Kim Seon-ho

Kim Seon-ho (born May 8, 1986) is a South Korean actor. He began his career on stage and appeared in numerous plays before making his screen debut in 2017 with Good Manager. He rose to prominence with the television series Start-Up (2020) and gained more recognition for his main role in Hometown Cha-Cha-Cha (2021).
In 2021, he was selected as Gallup Korea's Television Actor of the Year.
Early years and education
Kim grew up as an only child in Bongcheon-dong, a neighborhood in Seoul. He describes himself as introverted and insecure during his childhood and teenage years, which he attributes to a traumatic incident in his childhood. During a home robbery, his mother was stabbed with a knife, and Kim narrowly escaped the attack by hiding under his bed. He slowly overcame this trauma through acting after enrolling in an acting academy during his third year of high school.
After finishing high school, Kim studied at the Seoul Institute of the Arts where he received a degree from the Department of Broadcasting and Entertainment. During his studies, he joined his campus theater club . In the theater club, Kim started to act in plays such as My Town, The Seagull, and Chunpung's Wife.
Kim completed his mandatory military enlistment in 2007 before his debut as an actor. He served as an assistant instructor at Nonsan Army Training Center and later switched to working as a public service worker. His time in the military broadened his worldview.
Career
2009–2016: Theatrical work
Kim first professional stage role was in the open-run production of New Boeing Boeing (an adaptation of the French play of the same name) in 2009, which he reprised in 2013. In 2012, Kim acted the role Dr. Watson to Korean production of William Gillette's play Sherlock Holmes. At the end of 2013, Kim took on the main lead role in play Words I Couldn't Say for 7 Years, written and directed by Park Jung-in, at Daehakro Moonlight Theater. In March 2014, Kim reprised his role at the Figaro Art Hall in Jung-gu, Ulsan.
In autumn of the same year, Kim was triple-cast in 10th season of Aligator Theater Company's play Rooftop House Cat. Kim won the role of protagonist Lee Kyung-min after beating around 200 hopefuls in an open audition. Then, He was then recast for following season 11th and season 12th. In 2015 he was cast for another title role in the Aligator Theater Company's play Purpose of Love. Both plays are popular Daehakro (comparable to Off-Broadway) romantic comedy open-run plays.
Later, he expanded his repertoire with darker roles in limited-run plays produced by Aligator Theater Company. In 2015, Kim auditioned for Austin role in Korean revival of Sam Shepard's acclaimed True West, directed by Oh Man-seok. He was triple-cast as Austin with Lee Hyun-wook and Moon Sung-il. They alternately acted opposite Jeon Seok-ho, Kim Jun-won, and Lee Dae-il, who played Austin older brother Lee. 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. Also in 2015, he played Valentin in Korean stage adaptation of Manuel Puig's play Kiss of the Spider Woman at the Art One Theater, Seoul. Kim found minor success and earned the nickname "theater idol."
In 2016, Kim challenged himself by auditioning for multiple roles in Theater Ganda's production of John Cariani's omnibus play, Almost, Maine. Kim was cast after breaking through the competition rate of 200 to 1 and performed as part of second team from April 2012. Also in 2016, Kim did two back-to-back plays with Aligator Theater Company. He reprised his role as Austin in Korean encore performance of playwright Sam Shepard's play True West Return. Then appeared in 2016 revival of the hit play Closer, by Patrick Marber, opposite Bae Seong-woo, Kim So-jin, and Park So-dam. His explosive energy onstage earned him critical recognition. In November 2016, Kim joined Park Dong-wook's playVoice of Millenium. The play was produced by Space to Create, a theater company founded by Ahn Hyuk-won and Jeon Seok-ho. Directed by Park Seon-hee, it was performed from November 5 to December 31 at Dongsoong Art Center Dongsoong Small Theater.
2017–2019: Television debut
Kim made his screen debut at the beginning of 2017 in the KBS2 office drama Good Manager, after auditioning at the suggestion of producer who watched his performance in the play Closer. Kim's next project Strongest Deliveryman, for which he initially auditioned for a supporting role, marked his first appearance in a main role onscreen. Both roles earned him nomination for Best New Actor Award at the 2017 KBS Drama Awards.
Later in 2017, Kim starred opposite Jo Jung-suk and in MBC action comedy Two Cops as a sly conman. He originally auditioned for a supporting role, however the director upgraded him to second lead after re-watching his audition clip. For his performance, Kim earned two awards at the 2017 MBC Drama Awards. While the drama was still airing, he reprised his role onstage as Valentin in encore performance of Kiss of the Spider Woman.
In 2018, Kim portrayed the lead role of a painter in the drama special You Drive Me Crazy, which aired for four episodes in May. In April of the same year, he also starred in the historical drama 100 Days My Prince, as Jung Jae-yoon, a genius yangban with a lower status as the illegitimate son of a concubine. His character also suffered from prosopagnosia. This marked his first historical and preproduction drama, and the series became one of the highest-rated series in Korean cable television history. In September that year, Kim joined after the termination of his contract with Aligator Theater Company.
Moving on to 2019, in March, Kim played an aspiring singer in the JTBC comedy series Welcome to Waikiki 2. He joined the new cast members Shin Hyun-soo, Ahn So-hee, Moon Ga-young, and Kim Ye-won. Additionally, Lee Yi-kyung from the season 1 also joined the second season. Later in October 2019, Kim starred in the tvN investigative crime drama Catch the Ghost opposite veteran actress Moon Geun-young. This marked his second leading role in a full-length series following Welcome to Waikiki 2. On November 5, 2019, Kim joined the cast of the fourth season of the KBS2 reality show 2 Days & 1 Night; and received the Rookie Award at the 2020 KBS Entertainment Awards for his work on the show.
In his final project of 2019, Kim appeared in the play Memory in dream. Once again, he showcased his ticket-selling power as all tickets for the episodes he appeared in—the first, second, and third rounds—sold out within five minutes of the ticket window opening. Kim performed a total of 33 shows, attracting approximately 4,700 theater audiences.
2020–present: Breakthrough, mainstream success, and back to the theater
Kim returned to the small screen in October 2020 through the tvN drama Start-Up. His portrayal of a start-up investor with a tragic past was well-received by viewers and garnered him a nomination for the Baeksang Arts Award for Best Supporting Actor – Television. During the airing of Start-Up, Kim topped the monthly brand reputation ranking index by the Korean Business Research Institute and experienced a surge in popularity domestically and internationally.
He made his comeback to theatre in January 2021 in Jang Jin's two-hander play Ice, in which he played a detective trying to inculpate a young man in a murder case. The play performed at S Theater, Sejong Center for the Performing Arts. It was reported that at the same time as the ticket opening date, all of Kim Seon-ho's appearances were sold out.
Kim collaborated with to release the single "Reason" on May 8, 2021, which he sang and co-wrote, having previously appeared in the latter's music video. It was a surprise gift for Kim prepared for his fans, expressing his feelings through the lyric and music video. On May 16, 2021, Kim reprised his role as Detective Lee Jong-ryeol, opposite veteran actor Jung Woong-in, in special encore play Ice, as second performance of "2021 Play Ten Thousand Won Series", at Seongnam Arts Center.In August 2021, he starred in the tvN drama Hometown Cha-Cha-Cha alongside Shin Min-a, where he played an officially unemployed but all-around handyman in a seaside village of Gongjin. Aired on tvN and Netflix, the series was both a domestic and international hit with audience ratings peaking at 13.322% and went on to become one of the highest-rated television series in Korean cable television history. In September 2021, during Hometown Cha-Cha-Cha's airing, Kim once again topped Korean Business Research Institute's brand reputation ranking index. According to Good Data Corporation, Kim topped actor category in TV Topicality from 3rd week of August to the 4th week of September, from 1st to 2nd week of October, and ranked second in the 5th week of September 2021. The series garnered positive reviews from critiques.
In December 2021, he ranked first place in Gallup Korea's Television Actor of the Year. He also started to film his first debut feature film, directed by Park Hoon-jung, The Childe. The first script reading was held on December 3, 2021 and principal photography began on December 10, 2021. Kim departed for Thailand on March 31, 2022, for the shooting of the film. The film was released theatrically in South Korea on June 21, 2023 in South Korea, Indonesia and Taiwan. Kim's portrayal of the nobleman earned critical acclaim, leading to his win of the New Actor Award in the film category at the Buil Film Awards in October 2023.
In May 2022, it was announced that Kim will return to the theater with the third work of The 9th Best Plays Festival, play Touching the Void by David Greig. It is based on the true story of the survival of two British mountain climbers, Joe Simpson and Simon Yates. Kim was triple casts with and for the role of Joe Simpson. The Korean premiere, directed by Kim Dong-yeon, was performed at Art One Theater 2 in Daehangno from July 8 to September 18, 2022. Interpark reported that tickets for Kim's performances in a 250-seat theater were sold out. Later, Kim donated the full amount of his theater fee. Kim received a nomination for Best Actor in a play in the Interpark Golden Ticket Awards for his performance in April 2023.
Acemaker Movieworks, a film distributor, announced in January of 2023 that the principal photography of Tyrant had commenced on January 2nd. The movie is a neo-noir action film directed by Park Hoon-jung, and stars Kim alongside Cha Seung-won and Kim Kang-woo.
In June 2023, Kim made a return to the drama genre with a new series tentatively titled "Mangnaein" (translated literally as "Netizen"), directed by veteran director Kim Jee-woon. It has been reported that the series recently finished its script reading and is scheduled to begin filming at the end of June. Prior to this, at the 'Yong Film Night' event on December 7, 2022, it was announced that Kim Jee-woon will co-direct the OTT series with Park Bo-ram. The series is an adaptation of the crime novel 'Second Sister' by Hong Kong writer Chan Ho Kei. Yong Film is producing the series in collaboration with Anthology Studio and SK Global.
On July 4, 2023, an official statement was released by agency , announcing that actor Kim Seon-ho would be appearing in the play Realise Happiness. This play is an adaptation of the 2019 play Memory in Dream and has now been adapted to a Korean setting, including Korean names. On October 20, 2023, the production company Content Haap unveiled the casting lineup. Kim Seon-ho and Ahn Woo-yeon were cast in the roles of Kim Woo-jin, a character who aspires to become a photographer. Kim Seon-ho, who previously portrayed the character Eden in the original version, is expected to bring a more multidimensional portrayal to the role. The play is scheduled to be staged at the TOM 2 Theater in Daehak-ro, starting from December 5th.
Endorsements
Following his rise in popularity in 2020, Kim has been chosen as the face of various brands in South Korea and Southeast Asia. His endorsements have included clothing, electronics, cosmetics, food, e-commerce and more. Some of the brands endorsed by Kim achieved record sales in 2021; this has been labelled "The Kim Seon-Ho Effect", attributed to his rapid rise in popularity both in Korea and internationally.
In the end of May, 2021, Kim made an appearance in special video of the "2021 P4G Seoul Summit," which was South Korea's first environment multi-lateral summit. In the video, Kim introduces venture company's solar panel support project in Africa. The video was released on Naver TV, KakaoTV and YouTube Channel of Korea Blue House.
Starting from the fall of 2022, Kim has been actively participating in numerous offline events for the brands he represents. One such event was organized by Asiado Co., Ltd., the company behind the Miima Mask brand, at their offline pop-up store in Gangnam. The fan signing event took place on November 12, 2022, and served as a way for the company to express their gratitude to customers who have supported both the brand and Kim Seon-ho. To attend the event, fans had to apply through the official company online shopping mall during the month of October, and 100 winners were randomly selected. The company hopes that all attendees had a wonderful experience at the fan signing event.
In April 2023, Kim Seon-ho was selected as the model for the domestic sports brand Ballop, which is a Korean sports brand developed by GTS Global. The brand is currently running a campaign titled 'Always with me,' featuring Kim as its exclusive model. Then, in May, Kim also signed an exclusive contract as a presenter for the Thai Kombucha brand, Teacha. On May 5, 2023, the brand organized a special event called "Teacha Exclusive Event with Kim Seon-ho" to provide an opportunity for Kim Seon-ho to meet his Thai fans. The event took place at True Icon Hall, Floor 7, Hall 1&2, located in Icon Siam.
In August of the same year, the Philippine fashion brand Bench unveiled Kim Seon-ho as one of its global ambassadors, adding him to a lineup that includes numerous other Asian superstars. This announcement coincided perfectly with the brand's 35th anniversary. In 2023, Kim participated in an event organized by Bench, held on July 22 at the Araneta Coliseum in Manila, Philippines. Despite the heat, the event drew a crowd of over 6,000 local fans who enthusiastically attended. Furthermore, the clothing Kim Seon-ho wore upon his arrival for the event sold out immediately after its release. Notably, the content related to Kim Seon-ho and the brand garnered significant popularity, making it the top trending topic on real-time social media platforms like SNS X in the Philippines.
Public image
On October 17, 2021, a user who identified herself as the ex-girlfriend of "Actor K" (later revealed to be Kim) made allegations on a Korean internet forum that the actor had coerced her into getting an abortion while the two were dating. On October 20, 2021, in light of his ex-girlfriend's claims, Kim issued a public apology through his agency. As reports of the ex-girlfriend's claims spread, multiple advertisers halted campaigns that featured Kim, which according to Korea's Daily included popular international brands such as an American pizza restaurant chain and a Japanese camera brand. Kim stepped down from the permanent cast of the KBS variety show 2 Days & 1 Night, and subsequently withdrew from film projects Dog Days and 2 O'Clock Date.
On October 20, 2021, Kim's ex-girlfriend issued a new statement revealing that Kim had apologised to her personally; she also stated that there had been misunderstandings between them and expressed remorse at causing unintentional damage. On October 26, 2021, a South Korean media outlet published evidence challenging the accusations of Kim's ex-girlfriend, citing sources from close acquaintances of both parties; the report concluded that the decision to abort was mutual, that Kim had been supportive throughout the process, and that the pair had broken up the following year due to questionable circumstances involving the ex-girlfriend. Following the new reports, seven companies resumed advertisements featuring Kim. The production team of the film The Childe also announced their decision to retain Kim as a main cast member.
Philanthropy
On January 27, 2021, his agency confirmed that he donated (approximately $90,300) to the Korea Childhood Leukemia Foundation. His agency stated, "In return for the support and love he received from many people, he donated with the hope that it might be even a bit of help for children and their families who are going through a hard time." In September 2021, he partnered with Marco Rojo for the 'Happy Bean Special Funding' project raising money for better residential conditions for the elderly. Three days after the opening of the fund on September 3, the fundraising surpassed , exceeding the target amount by 3600%. In December 2021, he quietly donated to the Korea Leukemia Children's Foundation. The donation was not disclosed, because of Kim's request. His agency also declined to comment and stated, "We know it was done personally because he wanted to be of some help."
In September 2022, Kim donated the full amount of his theater fee from play Touching the Void to help the victims of Typhoon Hinnamnor. Kim made the donation through The Hope Bridge Korea Disaster Relief Association.
On December 10th and 11th, 2022, Kim held an offline fan meeting at Daeyang Hall, Sejong University in Seoul. The proceeds of the fan meeting were planned to be donated. Afterwards, Kim posted a message on his personal social media to express his gratitude to the fans. In May 2023, which happened to be Kim's birthday, Chairman Shin Hee-young of The Korean Red Cross announced that Kim had donated from the proceeds of his fan meeting to support young adults. This donation was made on May 8, Kim's birthday, which is also World Red Cross Day. Kim decided to allocate the funds to this cause through a fan vote.
Filmography
Film
Television series
Web series
Television shows
Music video appearances
Stage
Theater
Musical concert
Discography
Singles
Awards and nominations
Listicles
Notes
References
External links
1986 births
Living people
21st-century South Korean male actors
Male actors from Seoul
Seoul Institute of the Arts alumni
South Korean male stage actors
South Korean male television actors
South Korean male film actors
South Korean television personalities