Ryoo Seung-bum
   HOME

TheInfoList



OR:

Ryoo Seung-bum (; born August 9, 1980) is a South Korean actor. He made a name for himself in his older brother
director Director may refer to: Literature * ''Director'' (magazine), a British magazine * ''The Director'' (novel), a 1971 novel by Henry Denker * ''The Director'' (play), a 2000 play by Nancy Hasty Music * Director (band), an Irish rock band * ''D ...
Ryoo Seung-wan Ryoo Seung-wan (; born December 15, 1973) is a South Korean filmmaker. He made his debut in 1996 with the short film ''Dangerous Head'', then worked as a director under director Park Chan-wook, took film lessons, and made his feature film debut ...
's eclectic films, notably '' Die Bad'' (his acting debut in 2000), ''
Arahan ''Arahan'' () is a 2004 South Korean action film directed by Ryoo Seung-wan and starring his brother Ryoo Seung-bum along with Yoon So-yi, Ahn Sung-ki and Jung Doo-hong. The film was a relative commercial success, selling over 2 million tickets ...
'' (2004), '' Crying Fist'' (2005), '' The Unjust'' (2010), and ''
The Berlin File ''The Berlin File'' (; lit. "Berlin") is a 2013 South Korean action spy film written and directed by Ryoo Seung-wan. Ha Jung-woo stars as a North Korean agent in Berlin who is betrayed and cut loose when a weapons deal is exposed. Together with ...
'' (2013). Known for his manic energy, casual demeanor and subtle ability to command a scene, over the years Ryoo Seung-bum has cemented his status as one of Korea's top actors.


Early life

Ryoo Seung-bum was born in
Asan Asan (; ) is a Administrative divisions of South Korea, city in South Chungcheong Province, South Korea. It borders the Seoul Capital Area to the north. Asan has a population of approximately 400,000. Asan is known for its many hot springs an ...
,
South Chungcheong Province South Chungcheong Province (), informally called Chungnam, is a Administrative divisions of South Korea, province of South Korea in the Hoseo region in the southwest of the Korean Peninsula. South Chungcheong borders the provinces of Gyeonggi to ...
. His family moved to
Seoul Seoul, officially Seoul Special Metropolitan City, is the capital city, capital and largest city of South Korea. The broader Seoul Metropolitan Area, encompassing Seoul, Gyeonggi Province and Incheon, emerged as the world's List of cities b ...
, where he first studied at Jamjeon Elementary School, before moving back to a small town in South Chungcheong Province called Onyang, where he spent his middle school years. He returned to Seoul to study at Daedong Technical High School, but dropped out before graduating. Ryoo later said he had a hard time finding the motivation to study, but acting would bring about an important change in his life, giving him something he could immerse himself into.


Career


Early work

His older brother
Ryoo Seung-wan Ryoo Seung-wan (; born December 15, 1973) is a South Korean filmmaker. He made his debut in 1996 with the short film ''Dangerous Head'', then worked as a director under director Park Chan-wook, took film lessons, and made his feature film debut ...
was an aspiring filmmaker, and from 1996 to 1999, the elder Ryoo shot four low-budget
short film A short film is a film with a low running time. The Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences (AMPAS) defines a short film as "an original motion picture that has a running time of not more than 40 minutes including all credits". Other film o ...
s starring himself, his younger brother Seung-bum, and several friends. In strikingly diverse styles but with a common narrative, these shorts were re-edited, combined and released in 2000 as Ryoo Seung-wan's feature directorial debut '' Die Bad''. Critically acclaimed as powerfully visceral, gut-wrenching, and searingly angry, the film became an instant
cult hit A cult following is a group of fans who are highly dedicated to a person, idea, object, movement, or work, often an artist, in particular a performing artist, or an artwork in some medium. The latter is often called a cult classic. A film, boo ...
, earning attention for the Ryoo brothers. One review described Ryoo Seung-bum's acting debut as "a startling, naturalistic turn," and he won Best New Actor at the
Grand Bell Awards The Grand Bell Awards (), also known as the Daejong Film Awards, is an awards ceremony presented annually by The Motion Pictures Association of Korea for excellence in film in South Korea. The Grand Bell Awards retains prestige as the oldest co ...
. Their success continued with Ryoo Seung-wan's follow-up ''Dachimawa Lee'', a 35-minute
short film A short film is a film with a low running time. The Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences (AMPAS) defines a short film as "an original motion picture that has a running time of not more than 40 minutes including all credits". Other film o ...
parody A parody is a creative work designed to imitate, comment on, and/or mock its subject by means of satire, satirical or irony, ironic imitation. Often its subject is an Originality, original work or some aspect of it (theme/content, author, style, e ...
ing Korean action films of the 60s and 70s,
Bruce Lee Bruce Lee (born Lee Jun-fan; November 27, 1940 – July 20, 1973) was an American-born Hong Kong martial artist, actor, filmmaker, and philosopher. He was the founder of Jeet Kune Do, a hybrid martial arts philosophy which was formed from ...
,
Shaw Brothers Shaw Brothers (HK) Limited () was the largest film production company in Hong Kong, operating from 1925 to 2011. In 1925, three Shaw brothers— Runje, Runme, and Runde—founded Tianyi Film Company (also called "Unique") in Shangh ...
and
Jackie Chan Fang Shilong (born Chan Kong-sang; 7 April 1954), known professionally as Jackie Chan,; is a Hong Kong actor and filmmaker, known for his slapstick, acrobatic fighting style, comic timing, and innovative stunts, which he typically perf ...
flicks, and the
machismo Machismo (; ; ; ) is the sense of being " manly" and self-reliant, a concept associated with "a strong sense of masculine pride: an exaggerated masculinity". Machismo is a term originating in the early 1940s and 1950s and its use more wi ...
kitsch ''Kitsch'' ( ; loanword from German) is a term applied to art and design that is perceived as Naivety, naïve imitation, overly eccentric, gratuitous or of banal Taste (sociology), taste. The modern avant-garde traditionally opposed kitsch ...
of old Korean melodramas, coupled with over-the-top voice dubbing and deliberately mistimed action. Ryoo played Washington, a young thug with a heart of gold and a huge
afro The afro is a hair style created by combing out natural growth of afro-textured hair, or specifically styled with chemical curling products by individuals with naturally curly or straight hair.Garland, Phyl"Is The Afro On Its Way Out?" '' Ebo ...
. The short, streamed on the now-defunct Cine4M website, was enormously popular online. Ryoo next starred in
Yim Soon-rye Yim Soon-rye (; born January 1, 1961) is a South Korean film director and screenwriter. She is considered one of the few leading female auteurs of Korean New Wave cinema. Career Education Born in 1961 in Incheon, Yim Soon-rye graduated from Hany ...
's '' Waikiki Brothers'', a 2001 film chronicling the fate of a shoddy nightclub band, with its bittersweet mixture of boyhood aspirations and the love of music, and the despair and reality of adulthood. Ryoo had a supporting role as a young waiter eager to learn how to play the drums and perform onstage. Later that year, he ventured into television, as part of the main cast of 50-episode family drama ''Wonderful Days'', along with Ji Sung, Park Sun-young, and
Gong Hyo-jin Gong Hyo-jin (; born April 4, 1980) is a South Korean actress. She is best known for her leading role in the film '' Crush and Blush'' (2008), as well as for her popular television series '' Sang Doo! Let's Go to School'' (2003), ''Thank You'' ...
. Ryoo received Best New Actor for TV from the
Baeksang Arts Awards The Baeksang Arts Awards (), also known as the Paeksang Arts Awards, are awards for excellence in film, television and theatre in South Korea. The awards were introduced in 1965 by Chang Key-young, the founder of the newspaper ''Hankook Ilbo'', ...
. In 2002, he appeared in Ryoo Seung-wan's sophomore effort, the gangster/
heist film The heist film or caper film is a subgenre of crime films and the caper story, focused on the planning, execution, and aftermath of a significant robbery. One of the early defining heist films was '' The Asphalt Jungle'' (1950), which ''Film G ...
'' No Blood No Tears'' starring
Jeon Do-yeon Jeon Do-yeon (; born February 11, 1973) is a South Korean actress. She made her film debut with '' The Contact'' (1997), a melodrama that established her as a leading actress. She continued to gain acclaim with ''A Promise'' (1998), a romantic ...
and
Jung Jae-young Jeong Jae-yeong (born Jeong Ji-hyeon; November 21, 1970) is a South Korean actor. He is known for starring in the films '' Guns & Talks'' (2001), '' Silmido'' (2003), '' Someone Special'' (2004), '' Welcome to Dongmakgol'' (2005), '' Public Enem ...
. The film was a critical and box office disappointment. But he was starting to make a name for himself in the industry independent of his older brother. Ryoo joined Jung, Shin Ha-kyun and an ensemble cast of Jang Jin regulars in ''No Comment'' (also known as ''Mudjima Family''), an omnibus made of three short films. His performance as a harassed
concierge A concierge () is an employee of a multi-tenant building, such as a hotel or apartment building, who receives and helps guests. The concept has been applied more generally to other hospitality settings and to personal concierges who manage the e ...
was one of the highlights of the first short ''Enemies in Four Directions''. He also had a small role in
Park Chan-wook Park Chan-wook (; born 23 August 1963) is a Koreans, South Korean film director, screenwriter, Film producer, producer, and former film critic. He is considered one of the most prominent filmmakers of Cinema of South Korea, South Korean cinema a ...
's '' Sympathy for Mr. Vengeance''. He then reunited with
Noh Hee-kyung Noh Hee-kyung (; born March 21, 1966) is a South Korean television screenwriter and essayist. She is best known for her television dramas such as, '' That Winter, the Wind Blows'' (2013), '' It's Okay, That's Love'' (2014), '' Dear My Friends'' ( ...
, the writer of ''Wonderful Days'', in the
TV drama In film and television, drama is a category or genre of narrative fiction (or semi-fiction) intended to be more serious than humorous in tone. The drama of this kind is usually qualified with additional terms that specify its particular su ...
''Solitude'', a May–December romance between a man in his early twenties and a much older
single mother A single parent is a person who has a child or children but does not have a spouse or live-in partner to assist in the upbringing or support of the child. Reasons for becoming a single parent include death, divorce, break-up, abandonment, bec ...
who is also terminally ill (played by Lee Mi-sook). '' Conduct Zero'' capped Ryoo's year, in his first big screen leading role as the tough, fists-over-brains "king" of his high school who unexpectedly and awkwardly falls for a nerdy girl (played by Lim Eun-kyung). The 1980s-set comedy was a minor hit, selling nearly 1.7 million tickets and solidifying Ryoo's star status. Ryoo made his theater debut in Lee Sang-woo's stage play ''Bieonso'' (; "Toilet"). Directed by stage/TV actor Park Kwang-jung, ''Bieonso'' ran at the Dongsoong Art Center from November 4 to December 28, 2003. For the TV program ''Nursery Story'', Ryoo and
Yoon Jin-seo Yoon Jin-seo (; born August 5, 1983), birth name Yoon Soo-kyung, is a South Korean actress. She rose to prominence for her performance as Lee Soo-ah in the 2003 thriller film ''Oldboy (2003 film), Oldboy'' which earned her the Baeksang Arts Awa ...
appeared in ''Christmas Lovers'', which aired in four five-minute daily installments on MBC in December 22 to December 25, 2003. In
Min Kyu-dong Min Kyu-dong (; born September 12, 1970) is a South Korean film director, screenwriter and producer. He made his feature directorial debut in horror film ''Memento Mori'' (1999), followed by romantic comedies '' All for Love'' (2005) and ''All ...
's short ''Secrets and Lies'' (released by the Korean Academy of Film Arts in the 2003 omnibus ''Twentidentity''), Ryoo's character finds himself in a dilemma when his fiancee's mother hits on him. Ryoo began 2004 in the TV series '' Sunlight Pours Down'' co-starring
Song Hye-kyo Song Hye-kyo (; born November 22, 1981) is a South Korean actress. She gained international popularity through her leading roles in the television dramas '' Autumn in My Heart'' (2000), '' All In'' (2003), ''Full House'' (2004), '' That Winter, ...
and Jo Hyun-jae, but it proved unmemorable to audiences. Thereafter Ryoo would concentrate solely on film. In Ryoo Seung-wan's ''
Arahan ''Arahan'' () is a 2004 South Korean action film directed by Ryoo Seung-wan and starring his brother Ryoo Seung-bum along with Yoon So-yi, Ahn Sung-ki and Jung Doo-hong. The film was a relative commercial success, selling over 2 million tickets ...
'', he played a hapless traffic policeman who discovers he has untapped martial arts potential, as he's trained by masters played by
Ahn Sung-ki Ahn Sung-ki (; born January 1, 1952) is a South Korean actor. One of the country's most respected actors, he has appeared in more than 130 films during his career of over 60 years. He received Bog-wan Order of Cultural Merit in 2005 Culture Day. ...
and Yoon So-yi. Part modern-day
wuxia ( , literally "martial arts and chivalry") is a genre of Chinese literature, Chinese fiction concerning the adventures of martial artists in ancient China. Although is traditionally a form of historical fantasy literature, its popularity ha ...
, part
superhero film Superhero film/movie is a film genre categorized by the presence of superhero characters, individuals with extraordinary abilities who are dedicated to fighting crime, saving the world, or helping the innocent. It is sometimes considered a sub ...
and part local comedy, it was Ryoo Seung-wan's first foray into commercial cinema, and the film was a relative box office success at around 2 million tickets sold. It also established Ryoo's star charisma and his natural affinity for comedy. Ryoo then starred in Kim Sung-su's online short ''Back'' (streamed on Daum in October 2004). Set in a
dystopia A dystopia (lit. "bad place") is an imagined world or society in which people lead wretched, dehumanized, fearful lives. It is an imagined place (possibly state) in which everything is unpleasant or bad, typically a totalitarian or environmen ...
where everyone literally moves backward, his character sparks a revolution and becomes hunted by the authorities by daring to move forward.


Critical success

Though Ryoo had been steadily impressing critics and audiences since his debut, it was '' Crying Fist'' in 2005 that would change his career. Considered a showcase for the talents of the Ryoo brothers, the movie is a real-life-inspired story of two boxers, showing their journeys in a parallel
narrative structure Story structure or narrative structure is the recognizable or comprehensible way in which a narrative's different elements are unified, including in a particularly chosen order and sometimes specifically referring to the ordering of the plot: ...
: one is a hardened teenage criminal who takes up boxing in
reform school A reform school was a Prison, penal institution, generally for teenagers, mainly operating between 1830 and 1900. In the United Kingdom and its colonies, reformatory, reformatories (commonly called reform schools) were set up from 1854 onward f ...
, the other a retired boxer in his forties earning his keep as a "human punching bag" who returns to the ring partly to redeem himself in the eyes of his son and wife. Only at the climax would the two protagonists meet as opponents in the final match, two men from different backgrounds and social positions, but united in their status as total losers, struggling to regain self-respect and purpose in their lives. Ryoo and co-star
Choi Min-sik Choi Min-sik (; born May 30, 1962) is a South Korean actor. Known for his intense and transformative performances, he first gained recognition with the television series ''The Moon of Seoul'' (1994). His film breakthrough came with '' Shiri'' (1 ...
underwent boxing training like they were preparing for a real match; they didn't use
body double In filmmaking, a double is a person who substitutes for another actor such that the person's face is not shown. There are various terms associated with a double based on the specific body part or ability they serve as a double for, such as stunt ...
s in the scene and exchanged real blows. Director Ryoo Seung-wan discussed on the film's DVD how his brother had to access his real personality and real-life memories for his onscreen breakdown, and critics praised Ryoo's range, caged fury and passion in the role, calling the performance amazing and mesmerizing, such that he overshadowed his older, more prestigious colleague Choi. ''Crying Fist'' opened against '' A Bittersweet Life'', and despite excellent reviews for both films, they ended up canceling each other out at the box office, selling a little over a million tickets each. This performance cemented Ryoo's reputation as one of the top actors of his generation, and one of the country's leading acting figures. For a change of pace, Ryoo next starred in the
romantic comedy Romantic comedy (also known as romcom or rom-com) is a sub-genre of comedy and Romance novel, romance fiction, focusing on lighthearted, humorous plot lines centered on romantic ideas, such as how true love is able to surmount all obstacles. Ro ...
''The Beast and the Beauty'', playing a
voice actor Voice acting is the art of Acting, performing a character or providing information to an audience with one's voice. Performers are often called voice actors/actresses in addition to other names. Examples of voice work include animation, animated, ...
who lies about his looks to his blind pianist girlfriend (played by
Shin Min-ah Yang Min-a (; born 5 April 1984), better known by the stage name Shin Min-a (), is a South Korean model and actress best known for starring in television dramas ''A Love to Kill'' (2005), ''My Girlfriend Is a Gumiho'' (2010), ''Arang and the M ...
). In 2006, his real-life ex-girlfriend
Gong Hyo-jin Gong Hyo-jin (; born April 4, 1980) is a South Korean actress. She is best known for her leading role in the film '' Crush and Blush'' (2008), as well as for her popular television series '' Sang Doo! Let's Go to School'' (2003), ''Thank You'' ...
asked him to make a
cameo appearance A cameo appearance, also called a cameo role and often shortened to just cameo (), is a brief guest appearance of a well-known person or character in a work of the performing arts. These roles are generally small, many of them non-speaking on ...
in
Kim Tae-yong Kim Tae-yong (; born December 9, 1969) is a South Korean film director and screenwriter. After his feature directorial debut ''Memento Mori'' (1999), he helmed the critically-acclaimed '' Family Ties'' (2006), and the English-language remake '' ...
's critically acclaimed drama ''
Family Ties ''Family Ties'' is an American television sitcom that aired on NBC for seven seasons, premiering on September 22, 1982, and concluding on May 14, 1989. The series, created by Gary David Goldberg, reflected the social shift in the United Stat ...
''. He played her character's ex-boyfriend, lending a
meta Meta most commonly refers to: * Meta (prefix), a common affix and word in English ( in Greek) * Meta Platforms, an American multinational technology conglomerate (formerly ''Facebook, Inc.'') Meta or META may also refer to: Businesses * Meta (ac ...
aspect and
irony Irony, in its broadest sense, is the juxtaposition of what, on the surface, appears to be the case with what is actually or expected to be the case. Originally a rhetorical device and literary technique, in modernity, modern times irony has a ...
to their few scenes together. He then returned to
film noir Film noir (; ) is a style of Cinema of the United States, Hollywood Crime film, crime dramas that emphasizes cynicism (contemporary), cynical attitudes and motivations. The 1940s and 1950s are generally regarded as the "classic period" of Ameri ...
with ''
Bloody Tie ''Bloody Tie'' () is a 2006 South Korean neo-noir action crime film directed by Choi Ho, it stars Hwang Jung-min as a detective trying to track down a drug lord by cooperating with a mid-level drug dealer, played by Ryoo Seung-bum. Plot Sang-do (R ...
'' opposite
Hwang Jung-min Hwang Jung-min (; born September 1, 1970) is a South Korean actor. He established himself as a leading man in the romantic drama ''You Are My Sunshine'' (2005). One of the highest-grossing actors in South Korea, Hwang has starred in several box ...
(they had previously worked together in ''Waikiki Brothers''). Set amidst the
meth Methamphetamine (contracted from ) is a potent central nervous system (CNS) stimulant that is mainly used as a recreational or performance-enhancing drug and less commonly as a second-line treatment for attention deficit hyperactivity ...
drug trade in
Busan Busan (), officially Busan Metropolitan City, is South Korea's second list of cities in South Korea by population, most populous city after Seoul, with a population of over 3.3 million as of 2024. Formerly romanized as Pusan, it is the economi ...
after the IMF crisis, the film drew unanimously positive reviews. Critics praised Ryoo's portrayal of a small-time drug dealer, and he won Best Actor at the Golden Cinematography Awards and the
Baeksang Arts Awards The Baeksang Arts Awards (), also known as the Paeksang Arts Awards, are awards for excellence in film, television and theatre in South Korea. The awards were introduced in 1965 by Chang Key-young, the founder of the newspaper ''Hankook Ilbo'', ...
. Ryoo and
Im Chang-jung Lim Chang-jung (; born November 30, 1973) is a South Korean singer-songwriter and actor. He is often referred by Koreans as "the original multi-entertainer" for being active in all three fields: music, film and entertainment. He made his acting ...
lent their
voices Voices or The Voices may refer to: Film and television * ''Voices'' (1920 film), by Chester M. De Vonde, with Diana Allen * ''Voices'' (1973 film), a British horror film * ''Voices'' (1979 film), a film by Robert Markowitz * ''Voices'' (1 ...
to the adult animated comedy '' Aachi & Ssipak'', set in a futuristic world fueled by human feces where the government implants a microchip into each of its citizens' anuses to check their bowel movements for stable energy supply, rewarding good performance with addictive popsicles. As the title characters, Ryoo and Im play street gangsters who steal popsicles and sell them in the
black market A black market is a Secrecy, clandestine Market (economics), market or series of transactions that has some aspect of illegality, or is not compliant with an institutional set of rules. If the rule defines the set of goods and services who ...
. Ryoo reprised his role as Aachi; he had previously voiced the character in a
Flash Flash, flashes, or FLASH may refer to: Arts, entertainment, and media Fictional aliases * The Flash, several DC Comics superheroes with super speed: ** Flash (Jay Garrick) ** Barry Allen ** Wally West, the first Kid Flash and third adult Flash ...
animated demo clip introduced as an internet sneak preview in 2001 (Ssipak was originally voiced by
Im Won-hee Im Won-hee (; born October 11, 1970) is a South Korean actor. Im was an alumnus of the legendary Daehak-ro theater troupe ''Mokhwa'' (), starring in many of Jang Jin's stage plays. He made his film debut in Jang's black comedy ''The Happenings' ...
), However, due to investor problems, it would take a total of eight years for the feature-length film to be finished. Like its predecessors in homegrown animation '' My Beautiful Girl, Mari'' and '' Wonderful Days'', ''Aachi & Ssipak'' was well-reviewed, but a box office flop. In 2007, Ryoo had a small role in Im Chang-jung's comedy ''Underground Rendezvous''. He played a teacher assigned to a mountainous village, but who gets trapped in the middle of nowhere for three months, unable to move his right foot after stepping on a
land mine A land mine, or landmine, is an explosive weapon often concealed under or camouflaged on the ground, and designed to destroy or disable enemy targets as they pass over or near it. Land mines are divided into two types: anti-tank mines, wh ...
; reviews called his
cameo appearance A cameo appearance, also called a cameo role and often shortened to just cameo (), is a brief guest appearance of a well-known person or character in a work of the performing arts. These roles are generally small, many of them non-speaking on ...
"hilarious."


2008 to 2010

''Radio Dayz'' marked Ryoo's next leading role in 2008. He played Lloyd, a fast-thinking producer of an underfunded and understaffed radio program during Japanese colonial rule in 1930. To gain listeners, he creates a
radio drama Radio drama (or audio drama, audio play, radio play, radio theatre, or audio theatre) is a dramatized, dramatised, purely acoustic performance. With no visual component, radio drama depends on dialogue, music and sound effects to help the liste ...
, the first of its kind in Korea, using formulaic tropes such as love triangles, amnesia, long-lost siblings, etc. The show's success also attracts the attention of the Japanese colonial government, and one of his voice actors is secretly working for the Korean Independence Army. Ryoo was praised for his versatility and nuanced take on the role, but the film did not do well at the box office. Ryoo Seung-wan's next film ''
Dachimawa Lee ''Dachimawa Lee'' (;) is a 2008 South Korean period spy action comedy film. It has been released via online streaming in the United States with the title ''Dachimawa Lee: Gangnam Spy''. Plot The legendary Korean spy Dachimawa Lee is assigned t ...
'' returned to the beloved character from his 2000 short (played by
Im Won-hee Im Won-hee (; born October 11, 1970) is a South Korean actor. Im was an alumnus of the legendary Daehak-ro theater troupe ''Mokhwa'' (), starring in many of Jang Jin's stage plays. He made his film debut in Jang's black comedy ''The Happenings' ...
). The spy action film/parody is set during the 1940s in the last years of Japanese colonial rule, as Dachimawa Lee, his allies and enemies search for the whereabouts of a stolen national treasure, a golden
Buddha Siddhartha Gautama, most commonly referred to as the Buddha (),* * * was a wandering ascetic and religious teacher who lived in South Asia during the 6th or 5th century BCE and founded Buddhism. According to Buddhist legends, he was ...
statue that also contains a list of Korean freedom fighters wanted by imperial authorities. Ryoo played one of the minor villains, making quirky vagabond Border Lynx into a likeable rogue. In 2009, Ryoo,
Park Hae-il Park Hae-il (; born 26 January 1977) is a South Korean actor. He began his acting career in theater, but soon gained the film industry's attention in 2003 with '' Scent of Love'' and '' Memories of Murder''. Park's film career took off, with lea ...
,
Moon So-ri Moon So-ri (; born July 2, 1974) is a South Korean actress, film director and screenwriter. She is best known for her acclaimed leading roles in ''Oasis (2002 film), Oasis'' (2002), ''A Good Lawyer's Wife'' (2003), and ''When Life Gives You Tange ...
, and Uhm Ji-won starred in Baik Hyun-jhin's 33-minute short film ''The End'', in which four episodes with different stories all end with the
close-up A close-up or closeup in filmmaking, television production A television show, TV program (), or simply a TV show, is the general reference to any content produced for viewing on a television set that is broadcast via over-the-air, s ...
shot of the actor's facial expressions for more than 1 minute, then superimposed is the text, "The End." Ryoo said he chose his next film, '' No Mercy'', simply because he wanted to work with actor
Sul Kyung-gu Sul Kyung-gu (; born May 14, 1967) is a South Korean actor. Upon his graduation in 1994, he appeared in numerous theatrical productions, such as the hit Korean adaptation of the German rock musical '' Subway Line 1'', and productions of Sam Shep ...
. Ryoo played an environmental activist who confesses to a series of murders, then forces a renowned
autopsy An autopsy (also referred to as post-mortem examination, obduction, necropsy, or autopsia cadaverum) is a surgical procedure that consists of a thorough examination of a corpse by dissection to determine the cause, mode, and manner of deat ...
specialist (played by Sol) to compromise all his professional ethics by tampering with autopsy results in order to save his kidnapped daughter from being killed. The film was criticized for its lack of visual style and convoluted plot, but reviews said the film's highlight was the dramatic intensity between the two lead actors in their confrontation scenes in the police interrogation room, with Ryoo playing his role with a subtle eeriness. Kim Dae-woo's '' The Servant'' subverted the classic folktale '' Chunhyangjeon'' with the premise that the heroine Chunhyang is ambitious instead of virtuous, and that she falls in love with Bang-ja, the servant of Lee Mong-ryong (while Lee, played by Ryoo, is far from heroic). Co-starring Kim Joo-hyuk and Jo Yeo-jeong, the
costume drama Costume is the distinctive style of clothing, dress and/or cosmetics, makeup of an individual or group that reflects class, gender, occupation, ethnicity, nationality, activity or epoch—in short, culture. The term also was traditionally used ...
depicted the
Joseon Joseon ( ; ; also romanized as ''Chosun''), officially Great Joseon (), was a dynastic kingdom of Korea that existed for 505 years. It was founded by Taejo of Joseon in July 1392 and replaced by the Korean Empire in October 1897. The kingdom w ...
era's sexual mores and class system with sly humor and cynicism. Ensemble comedy ''
Foxy Festival ''Foxy Festival'' (; "Festival") is a 2010 South Korean film with an all-star ensemble cast. It is a character-driven comedy of manners about the discreet sexual lives of a group of interconnected people in an upper-middle class district of Seoul. ...
'' explored unconventional sexual preferences in a light-hearted and non-judgmental manner, and in it Ryoo played a fish sausage (" odeng") hawker with a RealDoll fetish. His most significant film in 2010 was '' The Unjust''. When a
fall guy Fall guy is a colloquial phrase that refers to a person to whom blame is deliberately and falsely attributed in order to deflect blame from another party. Origin The origin of the term "fall guy" is unknown and contentious. Many sources place ...
is chosen for a highly publicized serial killer case, a homicide detective (played by Hwang Jung-min), a prosecutor (played by Ryoo), and a shady real-estate tycoon (played by
Yoo Hae-jin Yoo Hae-jin (; born January 4, 1970) is a South Korean actor. After graduating with a Theater degree from Seoul Institute of the Arts, he became a member of Theater troupe The Mokwha Repertoire Company. He has established himself as one of the ...
) all become involved in a complex web of power struggle. The crime thriller was a hard-hitting indictment of corruption at every level of Korea's justice infrastructure. This was his fifth collaboration with Ryoo Seung-wan, who said, "My decision to cast him isn't just because he's my younger brother. It has mostly to do with the fact he’s a great actor and it's comfortable for me to work with him." For Ryoo's stunningly accurate portrayal of the arrogance, rudeness and weariness of stereotypical Korean middle-aged men in positions of power, he won Best Actor at the
Buil Film Awards The Buil Film Awards () is a South Korean film awards ceremony hosted by the '' Busan Ilbo'' newspaper. It began in 1958 as one of the earliest film awards in the country. During the 1950s and 1960s, it was the biggest film awards event in the ...
and the
Fantasia Festival Fantasia International Film Festival, also known as Fantasia Fest or simply Fantasia, is a genre film festival that has been based mainly in Montreal since its founding in 1996. It focuses on fantasy, horror, sci-fi and cult genre films. Regular ...
in Canada.


2011 to 2013

In the 2011 comedy '' The Suicide Forecast'', Ryoo played a baseball player-turned-top insurance salesman whose promotion is jeopardized when the police suspect him of
aiding and abetting Aiding and abetting is a legal doctrine related to the guilt of someone who aids or abets (encourages, incites) another person in the commission of a crime (or in another's suicide). It exists in a number of different countries and generally al ...
a client's suicide, so he goes on a quest to get in touch with his "suspicious"
life insurance Life insurance (or life assurance, especially in the Commonwealth of Nations) is a contract A contract is an agreement that specifies certain legally enforceable rights and obligations pertaining to two or more parties. A contract typical ...
clients and turn their lives around for the better. Ryoo was criticized for giving curt answers to the press at the movie premiere; his agency apologized on his behalf, saying it was his first time to see the film in its entirety so he needed time to organize his thoughts. Ryoo later called human comedy "an extremely cruel genre" to "people who are actually living that reality by making people laugh and cry over someone's pain." But he said he liked the film for trying "to draw a hopeful message from out of it and offer cheerful consolation rather than handle it in a depressing way." Ryoo played a
zombie A zombie (Haitian French: ; ; Kikongo: ''zumbi'') is a mythological undead corporeal revenant created through the reanimation of a corpse. In modern popular culture, zombies appear in horror genre works. The term comes from Haitian folkl ...
in Yim Pil-sung's short film ''A Brave New World'', part of the
science fiction Science fiction (often shortened to sci-fi or abbreviated SF) is a genre of speculative fiction that deals with imaginative and futuristic concepts. These concepts may include information technology and robotics, biological manipulations, space ...
omnibus '' Doomsday Book''. His zombie make-up took six hours daily to put on. Ryoo shot the film in 2006, but because of financing problems, it was only released in 2012. In 2012, he joined the cast of
black comedy Black comedy, also known as black humor, bleak comedy, dark comedy, dark humor, gallows humor or morbid humor, is a style of comedy that makes light of subject matter that is generally considered taboo, particularly subjects that are normally ...
'' Over My Dead Body'', along with
Lee Beom-soo Lee Beom-soo (born October 16, 1969) is a South Korean actor. He is well known for his role in '' Singles'' (2003), ''Giant'' (2010), ''On Air'' (2008), '' Surgeon Bong Dal-hee'' (2007), as well as in'' History of a Salaryman'' (2012). Career ...
and
Kim Ok-vin Kim Ok-vin (; born 3 January 1987), also known as Kim Ok-bin, is a South Korean actress. She made her debut in an online beauty contest in 2004, and began her acting career with a role in the 2005 film ''Voice''. She appeared in the television ...
. Ryoo was a scene stealer in the role of a daft character who fakes his own death in order to hide from loan sharks and collect his insurance money, but stumbles into two researchers attempting to steal a corpse with an embedded computer chip containing stolen technology. Later that year, he starred in ''
Perfect Number In number theory, a perfect number is a positive integer that is equal to the sum of its positive proper divisors, that is, divisors excluding the number itself. For instance, 6 has proper divisors 1, 2 and 3, and 1 + 2 + 3 = 6, so 6 is a perfec ...
'', a film adaptation of popular Japanese
mystery novel Mystery is a fiction genre where the nature of an event, usually a murder or other crime, remains mysterious until the end of the story. Often within a closed circle of suspects, each suspect is usually provided with a credible motive and a re ...
'' The Devotion of Suspect X'' by
Keigo Higashino is a Japanese author chiefly known for his mystery novels. He served as the 13th President of Mystery Writers of Japan from 2009 to 2013. Higashino has won major Japanese awards for his books, almost twenty of which have been turned into films ...
. Ryoo played a
genius Genius is a characteristic of original and exceptional insight in the performance of some art or endeavor that surpasses expectations, sets new standards for the future, establishes better methods of operation, or remains outside the capabiliti ...
mathematics professor who plans the perfect
alibi An alibi (, from the Latin, '' alibī'', meaning "somewhere else") is a statement by a person under suspicion in a crime that they were in a different place when the offence was committed. During a police investigation, all suspects are usually a ...
for the woman he secretly loves (played by
Lee Yo-won Lee Yo-won (; born April 9, 1980) is a South Korean actress. She is best known for her portrayal of Queen Seondeok in the eponymous hit period drama. Career Lee Yo-won was a sophomore in high school when she won a modeling contest and first ...
) when she unexpectedly murders her abusive ex-husband. He said it was his first time to portray self-sacrificing love, and director
Bang Eun-jin Bang Eun-jin (; born August 5, 1965) is a South Korean actress and film director. She is best known for starring in Park Chul-soo's ''301, 302'' and Kim Ki-duk's ''Address Unknown (2001 film), Address Unknown''. Bang made her feature directorial ...
commended the maturity in his acting when she instructed him "to cry with your heart, not with the face." He was cast in a supporting role in ''
The Berlin File ''The Berlin File'' (; lit. "Berlin") is a 2013 South Korean action spy film written and directed by Ryoo Seung-wan. Ha Jung-woo stars as a North Korean agent in Berlin who is betrayed and cut loose when a weapons deal is exposed. Together with ...
'', Ryoo Seung-wan's 2013 spy thriller also starring
Ha Jung-woo Kim Sung-hoon (; born March 11, 1978), better known as Ha Jung-woo (), is a South Korean actor and filmmaker. One of the highest grossing actors in South Korea, Ha's starring films have accumulated more than 100 million tickets. Only 3 other acto ...
, Han Suk-kyu, and
Jun Ji-hyun Wang Ji-hyun (; born 30 October 1981), known professionally as Jun Ji-hyun (), is a South Korean actress and model. She rose to fame with her role in the romantic comedy film ''My Sassy Girl'' (2001), which became a tremendous sensation across ...
. Playing a ruthless assassin and the son of a high ranking
North Korea North Korea, officially the Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK), is a country in East Asia. It constitutes the northern half of the Korea, Korean Peninsula and borders China and Russia to the north at the Yalu River, Yalu (Amnok) an ...
n official, Ryoo spoke
German German(s) may refer to: * Germany, the country of the Germans and German things **Germania (Roman era) * Germans, citizens of Germany, people of German ancestry, or native speakers of the German language ** For citizenship in Germany, see also Ge ...
, English, and
North Korean dialect North is one of the four compass points or cardinal directions. It is the opposite of south and is perpendicular to east and west. ''North'' is a noun, adjective, or adverb indicating direction or geography. Etymology The word ''north'' is ...
in the film. ''
The New York Times ''The New York Times'' (''NYT'') is an American daily newspaper based in New York City. ''The New York Times'' covers domestic, national, and international news, and publishes opinion pieces, investigative reports, and reviews. As one of ...
'' praised his portrayal for its "electrifying viciousness," and ''
The Korea Times ''The Korea Times'' () is a daily English-language newspaper in South Korea. It is a sister paper of the ''Hankook Ilbo'', a major Korean language, Korean-language daily. It is the oldest active daily English-language newspaper in South Korea. ...
'' called him "brilliant." ''The Berlin File'' sold more than 7 million tickets, making it Korea's top all-time action movie. It is also the biggest hit of Ryoo's career thus far.


2015 to present

Following ''The Berlin File'', Ryoo went on a hiatus from show business because he said he no longer wanted to be an "overly commercialized product." He traveled all over Europe, then lived in
Paris Paris () is the Capital city, capital and List of communes in France with over 20,000 inhabitants, largest city of France. With an estimated population of 2,048,472 residents in January 2025 in an area of more than , Paris is the List of ci ...
for three years where he worked as a
model A model is an informative representation of an object, person, or system. The term originally denoted the plans of a building in late 16th-century English, and derived via French and Italian ultimately from Latin , . Models can be divided in ...
. Ryoo returned to acting in 2015 with a leading role in
Im Sang-soo Im Sang-soo (; born April 27, 1962) is a South Korean film director and screenwriter. He has twice been invited to compete for the Palme d'Or at the Cannes Film Festival: first for '' The Housemaid'' in 2010, and then '' The Taste of Money'' in 2 ...
's '' Intimate Enemies'', a thriller about four people who find bags of money at a car crash site and decide to use it to mete out revenge against corrupt corporations. In 2017, Ryoo was cast in
Kim Ki-duk Kim Ki-duk ( ; 20 December 196011 December 2020) was a South Korean film director and screenwriter, noted for his Idiosyncrasy, idiosyncratic Art film, art-house cinematic works. His films have received many distinctions in the festival circuit ...
's drama film '' Human, Space, Time and Human''. In 2019, Ryoo starred in the third installment of the ''Tazza'' film series, '' Tazza: One Eyed Jack''. In March 2023, Ryoo signed with Y One Entertainment.


Other activities

Since 2007, he has been an in-demand
club DJ A disc jockey, more commonly abbreviated as DJ, is a person who plays recorded music for an audience. Types of DJs include radio DJs (who host programs on music radio stations), club DJs (who work at nightclubs or music festivals), mobile DJ ...
under the name "DJ Ryoo." He,
Shin Min-ah Yang Min-a (; born 5 April 1984), better known by the stage name Shin Min-a (), is a South Korean model and actress best known for starring in television dramas ''A Love to Kill'' (2005), ''My Girlfriend Is a Gumiho'' (2010), ''Arang and the M ...
and Hyun Bin were chosen as models for the laptop LG Xnote in 2008. In line with this, they appeared in the
branded entertainment Branded content (also known as branded entertainment) is a type of entertainment product made or otherwise funded by an advertiser. They are designed to build awareness for a particular brand by presenting content that reflects its values and image ...
campaign ''Summer Days'', which aired in seven short films or episodes (each approximately 4 minutes long; total running time is 30 minutes). These included two music videos by
You Hee-yeol You Hee-yeol (; born April 19, 1971) is a South Korean singer-songwriter, radio disk jockey, and the host of ''You Hee-yeol's Sketchbook''. He is the founder of the record label Antenna Music and the sole member of the project band Toy. Biogr ...
: ''Summer Day'' featuring Shin Jae-pyung of Peppertones, and ''My Happy Day'' sung by Shin Min-ah. Ryoo is friends with Gary and Gil, who comprise the
hip hop Hip-hop or hip hop (originally disco rap) is a popular music genre that emerged in the early 1970s from the African-American community of New York City. The style is characterized by its synthesis of a wide range of musical techniques. Hip- ...
duo
Leessang Leessang () was a South Korean hip hop duo, composed of Kang Hee-gun ("Gary" or "Garie") and Gil Seong-joon ("Gil"). Formed in 2002, the duo has released eight albums to date: two self-titled records in 2002 and 2003, ''Library of Soul'' in 2 ...
. He has appeared in several
music video A music video is a video that integrates a song or an album with imagery that is produced for promotion (marketing), promotional or musical artistic purposes. Modern music videos are primarily made and used as a music marketing device intended to ...
s for their songs, including ''Ballerino'' (2007) and ''The Girl Who Can't Break Up, The Boy Who Can't Leave'' (2009), which were both directed by his brother
Ryoo Seung-wan Ryoo Seung-wan (; born December 15, 1973) is a South Korean filmmaker. He made his debut in 1996 with the short film ''Dangerous Head'', then worked as a director under director Park Chan-wook, took film lessons, and made his feature film debut ...
. Ryoo won the Music Video Acting award at the Mnet KM Music Festival (now called the
Mnet Asian Music Awards The MAMA Awards (, formerly Mnet Asian Music Awards) is a major Music award, music awards ceremony presented annually by entertainment company CJ ENM. First held in South Korea, the majority of prizes have been won by K-pop artists, although ...
) for Leessang's ''I'm Not Laughing'' (2005). They also collaborated on the ''
Bloody Tie ''Bloody Tie'' () is a 2006 South Korean neo-noir action crime film directed by Choi Ho, it stars Hwang Jung-min as a detective trying to track down a drug lord by cooperating with a mid-level drug dealer, played by Ryoo Seung-bum. Plot Sang-do (R ...
'' track ''Who Are You Living For?'' (2006), with
Hwang Jung-min Hwang Jung-min (; born September 1, 1970) is a South Korean actor. He established himself as a leading man in the romantic drama ''You Are My Sunshine'' (2005). One of the highest-grossing actors in South Korea, Hwang has starred in several box ...
on vocals, and Leessang and Ryoo as
rappers Rapping (also rhyming, flowing, spitting, emceeing, or MCing) is an artistic form of vocal delivery and emotive expression that incorporates "rhyme, rhythmic speech, and ommonlystreet vernacular". It is usually performed over a backing b ...
. Ryoo Seung-Bum and Leessang toured together to Sydney, Australia for the first time in 2009 with show producer, Leonard Dela Torre. He is also known in the entertainment industry as an eccentric dresser, simultaneously landing him in worst-dressed lists, while others label him an experimental "fashionista." Ryoo said he believes fashion is a form of communication, and aims for wit in his personal style. In an interview, celebrity photographer Zo Sunhi called Ryoo her favorite subject, saying, "He's someone who has shown his soul in front of the camera. He's the one person who wasn't inhibited or concerned with how amazing he should look, nor did he try to hide anything in front of the lens. There was no false pretenses or superficiality to him. He was an open book. Truly a free spirit. And because he didn't care how he looked, there was truth in his photographs."


Personal life

Ryoo began dating actress
Gong Hyo-jin Gong Hyo-jin (; born April 4, 1980) is a South Korean actress. She is best known for her leading role in the film '' Crush and Blush'' (2008), as well as for her popular television series '' Sang Doo! Let's Go to School'' (2003), ''Thank You'' ...
after they grew close on the set of 2001's ''Wonderful Days''; the two had in fact shared one class in elementary school before Gong transferred out. In a rare move for Korean celebrities, the young stars publicly admitted their relationship. The real-life couple again starred together in 2002 comedy '' Conduct Zero''. They broke up in 2003, but remained friends, and Ryoo made a
cameo appearance A cameo appearance, also called a cameo role and often shortened to just cameo (), is a brief guest appearance of a well-known person or character in a work of the performing arts. These roles are generally small, many of them non-speaking on ...
in Gong's film ''
Family Ties ''Family Ties'' is an American television sitcom that aired on NBC for seven seasons, premiering on September 22, 1982, and concluding on May 14, 1989. The series, created by Gary David Goldberg, reflected the social shift in the United Stat ...
'' in 2006. The couple reunited in 2008, and both appeared in ''
Dachimawa Lee ''Dachimawa Lee'' (;) is a 2008 South Korean period spy action comedy film. It has been released via online streaming in the United States with the title ''Dachimawa Lee: Gangnam Spy''. Plot The legendary Korean spy Dachimawa Lee is assigned t ...
'', though they did not share any scenes. In 2010 Ryoo made a cameo in Gong's TV series ''
Pasta Pasta (, ; ) is a type of food typically made from an Leavening agent, unleavened dough of wheat flour mixed with water or Eggs as food, eggs, and formed into sheets or other shapes, then cooked by boiling or baking. Pasta was originally on ...
'', and he complimented her in an interview in 2011. Often topping surveys of favorite Korean celeb couples, they shocked fans in 2012 by announcing that they had ended their relationship.


Marriage

In 2020, Ryoo married a non-celebrity Slovak girlfriend who is 10 years younger than him and that he had a daughter. Ryoo's wife is known to have worked as a painter in France.


Filmography


Film


Television series


Music video appearances


Theater


Discography


Awards and nominations


Listicles


References


External links

* * * {{DEFAULTSORT:Ryoo, Seung-bum People from Asan Male actors from South Chungcheong Province 21st-century South Korean male actors South Korean male film actors South Korean male stage actors South Korean male television actors 1980 births Living people MAMA Award winners Best New Actor Paeksang Arts Award (television) winners