Profile | Meet Kim Seon-ho, sharp-dressed Korean actor of The Childe and Hometown Cha-Cha-Cha, who burst into TV and movies in his 30s
- Kim Seon-ho has wowed audiences with his good looks and sharp suits since moving from stage to TV, and has now taken on his first film role in The Childe
- Acting has helped him deal with the trauma of a violent home robbery when he was a child, and his energy, looks and skills have brought him starring roles
In the modern Korean media landscape, stars can emerge almost overnight. One of the quickest to ascend the ladder to fame in recent years has been Kim Seon-ho, a veteran stage actor who didn’t appear on screen until his 30s.
After a few years in various roles, he stole the spotlight as a second male lead in a hit show and rocketed to superstardom.
Before launching his stage career, Kim graduated from the Department of Broadcasting and Entertainment at the Seoul Institute of the Arts.
Among his notable stage work was his performance as Dr Watson in a Korean rendition of Sherlock Holmes. He also played a lead role in an adaptation of Sam Shepard’s acclaimed play True West, a part which he later reprised.
Kim steadily drew notice for his explosive onstage energy, enabling him to migrate from the stage to the TV screen. That screen debut came at the relatively late age of 30 in the drama Good Manager.
Meet Park Seo-joon, Itaewon Class star who will also be in The Marvels
Why we love him
There’s no denying Kim’s good looks, but on Korean screens, handsome actors are a dime a dozen. Even among that rarefied crowd, however, Kim looks especially dashing in a suit.
He originally auditioned for a supporting role, but so impressed the producers that he was offered a co-starring part. That netted him the excellence award and the prize for best actor in a Monday-Tuesday drama at the MBC Drama Awards.
The same thing happened with his previous series, Strongest Deliveryman, his first leading role and second screen appearance. At that time he had also tried for a smaller part and was given a much bigger one.
Kim’s pinstripe wardrobe once again captured viewers’ attention in The Childe, in which he plays a violent mercenary who flashes knives and devilish smiles in equal measure.
After captivating views with his appearance and his well-honed acting skills from years of stage work, fans got to know Kim’s backstory, which only made them fall for him more.
Part of that story includes the reason he became an actor. As a child, Kim’s house was robbed and his mother was stabbed. Kim escaped harm by hiding under a bed, but it took years for him to work through the trauma.
What finally helped him was acting, which he took to after enrolling in an acting academy during his third year of high school.
The star-making role
After gathering attention and awards through several strong roles, including 100 Days My Prince, Welcome to Waikiki 2 and Catch the Ghost, Kim hit the big time in 2020.
Viewers around the world were moved by his role as an orphan who learns the world of finance thanks to the help of the grandmother of Bae Suzy’s character, played by Kim Hae-sook.
The iconic parts
In this remake of the Korean film Mr Hong, Kim plays Chief Hong, the beloved man- about-town of a rural seaside community who fixes everyone’s problems and eventually captures the heart of Shin’s city dentist.
The role earned him the outstanding Korean actor prize at the Seoul International Drama Awards as well as Gallup Korea’s television actor of the year award in 2021.
Tomorrow’s turns
Kim will next appear in Tyrant, which will see him team up once more with Park Hoon-jung, the director of The Childe. He will play a government operative in this spy action thriller alongside Kim Kang-woo and Cha Seung-won.
Meet Han So-hee, My Name actress who’s had a meteoric rise to stardom
