Kim Seon-ho

Kim Seon-ho(Korean:김선호,IPA:[kimˈsʰɘ(ː)nβo̞]; 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 withGood Manager. He rose to prominence with the television seriesStart-Up(2020) and gained more recognition for his role inHometown Cha-Cha-Cha(2021), which led to him being selected asGallup Korea's Television Actor of the Yearin 2021.
He made his debut in the film industry as the title role in the noir filmThe Childe(2023).
Born inSeongbuk-gu,Seoul, South Korea,Kim grew up as an only child inBongcheon-dong, a neighborhood inSeoul. 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 theSeoul Institute of the Artswhere he received a degree from the Department of Broadcasting and Entertainment.During his studies, he joined his campus theater clubTheatrical Art Research Society[ko].In the theater club, Kim started to act in plays such asMy Town,The Seagull, andChunpung's Wife.
Kim went for his mandatory military enlistment in 2007, before making his debut as an actor.He served as an assistant instructor atNonsan Army Training Centerand later switched to working as a public service worker. His time in the military broadened hisworldview.
Kim first professional stage role was in the open-run production ofNew Boeing Boeing(an adaptation of theFrench play of the same name)in 2009, which he reprised in 2013. In 2012, Kim acted the roleDr. Watsonto Korean production ofWilliam Gillette's playSherlock Holmes.
In 2013, after graduating from college, Kim auditioned for a play based on the stage experience he had accumulated while attending Seoul Institute of the Arts.At the end of 2013, Kim took on the main lead role in playWords 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 inJung-gu,Ulsan.
In autumn of the same year, Kim was triple-cast in season 10 of Aligator Theater Company's playRooftop House Cat.Kim won the role of protagonist Lee Kyung-min after beating around 200 hopefuls in an open audition. He was then recast for seasons 11 and 12.In 2015 he was cast for another title role in the Aligator Theater Company's playPurpose of Love.Both plays are popular Daehakro (comparable toOff-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 ofSam Shepard's acclaimedTrue West,directed byOh Man-seok.He was triple-cast as Austin withLee Hyun-wookand Moon Sung-il.They alternately acted oppositeJeon Seok-ho, Kim Jun-won, and Lee Dae-il, who played Austin older brother Lee. According toInterpark, 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 ofManuel Puig's playKiss of the Spider Womanat 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 ofJohn 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 playwrightSam Shepard's playTrue West Return.Then appeared in 2016 revival ofPatrick Marber's hit playCloser, directed byRoh Deok, oppositeBae Seong-woo,Seo Hyun-woo,Kim So-jin, andPark 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 bySpace to Create, a theater company founded by Ahn Hyuk-won andJeon Seok-ho. Directed by Park Seon-hee, it was performed from November 5 to December 31 at Dongsoong Art Center Dongsoong Small Theater.
Kim made his screen debut at the beginning of 2017 in theKBS2office dramaGood Manager, after auditioning at the suggestion of producerLee Eun-jin[ko]who watched his performance in the playCloser.Kim's next projectStrongest 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 the2017 KBS Drama Awards.
Later in 2017, Kim starred oppositeJo Jung-sukand inMBCaction comedyTwo Copsas 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 the2017 MBC Drama Awards.While the drama was still airing, he reprised his role onstage as Valentin in encore performance ofKiss of the Spider Woman.
In 2018, Kim portrayed the lead role of a painter in the drama specialYou Drive Me Crazy, which aired for four episodes in May. In April of the same year, he also starred in the historical drama100 Days My Prince, as Jung Jae-yoon, a geniusyangbanwith a lower status as the illegitimate son of a concubine. His character also suffered fromprosopagnosia. This marked his first historical and preproduction drama, and the series became one of thehighest-rated series in Korean cable television history.In September that year, Kim joinedS.A.L.T. Entertainment[ko]after the termination of his contract with Aligator Theater Company.
Moving on to 2019, in March, Kim played an aspiring singer in theJTBCcomedy seriesWelcome to Waikiki 2. He joined the new cast membersShin Hyun-soo,Ahn So-hee,Moon Ga-young, andKim Ye-won. Additionally,Lee Yi-kyungfrom theseason 1also joined the second season.Later in October 2019, Kim starred in thetvNinvestigativecrime dramaCatch the Ghostopposite veteran actressMoon Geun-young. This marked his second leading role in a full-length series followingWelcome to Waikiki 2.On November 5, 2019, Kim joined the cast of the fourth season of theKBS2reality show2 Days & 1 Night;and received the Rookie Award at the2020 KBS Entertainment Awardsfor his work on the show.
In his final project of 2019, Kim appeared in the playMemory in dream[sic].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.
Kim returned to the small screen in October 2020 through thetvNdramaStart-Up.Kim's portrayal of Han Ji-pyeong, astart-upinvestor with a tragic past, was well received by viewers. During the airing ofStart-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 received critical acclaim and won 2021Baeksang Arts Award for Most Popular Actorand nomination forBest Supporting Actor – Television.Han Ji-pyeong was also selected as one of the 2021Seoul Drama Awards' character of the year.
Kim's portrayal of Han Ji-pyeong was also praised for challenging stereotypes aboutaging out youth.The Beautiful Foundationexpressed their appreciation by sending a personal letter and gift to Kim.In 2022, Han Ji-pyeong was awarded 2nd place in the foundation's Eighteen Adults Award, which honors the best aging-out youth character inKorean drama.
He made his comeback to theatre, in January 2021 inJang Jin'stwo-handerplayIce, 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 withEpitone Project[ko]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 actorJung Woong-in, in special encore playIce,as second performance of "2021 Play Ten Thousand Won Series", atSeongnam Arts Center.
In August 2021, he starred in thetvNdramaHometown Cha-Cha-ChaalongsideShin Min-a,where he played an officially unemployed but all-around handyman in a seaside village of Gongjin. Aired ontvNandNetflix,the series was both a domestic and international hit with audience ratings peaking at 13.322% and went on to become one of thehighest-rated television series in Korean cable television history.In September 2021, duringHometown 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 inGallup Korea's Television Actor of the Year.He also started to film his first debut feature film, directed byPark Hoon-jung,The Childe. The first script reading was held on December 3, 2021andprincipal photographybegan on December 10, 2021.Kim departed for Thailand on March 31, 2022, for the shooting of the film.
Kim was announced to make a comeback to the theater in May 2022, participating in the third installment ofThe 9th Best Plays Festival,Touching the VoidbyDavid Greig. It is based on the true story of the survival of two British mountain climbers,Joe SimpsonandSimon Yates. Kim was triple casts withShin Sung-minandLee Hwi-jongin the role of Joe Simpson. The Korean premiere, directed byKim Dong-yeon, was performed at Art One Theater 2 inDaehangnofrom July 8 to September 18, 2022.According to reports fromInterpark, tickets for Kim's performances in the 250-seat theater were completely sold out.In recognition of his performance, Kim received a nomination for Best Actor in a play atInterparkGolden Ticket Awards[ko]in April 2023.After finishing the performance, Kim donated the full amount of his theater fee to a disaster relief organization.
Acemaker Movieworks, a film distributor, announced in January 2023 that theprincipal photographyof neo-noir action filmTyranthad begun on January 2. This marks the second collaboration of Kim with DirectorPark Hoon-jungand actorKim Kang-woo, and his first with actorCha Seung-won.
In June 2023, Kim made a return to small screen acting by starring in a new series tentatively titled "Mangnaein" (translated literally as "In the Net"), directed by renowned directorKim Jee-woon. Press coverages indicated that the series had successfully concluded its script reading and was scheduled to commence filming by 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 withPark Bo-ram. The series is an adaptation of the crime novel 'Second Sister' byHong KongwriterChan Ho Kei.Yong Filmis producing the series in collaboration withAnthology Studioand SK Global Entertainment.
Within the same month, the filmThe Childewas released theatrically in South Korea on June 21, 2023, as well as in Indonesia and Taiwan.Kim's portrayal of the nobleman in his debut film earned critical acclaim, leading to his win of the New Actor Award at theBuil Film Awardsand the59th Grand Bell Awardsrespectively.In December 2023, Kim was nominated in the New Actor Award category and also received the Chung Chung Won Popular Star Award at the44th Blue Dragon Film Awards, alongside actorsZo In-sung,Song Joong-ki, andPark Bo-young.He also earned nominations in the Most Popular Actor and Best New Actor categories at the subsequent year60th Baeksang Arts Awards.
Kim made a return to the stage in the production calledRealise Happiness.The announcement of Kim's involvement in the play was made byS.A.L.T. Entertainment[ko]on July 4, 2023.On October 20, 2023, Content Haap announced that Kim,Lee Dong-ha[ko], andAhn Woo-yeon, were triple-cast in the roles of Kim Woo-jin, a character aspiring to become a photographer. Kim, formerly acted as Eden in the original rendition of the play namedMemory in dream[sic], became Kim Woo-jin when the play was localized to Korean. The cast also featuredKim Seul-giandKim Na-youngas Lee Eun-soo;Im Chul-soo,Lee Si-hyung[ko], and Choi Jeong-heon as Jeong Ji-yong; as well as Lee Ji-hae, and Oh Se-mi as Seo Tae-young.It was performed from December 5, 2023 to February 18, 2024. Kim once again showcased his box-office appeal as all the tickets for the episodes he appeared in were completely sold out.
On February 19, 2024,The Tyrantstarring Kim was unveiled asDisney+2024 lineup for release in the second half of this year. It was informed to the press that althoughThe Tyrantwas initially intended for theatrical release, it was later converted into a four-part series during the editing process. The decision to expand it into an OTT Series was made to effectively showcase the individual charm of each character and highlight the directorial expertise ofPark Hoon-jungthrough distinctive and impactful scenes.
On February 26, 2024, R&D Company (D-Label) announced thatDaesung's single "Falling Slowly" would be released in March. Kim andMoon Ga-youngconfirmed their participation in the music video directed byHong Jong-chan. Teaser images featuring the actors were shared on Daesung's social media. The single was released on March 5 at 6 pm on various online music platforms.
On February 28, 2024, S.A.L.T. Entertainment revealed that Kim would appear as a guest on Season 2 of theMukbo Bro[ko]. The show, hosted byKim Jun-hyunandMoon Se-yoon, is a collaboration betweenE Channel[ko]andSBS Plusand premiered on March 25. Before the announcement, Kim and the show's hosts and crews were seen in Thailand.Kim guest-starred in the show's initial four episodes, exploringChiang MaiandChiang Dao. They enjoyed local cuisine, night markets, and donned traditional Thai attire while touring the palace.They also had the opportunity to meetSangduen "Lek" Chailert[simple]and interacted with elephants in theElephant Nature Park, which she co-founded.On their last day of the trip, Kim and Kim Jun-hyun had lunch together with Thai celebritiesMawin Thaweephon[th]andPiyawadee Maleenont[th].
On April 8, Kim made a surprise appearance atThe Childe's Japan premiere, joining Korean culture journalistMasayuki Furuya[jp]for a stage greeting attended by around 600 people. Furthermore, an exhibition showcasing Kim's film costumes were held at Marunouchi Piccadilly inShinjuku,Tokyo, and Namba Parks Cinema,Osaka, beginning on April 12 to coincide with the theatrical release of the film.
On April 30, S.A.L.T. Entertainment announced that Kim would release an original pop song, "Miracle", on various online music platforms. The song's lyrics, expressing gratitude to fans, were co-written by Kim with lyricist Kim Ji-hyang, while the song's composition was a collaboration betweenSeo Jeong-jin[ko],Gold Doo-hyun[ko], andKeeproots[ko]. Prior to its release, Kim surprised his fans by performing "Miracle" during his "2024 Kim Seon-ho Asia Tour Color+Full" inBangkok, Thailand on February 3, 2024; the song also received positive responses when performed in his next stops,Tokyo,Osaka, andManilain April.
In April 2024, Kim was confirmed as the male lead inCan This Love Be Translated?alongsideGo Youn-jung. The series, directed byYoo Young-eunand written byHong sisters, is scheduled to be released onNetflixin 2025.Filming began in June 2024, with plans to continue until early 2025.Kim and Go Youn-jung went to Japan for filming on June 24, 2024, returning to Korea on July 10.
In August, Kim attended a series of promotion activities forThe Tyrant.The OTT drama was revealed to fans in advance through a 'Top Secret Premiere Screening' that was screened at Megabox COEX at 18:50 (KST) on August 9. After the screening, a GV with the main cast of the series, including Kim, alongside actors Cha Seung-won, Kim Kang-woo, and Jo Yoon-soo, was held. In the same day at 19:00 (KST), the 'Tyrant Sample Chasing Competition' fan event held on the 5th floor of the Grand InterContinental Seoul Parnas.
In September, Kim went toCanadafor the filming ofCan This Love Be Translated?Shooting locations for the series includedCalgary,Canmore,Banff, andLake Louise.
Kim departed forItalyfrom Incheon International Airport toRomeon the morning of November 23.Kim started filming in several locations. On December 2, 2024, local media reported that Kim was filming at iconic locations inSienasuch asPiazza del Campo,Teatro dei Rozzi,Torre del Mangia, Loggia dei Nove, and Contrada della Torre.Filming continued on December 3 and 4, 2024. The next filming location will be inPerugia, where shooting is scheduled in the historic center on Thursday, December 5, Friday, December 6, and Monday, December 9, 2024.The filming will involve symbolic places in the historic center such as Piazza Italia and Via Alessi.
Following his rise in popularity in 2020, Kim Seon-ho 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 South Korea and internationally.
In May 2021, Kim Seon-ho appeared in a special video for the "2021 P4G Seoul Summit," which was South Korea's first environmental multilateral summit. In the video, he introduced a solar panel support project inAfricainitiated by a venture company. The video was released onNaver TV,KakaoTVandYouTubeChannel ofKorea Blue House.
In fall 2022, Kim participated in a fan signing event organized by Asiado Co., Ltd., the company behind the Miima Mask brand. The event took place at their pop-up store in Gangnam on November 12, 2022, to thank customers for their support. Fans applied through the official online shopping mall in October, and 100 winners were randomly selected to attend.
In April 2023, Kim was named the exclusive model for the Korean sports brand Ballop, which launched a campaign titled "Always with Me."In May 2023, Kim signed an exclusive contract as a presenter for the Thai kombucha brand Teacha. The brand hosted a special event called "Teacha Exclusive Event with Kim Seon-ho" on May 5, 2023, in Bangkok, Thailand, where he met with the press and his Thai fans.In July 2023, Kim was appointed a global ambassador for the Philippine fashion brand Bench,coinciding with the brand's 35th anniversary.He participated in an event organized by Bench on July 22 atAraneta ColiseuminManila, which attracted over 6,000 fans. The clothing he wore quickly sold out, and content related to him and the brand became a trending topic on social media platforms in the Philippines.
In February 2024, NutriAsia'sUFC, aPhilippinefood brand, announced a new line of Korean-inspired meal mixes with Kim as the endorser. He also collaborated with UFC for hisManila"Color+Full" Asia Tour, held on April 13, 2024, at theSM Mall of Asia Arena.In May 2024, Thai brand Dr. Pong appointed Kim as their first brand presenter for their skincare products, aiming to leverage his popularity to enhance visibility and sales.Kim departed forBangkokon September 7, 2024, to attend the "Dr. PONG x KIM SEON HO: Effective Love Meet & Greet" event scheduled for September 8 at Paragon Hall, Siam Paragon Shopping Mall. He was welcomed by fans atSuvarnabhumi Airportupon his arrival.In fall 2024, Kim was appointed ambassador for the Mr. Muscle campaign bySC Johnsonin Malaysia and Philippines.He was also selected as the ambassador for its sister brand, Duck Thailand. The campaign invite customer of the three countries to participate in a special activity for a chance to win a grand prize: round-trip airfare and a tour package to South Korea for two people.
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 Koreaninternet forumthat the actor hadcoerced her into getting an abortionwhile 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 show2 Days & 1 Night,and subsequently withdrew from film projectsDog DaysandPretty Crazy.
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 filmThe Childealso announced their decision to retain Kim as a main cast member.
In June 2018, Kim participated in theIce Bucket Challenge, a fundraising campaign underway by USALS Associationto develop treatments forALSand to help patients.
On January 27, 2021, Kim's agencyS.A.L.T. Entertainment[ko]confirmed that he donated ₩100 million (approximately $90,300) to the Korea Childhood Leukemia Foundation (KCLF).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, Kim 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 ₩100 million, exceeding the target amount by 3600%.
In February 2022, it was reported that Kim donated ₩50 million to the KCLFin mid-December the previous year. The donation was initially undisclosed due to Kim's request. His agency stated, "We know it was done personally because he wanted to be of some help."In September 2022, through the Hope Bridge Korea Disaster Relief Association,Kim donated the full amount of his theater fee from playTouching the Voidto help the victims ofTyphoon Hinnamnor.
In December 2022, Kim held his first offline fan meeting, "2022 Kim Seon-ho Fan Meeting: One, Two, Three, Smile," atDaeyang Hall, Sejong UniversityinSeoulon December 10 and 11.In May 2023, Chairman Shin Hee-young of theKorean Red Crossannounced that Kim had donated ₩100 million from his fan meeting's proceeds to supportaging out youth.This donation was made on May 8, 2023, coinciding with Kim's birthday andWorld Red Cross and Red Crescent Day. The funds were allocated based on a voting process among Kim's fans.
In the following year, Kim completed his first 2023 fan meeting, "2023 Kim Seon-ho Asia Tour: One, Two, Three, Smile," engaging with over 40,000 international fans. The tour included stops inManilain January,Bangkokin February,Hong Kongin April,TokyoandTaipeiin May,Jakartain June,Kuala Lumpurin August, and Singapore in September.On May 8, 2024, theKorean Red Crossannounced that Kim donated ₩100 million from the proceeds from his 2023 Asia tour to helpaging out youth.The funds were allocated based on a voting process among Kim's fans, "Seonhohada." The donation aims to support aging out youth in their preparations for self-reliance and the pursuit of new beginnings and dreams. The 2023 ₩100 million donation was utilized by the Korean Red Cross to provide essential support to 146aging out youth,including daily necessities, learning devices, exam fees, medical expenses, and improvements to their living environments. It also included a healing camp program to ensure their mental well-being. The 2024 donations will be allocated to areas such as economics, emotions, and health, providing practical assistance for their self-reliance preparations.
Kim was among the celebrities who donated belongings for the 2024 Anseong Pyeonggang Princess Shelter Benefit Bazaar. This event, held on November 3 by the Blue Angel Volunteer Group in collaboration with the abandoned dog volunteer group Himnaegae, aimed to support the Pyeonggang Princess Shelter, which is home to approximately 230 dogs and 150 cats.