Itaewon Class villain Ahn Bo-hyun – get to know the Korean drama and YouTube star who is best friends with Sehun of K-pop boy group Exo
Known for playing bully Jang Geun-won, the nemesis of Park Seo’s Park Sae-ro-yi, Ahn previously acted alongside Song Joong-ki in Descendants of the Sun and launched his You Tube channel Bravo Hyun
Korean actor Ahn Bo-hyun has been getting a lot of attention since Itaewon Class. As the son of Jangga Group’s chairman and the entitled bully who flaunted his power, Ahn as Jang Geun-won was deeply despised as he made Park Sae-ro-yi’s life a living hell.
On the contrary, and to the surprise of Itaewon Class fans, Ahn is actually charming and nice in real life. Here’s what we know about the 32-year-old actor who celebrates his birthday this May 16.
Acting breakthrough
In case you missed it, Ahn was one of the soldiers with Song Joong-ki in Descendants of the Sun. While Ahn had previously played other supporting roles, it was in Itaewon Class that he was able to showcase the extent of his acting skills.
“I think that Jang Geun-won in Itaewon Class is going to end up being my favourite character. I think this is a turning point in my acting career,” Ahn previously shared via Soompi. He thought a lot about how he can best portray the different sides of his character, from a despicable bully to a son who only wants his father to recognise him.
In the end, Ahn felt satisfied with his performance and is thankful to the director. “I had fun acting because I was able to show everything that I wanted to show,” he said. Ahn is currently nominated for best new actor in the upcoming Baeksang Arts Awards in June.
Cool kid on the block
Enjoying a break from filming after Itaewon Class, Ahn has been invited to guest on many variety shows. The actor, who has been living alone for 17 years, revealed his private life on TV show I Live Alone. “Rather than describing myself as mature, I’d say that I feel like I know myself well,” he explained.
Ahn’s life know-how spans from cooking to camping. “I've never ordered fried chicken in my life,” he said. The actor also showed his thriftiness. To remodel his house, Ahn decided to do the work himself, and from an estimate of US$14,700, he ended up spending only US$1,635 on the interior of his home.
A graduate of Busan Sports High School, Ahn used to participate in amateur boxing competitions and even won a gold medal. He talked about working multiple jobs to save money for straightening his teeth, which were ruined due to boxing. On I Live Alone, Ahn impressed the hosts when he went to a boxing gym and double-skipped 100 times effortlessly.
After exercising, Ahn went on a camping trip in his green 1996-style car which he had customised to fit his extensive camping gear in. Inviting Exo’s Sehun, who he became close with after filming Dokgo Rewind together, they spent the late afternoon exploring various activities, from flying a drone to making dalgona coffee.
With a pretty view of the sunset, the hosts kept saying that it seemed like they were on a date, and Sehun quipped that it felt like Ahn was going to propose to him. Ahn also made jokes of having to shield Sehun from the sun because he is an Exo.
Rising YouTube star
Other than camping and fishing, Ahnhas started to focus on his YouTube channel, called Bravo Hyun. Some of his early videos did not have English subtitles, which of course led fans to request for subtitled versions. He also made a Q&A video and filmed it with a reminder to wash hands frequently and always wear a mask to avoid spreading the coronavirus.
Quickly reaching more than 100,000 subscribers, Ahn was awarded the silver play button from YouTube. Ahn filmed an unboxing of the plaque, saying that it made him feel sentimental and honoured.
Ahn is currently preparing for a new drama, Kairos, which has started filming this month.
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