 2007 – November 24, 2007 | |
| 2007–2008 | Winter Sunflower | 겨울 해바라기 | Tsuyuko | National Theater Byuloreum Theater | December 27, 2007 to January 6, 2008 | |
| 2008 | Terrorist Hamlet | 테러리스트 햄릿 | Hamlet | National Theater Daloreum Theater | March 14 to 23 | |
| 2008 | The Centennial Promise | 백년언약 | man, rooster | National Theater Haeoreum Theater | May 28, 2008 – June 1, 2008 | |
| 2008 | Terrorist Hamlet | 테러리스트 햄릿 | Hamlet | National Theater Daloreum Theater | September 18 to 26 | |
| 2009 | Three Sisters | 세자매 | Staff Captain Vassily Vasilyevich Solyony | Myeongdong Arts Theater, Seoul | September 4 to 13 | |
| 2009 | New Birds | 새 새 | Persuasion | National Theater of Korea Haneul Theater | April 4 to 10 | |
| 2009 | Tom Tom Nangrang Tom, Love Story of Hodong and Nangrang | 둥둥 낙랑 둥 | Uncle, Lion | National Theater of Korea Haneul Theater | December 22 to 27 | |
| 2010 | Tom Tom Nangrang Tom, Love Story of Hodong and Nangrang | 둥둥 낙랑 둥 | Uncle, Lion | National Theater of Korea Haneul Theater | January 6 to 15 | |
| 2010 | Macbeth Below the Equator | 적도아래의 맥베스 | Kim Choon-gil | Myeongdong Arts Theater | October 2, 2010 – October 14, 2010 | |
| 2011 | The Author | 디 오써 | Writer | Doosan Art Center Space111 | April 26, 2011 – May 28, 2011 | |
| 2011 | Woyzeck | 보이체크 | Franz Woyzeck | Daehakro Arts Theater Grand Theater | August 21, 2011 – September 10, 2011 | |
| 2012 | The Song of Spring Flows to the Sea | 봄의 노래는 바다에 흐르고 | Lieutenant General Shinoda | Namsan Arts Center Drama Center | June 12, 2012 – July 1, 2012 | |
| 2012 | Long Day's Journey into Night | 밤으로의 긴 여로 | Edmund | Myeongdong Arts Theater | October 19, 2012 – November 11, 2012 | |
| 2013 | The Story of Blue Boat | 푸른배 이야기 | Governor, I, Captain Nam Ho-cheol, Hong Gil, Dal-young, local residents | National Theater of Korea Small Theater | March 8, 2013 – March 24, 2013 | |
| 2013 | Hot Spring in Asia | 아시아 온천 | — | CJ Towol Theater, Seoul Arts Center | June 10, 2013 – June 16, 2013 | |
| 2013 | The Story of Blue Boat (Yeong-yang) | 푸른배 이야기 | Governor, I, Captain Nam Ho-cheol, Hong Gil, Dal-young, local residents | Nutrition Culture and Sports Centre | July 11 | |
| 2014 | Whale | 고래 | Jo-jang | Sogang University Mary Hall | April 17, 2014 – May 4, 2014 | |
| 2014 | The Shadow Boy | 그림자 아이 | Kwon | National Theater Baekseonghui Changminho Theater | October 24, 2014 – November 2, 2014 | |
| 2015 | Three Sisters | 세자매 | Staff Captain Vassily Vasilyevich Solyony | Sogang University Mary Hall Grand Theater in Sinsu-dong, Seoul | October 30 to November 8 | |
| 2015 | Chimerica | 차이메리카 | Joe Schofield | Doosan Art Center Space111 | April 14, 2015 – May 16, 2015 | |
| 2016 | Copenhagen | 코펜하겐 | Werner Heisenberg | Dongsoong Art Center Studio Theater | July 14, 2016 – July 31, 2016 | |
| 2017 | Wonmu Intel | 원무인텔 | Kang Jung-hwan | Jin Theatre (formerly Algwahaek Small Theater) | May 4, 2017 – May 14, 2017 | |
| 2017 | Delinquent Youth | 불량청년 | — | 30 Studio | May 25, 2017 – June 11, 2017 | |
| 2017 | Delinquent Youth | 불량청년 | — | Naru Art Center Main Theater | June 17, 2017 – June 25, 2017 | |
| 2018 | Lonely person, difficult person, sad person | 외로운 사람, 힘든 사람, 슬픈 사람 | Aleksandr Vladimirovich Serebryakov | Doosan Art Center Space111 | October 5, 2018 – October 27, 2018 | |
| 2022 | Merry Christmas, Mom | 메리크리스마스, 엄마 | Son | JTN Art Hall 1 | February 24, 2022 – February 27, 2022 | |
| 2022 | Two Popes | 두 교황 | Pope Benedict XVI | KEPCO Art Center | August 30, 2022 – October 30, 2022 | |

## Accolades
### Award

List of Award(s) :
| Award | Year | Category | Works | Result | Ref. |
| Korean Drama Award | 2008 | Best Actor | Terrorist Hamlet | Won | |

### State honors

List of State Honour(s) :
| Country | Organization | Year | Honor | Ref. |
| South Korea | The Minister of Culture, Sports and Tourism | 2008 | Commendation from the Minister of Culture, Sports and Tourism for play Terrorist Hamlet | |
| South Korea | The Minister of Culture, Sports and Tourism | 2010 | Commendation from the Minister of Culture, Sports and Tourism For former members of the National Theater Company | |