Seo In-guk

Biography

Seo In-guk (Korean: 서인국; born October 23, 1987) is a South Korean singer-songwriter and actor. He began his singing career after winning the talent reality show Superstar K in 2009, and made his acting breakthrough in Reply 1997 (2012). Since then, he has starred in television series including High School King of Savvy (2014), Hello Monster (2015), Shopping King Louie (2016), and Death's Game (2023).

Early life and education

Seo was born on October 23, 1987, in Ulsan, where he lived with his parents and younger sister. He grew up in relative poverty; his mother worked as a recyclables collector and his father as a welder. Seo trained as a ssireum wrestler, learnt boxing and mixed martial arts in school and is a Hapkido 2nd dan. He decided to become a singer at the age of ten, after being inspired by the Korean rock musician Kim Jung-min and watching him perform "Sad Promise". Seo performed at family gatherings and school events, and moved to Seoul alone at the age of 20 to pursue his dream of becoming a singer despite his father's objections.
While studying Applied Music at Daebul University, Seo auditioned for various record agencies such as JYP Entertainment and DSP Media but to no success. After repeatedly being rejected and told to lose weight, he struggled with bulimia for a time. Seo later enrolled at Kyung Hee Cyber University, Department of Information and Communication. He also pursued Master's degrees in Performing Arts at Dongguk University and Practical Music (Composition) at Baekseok University.

2009–2011: Superstar K and music releases

In 2009, Seo competed in the Mnet singing competition program Superstar K, winning the show's first season. On October 27, 2009, he released his debut extended play Calling, with the same-title lead single composed by Bang Si-hyuk topping multiple music sites on its release day. Seo signed with Jellyfish Entertainment in the same year and won the Male Newcomer of the Year Award at the 2009 Cyworld Digital Music Awards.
In May 2010, Seo released his first single album Just Beginning×Just Beginning6 May 2010 · EPSpotify (search)YouTube Music (search)Tracklist · 6 tracks1Beginning0:372사랑해 U3:173마지막 생일4:144왜 웃기만해3:265Prime Time (feat. 리사)4:086첫눈에 (feat. 베카 of 애프터스쿨)3:50 with the lead single "I Love U". Seo made a brief foray into acting for the single's music video; he described his first acting experience as "awkward", saying, "I felt my hands and feet shrivel." The album reached number seven on the Gaon Album Chart, while the single peaked at number two on the Gaon Digital Chart. A repackage edition of the album titled My Baby U was released three months later. Having lost over 33 pounds (15 kg) since his debut through exercise and strict diet control, Seo's changes in his physical appearance brought about rumors of plastic surgery. In 2011, shifting his sound, Seo released the single "Broken×BROKEN31 March 2011 · SingleSpotify (search)YouTube Music (search)Tracklist · 1 track1BROKEN3:43" incorporating choreography into his performance, as well as summer dance track "Shake It Up×Shake It Up10 August 2011 · SingleSpotify (search)YouTube Music (search)Tracklist · 1 track1Shake It Up3:06" for which he penned the lyrics. Despite a successful debut, Seo reportedly received the "cold shoulder" treatment from the three major Korean public networks, as he was a cable television star.

2012: Acting debut and Reply 1997

In 2012, Seo was part of the cast of the jukebox musical Gwanghwamun Love Song and made his onscreen acting debut with a supporting role in KBS's Love Rain. According to Seo, his role in Love Rain came at a time when he was feeling anxious about the life of an entertainer, and fueled his desire for acting. He landed his first leading role later that year, in cable channel tvN's '90s nostalgic hit drama Reply 1997. Seo's portrayal of a teenage boy in unrequited love with his childhood best friend won praise from both audiences and critics. Yonhap News praised, "It's hard to believe he's a rookie, from acting in his eyes, to handling lines and expressing emotions". As part of the drama's soundtrack, Seo recorded two duets with co-star Jung Eun-ji. The first duet "All For You", a remake of the song by Cool, topped weekly and monthly music charts and became one of the best-selling singles of the year on the Gaon Digital Chart. The single also won the Best OST award at the Melon Music Awards and Mnet Asian Music Awards that year. Seo appeared in MBC's weekend drama The Sons (also known as Rascal Sons) in the same year, and also signed with Japanese agency Irving Entertainment.

2013–2015: Japanese debut, variety shows and return to acting

Seo joined the newly launched reality/variety show I Live Alone from January to June 2013. He returned to the music scene in April 2013 with the single With Laughter or with Tears, the first soulful ballad from his discography. Several weeks later, the song was followed by his Japanese debut with the release of the single Fly Away.In June 2013, he was cast in Master's Sun, a drama series written by the Hong sisters, playing a former soldier who served in the Zaytun Division who becomes the head of security for a shopping mall company. In October 2013, he starred in his first big-screen leading role in No Breathing, a coming-of-age film about two swimming rivals, alongside Lee Jong-suk and Kwon Yuri. He then played a dual role in Another Parting, a five-episode miniseries about a man and a woman who meet in the final moment of their lives and spend one special day together.
In 2014, Seo released his first Japanese album titled Everlasting×Everlasting15 January 2014 · Studio albumSpotifyYouTube Music (search)Tracklist · 14 tracks · 2 discsDisc 11Everlasting Love2Only One3My Voice4Toxic Girl5We Can Dance Tonight6Lovely Girl7恋しくて8Deep Inside My Heart9Fly Away10Just One Ring11Space de Tour12Hands Up!Disc 21Everlasting Love (Music Video)2Special Documentary Movie, which comprises his previously released singles "Fly Away×Fly Away24 April 2013 · SingleSpotify (search)YouTube Music (search)Tracklist · 10 tracks · 2 discsDisc 11Fly Away2Deep Inside My Heart3Shake It Up (Korean Original Ver.)4Tease Me (Korean Original Ver.)5Fly Away (Instrumental)6Deep Inside My Heart (Instrumental)Disc 21Fly Away (Music Video)2Shake It Up (Music Video)3Tease Me (Music Video)4Making Movie" and "We Can Dance Tonight×We Can Dance Tonight16 October 2013 · SingleSpotify (search)YouTube Music (search)Tracklist · 8 tracks · 2 discsDisc 11We Can Dance Tonight2My Voice3Best Friend4We Can Dance Tonight (Instrumental)5My Voice (Instrumental)6Best Friend (Instrumental)Disc 21We Can Dance Tonight (Music Video)2Making Movie". The album also features a new track titled "Everlasting Love" with a total of 12 tracks. The album debuted at number nine on the Oricon Daily Chart. Seo later won the Best 3 New Artists (Asia) award at the Japan Gold Disc Awards.
Following the cancellation of action noir film Wild Dog which would have been Seo's second big-screen appearance, Seo headlined cable romantic comedy series High School King of Savvy in which he played a high school student and star hockey player who leads a double life when he's forced to take on his elder brother's job as an executive at an IT company. Later that year, Seo starred in his first period drama The King's Face, playing illegitimate crown prince Gwanghae, who becomes his father King Seonjo's rival in politics and love. In 2015, Seo joined the cast of SBS variety show Law of the Jungle from March to May, for the Indochina season. He was then cast as a genius profiler in the police procedural/romance series Hello Monster which premiered in June 2015 on KBS2.

2016–2020: Career fluctuations

In 2016 Seo joined Law of the Jungle for the second time for the show's Mongolia season. He also starred in OCN's workplace drama Squad 38, playing a professional swindler. Seo called the role a turning point in his acting career, and he received favourable press reviews for his ease of transformation into multiple character personas. The drama became the highest rated drama for OCN, and Seo won a special award for his role at the 11th Asian TV Drama Conference. He then took on the leading role in MBC's romantic comedy Shopping King Louie, playing the role of an amnesic chaebol heir with childlike innocence. For his performance, Seo was awarded the Excellence Award at the 2016 MBC Drama Awards. On August 4, 2017, it was confirmed that Seo's contract with Jellyfish Entertainment had expired and that he would not be renewing his contract. On August 7, it was announced Seo had signed with BS Company.
In 2018, Seo starred in mystery melodrama The Smile Has Left Your Eyes, a remake of the 2002 Japanese television series Sora Kara Furu Ichioku no Hoshi. The drama reunited Seo with director Yoo Je-won, whom he had previously worked with in High School King of Savvy. Seo had initially contemplated taking up the role but decided to join the project following numerous discussions with director Yoo. Despite the drama's lackluster ratings, Seo's performance garnered positive press reviews. The Straits Times wrote, "It is a role that could easily slip into creepiness or smugness but Seo manages to pull off a delicate balancing act." Seo was set to star in film Hip Daddy but stepped down from the project in 2020 after production was put on hold.
In May 2021, Seo made his small-screen return with fantasy romance drama Doom at Your Service as the personification of destruction. In the same month, he also returned to the big screen after eight years in Yoo Ha's comedy-crime film Pipeline as a drilling expert involved in an oil heist. Director Yoo said about Seo's casting, "I was fascinated the first time I saw him. [...] His face showed so much different potential."

2021–present: Return to music and Death's Game

In December 2021, Seo signed a singer contract with AER Music. On June 14, 2022, Seo released his new single album Love&Love and its lead single "My Love", featuring Ravi, his first release after five years. A teaser for the music video was released on June 9, 2022, on YouTube. The same year, he played a profiler-turned-shaman in KBS2 drama Café Minamdang, alongside Oh Yeon-seo. On June 14, it was announced that Seo 'Heart & Love' fan meeting will be held at Yes24 Live Hall on July 30. On December 6, 2022, Seo will release the single "Fallen×Fallen6 December 2022 · SingleSpotifyYouTube Music (search)Tracklist · 3 tracks1Fallen3:382Youth2:583Fallen (Instrumental)3:38", the first single released in six months. Seo then starred in Kim Hong-sun's action thriller film Project Wolf Hunting as a criminal with Jang Dong-yoon, alongside Choi Gwi-hwa and Sung Dong-il. On February 8, 2023, Seo was confirmed to star in the TVING original series Death's Game.
In 2026, he starred in Netflix's romantic comedy series Boyfriend on Demand opposite Jisoo. In June, he starred in tvN's Kakao Webtoon adaption series, See You at Work Tomorrow!, for which he also performed the OST, The One Who Fills Me.

Military service exemption

In February 2017, it was announced that Seo received his official military enlistment date, set to take place on March 28. He had previously delayed his enlistment twice, starting in March 2015, citing his health as a reason. Neither the media nor his management company stated whether he had received treatment, but he passed a physical to enlist. It was reported he would quietly enter the mandatory two-year military service period without media coverage. Seo opted instead to release a music video for his self-composed song, "Better Together", for his fans. The video was released on YouTube on March 26, 2017. However, due to a fractured ankle, Seo was excused from conscription four days after entering and scheduled for a medical re-examination. His agency released the results, revealing Seo was diagnosed with osteochondritis dissecans, a bone and cartilage condition. He was given a Grade 5 health rating and consequently exempted.