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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

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Korean actor Kim Seon-ho, star of The Childe and Hometown Cha-Cha-Cha, was a stage actor until he was 30, but enjoyed a meteoric small-screen rise and has now moved to the big screen. Photo: Instagram/ @seonho__kim.

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.

Following a two-year break – owing to a scandal that prompted him to briefly step away from the spotlight – he is back on screen this summer in The Childe, his first film, with a slick and dark new image that ushers in a new chapter of his career.

Before launching his stage career, Kim graduated from the Department of Broadcasting and Entertainment at the Seoul Institute of the Arts.

Kim Seon-ho rocks a pinstripe in a promotional image for “Two Cops” (2017).
Kim Seon-ho rocks a pinstripe in a promotional image for “Two Cops” (2017).

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.

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