Yoo Seung-ho

Yoo Seung-ho

Yoo in December 2018

Born August 17, 1993 (age 30)

Incheon, South Korea

Alma mater Baekshin High School

Occupation Actor

Years active 1999–present

Agent YG Entertainment

Korean name

Hangul 유승호

Hanja 俞承豪
 Revised Romanization Yu Seung-ho

McCune–Reischauer Yu Sŭngho

Yoo Seung-ho (Korean: 유승호; born August 17, 1993) is a South Korean actor who
rose to fame as a child actor in the film The Way Home (2002). Since then, he has
starred in many television series and movie films as a child and teenager.
After his two-year mandatory military service, he starred in the legal
drama Remember (2015), historical films Joseon Magician (2015) and Seondal: The
Man Who Sells the River (2016) as well as historical drama The Emperor: Owner of the
Mask (2017), romance comedy series I'm Not a Robot (2017), and SBS's high school
drama My Strange Hero (2018).
Early life and education[edit]
Born and raised in Incheon, Yoo is the younger of two siblings, he later claimed that his
family had been poor.[1]
Yoo graduated from Baekshin High School in February 2012. He decided not to pursue
a college degree in order to concentrate on his acting career.[2][3][4]
Career[edit]
1999–2009: Beginnings as a child actor[edit]
Yoo made his entertainment debut in a cellphone commercial in 1999 after Yoo's
mother sent in a photo of her son to an ad agency.[1]
In 2000 Yoo began his career as a child actor, first appearing in the television
drama Daddy Fish.[5] He rose to stardom in his first film The Way Home, playing a bratty
city boy who learns to appreciate country life when he's forced to spend the summer
with his deaf-mute grandmother.[6] The low-budget film was a surprise box office hit in
2002, drawing more than 4 million admissions.[7] He was then affectionately labeled as
"Nation's Little Brother".[8] Thereafter, Yoo also starred in animal movie Hearty
Paws (2006) about a boy and his beloved dog, and Unforgettable (2008) about school
children from a remote island who go on a field trip to a candy factory in Seoul during
the 1970s.[9][10][11]
He continued acting in television, appearing in Magic Warriors Mir & Gaon (2005), an
adventure series for children. Yoo further built his filmography, playing younger
counterparts of male protagonists in television dramas, including general Yi Sun-
sin in Immortal Admiral Yi Sun-sin (2004), King Seongjong in The King and I (2007),
and Gwanggaeto the Great in The Legend (2007).[12]
In 2009, Yoo starred in the action film City of Fathers and thriller film 4th Period
Mystery.[13][14] He also played Kim Chunchu in the period epic Queen Seondeok.[15]
2010–2014: Teen roles[edit]
 Yoo at the Adidas Marathon in November 2012.
In his teens, Yoo was cast in one of the major roles in Master of Study (2010), a Korean
screen adaptation of Japanese manga Dragon Zakura.[16][17][18] He then played a more
mature role in Flames of Desire, as the second-generation son of a
wealthy chaebol family who is uninterested in the battles of succession among his
relatives and becomes a married man at 21.[19] Later that year, Yoo sang a duet with
singer/actress IU titled "Believe in Love" for the charity program Love Request. The
song's lyrics was based on a diary that Yoo had written while seeing orphans of war in
the slums of Sri Lanka.[20]
In 2011, Yoo trained in swordplay and martial arts in his role as an assassin in Warrior
Baek Dong-soo, an action-period drama based on the manhwa by Lee Jae-heon.[21] He
also voiced Greenie, Leafie's adopted son, on Leafie, a Hen into the Wild, which was
adapted from a bestselling children's novel by Hwang Sun-mi.[22] He then co-starred
with Kim Ha-neul in the thriller Blind.[23]
In 2012, Yoo was cast in his first role as a leading man in Operation Proposal, a
Korean remake of the Japanese drama Proposal Daisakusen.[24][25] This was followed by
a supporting role as the Jade Emperor, ruler of the heavens, in the fantasy-period
drama Arang and the Magistrate.[26][27] Afterwards, he starred in the melodrama Missing
You, playing a cold man who hides a vengeance-filled heart behind his seemingly
gentle smile.[28]
Known in the press as "Little So Ji-sub" for his resemblance to the said actor, in 2013
Yoo starred in the music video for So's single "Eraser" together with Park Shin-hye. This
was his second time promoting So's musical endeavors, after "Lonely Life" in 2008.[29]
[30]
Following that, Yoo's first photo book titled Travel Letter, Spring Snow, And... was
published; it was the last project shot by celebrity photographer Bori before her death on
April 9, 2013.
2015–present: Adult roles and rising popularity[edit]
As his first post-army project, Yoo appeared in the music video for Naul's "You From the
Same Time" in 2015.[31] He was next cast as a stubborn webcomic writer raising a cat in
the TV adaptation of webtoon Imaginary Cat.[32][33] Yoo followed this by starring in the
joseon-era romance film The Magician directed by Kim Dae-seung, in which he plays a
circus magician who falls in love with a princess.[34] Yoo was then cast in SBS's legal
thriller series Remember as a lawyer with hyperthymesia who defends his father
on death row.[35]
In 2016, Yoo starred in the historical comedy film Seondal: The Man Who Sells the
River as the titular character Kim Seon-dal.[36][37] In 2017, he starred in MBC's historical
melodrama The Emperor: Owner of the Mask[38][39] and romantic-comedy I'm Not a Robot.
[40]
In 2018, he was cast in SBS's high school drama My Strange Hero.[41] In 2020, Yoo
starred in the mystery thriller Memorist as a detective in the police force with the power
to read people's memories.[42]
In 2021, Yoo played a passionate inspector in KBS2 historical drama Moonshine.[43]
In March 2022, Yoo signed with new agency YG Entertainment.[44]
In 2023, Yoo returned to the small screen with his first streaming project,[45] Wavve’s
crime thriller The Deal portraying a completely different character than his previous
ones - a financially struggling young man who accidentally kidnaps his school friend for
a 10 billion won ransom.[46] The mini-series was the only Korean drama[47] invited to the
third edition of the Red Sea International Film Festival in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia, one of
the most prestigious events in the world of cinema.[48][49] Yoo walked the red carpet
at VOX Cinemas in the Red Sea Mall together with the director Lee Jung-gon and took
part in the screening of the first three episodes of the drama.[50]
Personal life[edit]
Yoo enlisted for his mandatory military service in the army on March 5, 2013, where he
reportedly became an instructor training new recruits.[3][51][52] He was discharged on
December 4, 2014.[53][54]
Filmography[edit]
Film[edit]

Year Title Role Notes Ref.

2002 The Way Home Sang-woo [6]

2003 Happy Ero Christmas Children's angel choir [55]

2004 Don't Tell Papa Kim Cho-won [56]

2006 Hearty Paws Chan-yi [9]

2008 Unforgettable Gil-su [10]

Year Title Role Notes Ref.

(voice, Korean dubbed

Astro Boy Astro Boy [57]

2009
City of Fathers Kim Jong-chul [13]

4th Period Mystery Han Jung-hoon [14]

Leafie, A Hen into the Wild Greenie (voice) [22]

2011
Blind Kwon Gi-seob [23]

2012 Fragments of Sweet Memories (3D short film) [58][59]

2015 Joseon Magician Hwan-hee [34]

Seondal: The Man Who Sells the Kim In-hong / Kim Seon-
2016 [36]

River dal

2022 Special Delivery Special appearance [60]

Television series[edit]

Year Title Role Notes Ref.

2000 Daddy Fish Jung Da-um [61]

2001 Boys Don't Cry Doo-san Drama Special

It Happened in the Parking Lot

 Year Title Role Notes Ref.

All That Ramen Joon-young

2003 Winter Bird's Dream Joon-ho

Love Letter young Lee Woo-jin

Hi, Clementine Se-beom Drama Special

Sweet Buns young Lee Shin-hyuk [62]

2004
Immortal Admiral Yi Sun-sin young Yi Sun-sin [63]

Precious Family Park Joon-yi [64]

Sad Love Story young Seo Joon-young [65]

2005
Magic Warriors Mir & Gaon Mir [66]

2006 Alien Sam Wang Hae-ryong [67]

The King and I young Seongjong

2007 [68][69]

The Legend young Damdeok

Queen Seondeok Kim Chunchu [15]

2009
Cameo (Episode
You're Beautiful Customer at convenience store
9)
 Year Title Role Notes Ref.

Master of Study Hwang Baek-hyun [17]

2010
Flames of Desire Kim Min-jae [19]

2011 Warrior Baek Dong-soo Yeo Woon [21]

2012 Operation Proposal Kang Baek-ho [25]

Arang and the Magistrate Jade Emperor, King of Heaven [26]

Kang Hyung-joon / Harry

Missing You [28]

Borrison

2015 Imaginary Cat Hyun Jong-hyun [32]

2015–
Remember Seo Jin-woo [35]

2016

The Emperor: Owner of the

2017 Lee Sun [38]

Mask

2017–
I'm Not a Robot Kim Min-kyu [40]

2018

Cameo (Episode
2018 Player Lee Han-sang [70]

1)

2018–
My Strange Hero Kang Bok Soo [41]

2019
 Year Title Role Notes Ref.

2020 Memorist Dong Baek [42]

2021–
Moonshine Nam Young [71]

2022

2024 I Am Home Jeong Dong Joo

Web series[edit]

Year Title Role Ref.

The
2023 Lee Jun-seong [72]

Deal

Television shows[edit]

Year Title Role Notes Ref.

2013 Homo Academicus Narrator Documentary narrator [73]

2022– December 29, 2022 and January 5, 2023

Off The Grid Main Cast [74]

2023 (episodes 19th and 20th)

2023 Docu Insight - Code Blue Narrator Medical Documentary [75]

The Story When The Tail Guest (ep

2023 Variety show
Was Bitten 94)

2023 Running Man Guest (ep Variety show

674)
 Year Title Role Notes Ref.

Guest (ep
Variety show
682)

Music video appearances[edit]

Year Song Title Artist Ref.

2001 "Second Wish" Duke

"Have You Ever Been Lovesick" Lyn

2002 "Photo" Dragonfly

"Sorry" Kim Jang-hoon

2004 "Thanks" Tim

"Don't Go, Don't Go" Brown Eyes

2008
"A Lonely Life" So Ji-sub

"Take Care of Her" Jo Sung-mo

2009
"Lie" T-ara [76]

2010 "Like A Star" Taeyeon feat. The One [77]

"Whenever You Play That

2011 Huh Gak feat. LE [78]

Song"
Year Song Title Artist Ref.

2013 "Eraser" So Ji-sub feat. Mellow [79][80]

2015 "You From The Same Time" Naul [81]

2016 "I Don't Love You" Urban Zakapa [82]

2018 "Sullae" Rothy [83]

2024 "Welcome To The Show" Day6

Discography[edit]
Peak
positions
Title Year Sales Album

KOR
[84]

"I Believe in Love" (사랑을 믿어요) 2010 Road for

11  KOR: 1,010,437[85]
(Yoo Seung-ho featuring IU) Hope

Bibliography[edit]
Year Title Publisher ISBN Notes

Travel Letter, Spring Snow, ISBN 978895913726

2013 Wisdom House Photobook
And... 8

Awards and nominations[edit]

Name of the award ceremony, year presented, category, nominee of the award, and the result of the
nomination

Award ceremony Year Category Nominee / Work Result Ref.

Andre Kim Best Star

2009 Male Star Award Yoo Seung-ho Won [86]

Awards

Best New Actor – Film 4th Period Mystery Nominated

Baeksang Arts
2010
Awards
Best New Actor –
Master of Study Nominated
Television

Grand Bell Awards 2002 Best New Actor The Way Home Nominated

Immortal Admiral Yi Sun-

2005 Best Young Actor Won [87]

sin, Precious Family

Excellence Award,
KBS Drama Awards Master of Study Nominated
Actor in a Miniseries

2010
Yoo Seung-ho with Park Ji-
Best Couple Awards yeon Nominated
Master of Study

Korea Best Dressed Best Dressed, TV Actor

2010 Master of Study Won [88]

Swan Awards category

Korea First Brand

2024 Best OTT Actor The Deal Won [89]

Awards

Korea Movie Star

2007 Best Young Actor Heart Is... Won [90]

Awards
Name of the award ceremony, year presented, category, nominee of the award, and the result of the
nomination

Award ceremony Year Category Nominee / Work Result Ref.

Korea Drama Top Excellence Award,

2016 Remember Nominated
Awards Actor

2009 Best New Actor Queen Seondeok Won [91]

Excellence Award, Arang and the

2012 Nominated
Actor in a Miniseries Magistrate, Missing You
MBC Drama Awards
Grand Prize (Daesang) Nominated
The Emperor: Owner of the
2017
Mask
Top Excellence Award,
Won [92]

Actor in a Miniseries

Mnet 20's Choice

2008 Hot Younger Male Won [93]

Awards

Yoo Seung-ho
Excellence Award from
New Soldiers
2013 the Battalion Won
Education Unit
Commander

2007 Best Young Actor The King and I Won [94]

Excellence Award,
2016 Remember Won [95]

SBS Drama Awards Actor in a Genre Drama

Top Excellence Award,

2019 My Strange Hero Nominated [96]

Actor in a Miniseries

[97]
Soompi Awards 2018 Best Couple Award Yoo Seung-ho with Kim So- Nominated
 Name of the award ceremony, year presented, category, nominee of the award, and the result of the
nomination

Award ceremony Year Category Nominee / Work Result Ref.

hyun
The Emperor: Owner of the
Mask

Best Young Performer

Young Artist Awards 2003 The Way Home Won [98]

in International Film

Reference:

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Yoo_Seung-ho