6 reasons to love former Wanna One member Ong Seong-wu: the K-pop idol stars in Netflix’s Seoul Vibe – but did you know he loves photography and music too?
- The Produce 101 alum made it big as one of the 11 members of Wanna One, and wrote and composed his own solo debut album ‘Layers’ after the group disbanded
- Playing against type in Netflix’s Seoul Vibe, Ong says he prefers to play a villain to challenge himself more – but did you know he also plays drums and guitar?
Wanna One fans should watch out, because a car chase scene in Netflix’s upcoming Seoul Vibe shows a whole new side to sweet and innocent Ong Seong-wu – one that has never been seen before, in fact.
Unlike the kindly roles he’s played in previous romantic dramas, Ong inhabits an altogether more dangerous and reckless persona as Joon-gi, the brilliant mechanic in a gang of cheeky drivers known as the Sanggye-dong Supreme Team. The plot revolves around the talented racers becoming mired in the slush fund investigation of a powerful figure on the same day as the opening ceremony of the 1988 Seoul Olympics. The series releases on Netflix on August 26.
This is his fifth acting project, and his second film, as per his IMDB. So what else should you know about the 26-year-old K-pop idol-turned-actor?
1. He was given free haircuts at a local salon before auditions
Many actors had part-time jobs before getting their big showbiz break, and Ong was no exception. Ong told DJ Lee Joon on Lee Joon’s Young Street that, “rather than doing the usual part-time jobs, I wanted to try different things”. Turns out it was hair modelling that got his attention – largely because he knew he’d end up with several great photos of himself, though he later admitted that they were a little embarrassing looking back.
The only problem with modelling for his local salon? There was no money in it. Instead, they offered him free haircuts whenever he needed them – something that also ended up coming in handy for his desired profession.
“I was a model for a salon, but that’s not paid work,” he told Lee. “After I did the filming, they’d cut my hair or style it for free, outside of the modelling job. When I had an audition or something important, I’d go to that salon and have it done then.”