Kim Seon-ho (Korean: 김선호, IPA: [kim ˈsʰɘ(ː)nβo̞]; born May 8, 1986) is a South Korean actor. He began his career on stage and appeared in numerous plays before making his screen debut in 2017 with Good Manager. He rose to prominence with the television series Start-Up (2020) and gained more recognition for his role in Hometown Cha-Cha-Cha (2021), which led to him being selected as Gallup Korea's Television Actor of the Year in 2021.
He made his debut in the film industry as the title role in the noir film The Childe (2023)
Born in Seongbuk-gu, Seoul, South Korea, Kim grew up as an only child in Bongcheon-dong, a neighborhood in Seoul. He describes himself as introverted and insecure during his childhood and teenage years, which he attributes to a traumatic incident in his childhood. During a home robbery, his mother was stabbed with a knife, and Kim narrowly escaped the attack by hiding under his bed. He slowly overcame this trauma through acting after enrolling in an acting academy during his third year of high school.
After finishing high school, Kim studied at the Seoul Institute of the Arts where he received a degree from the Department of Broadcasting and Entertainment. During his studies, he joined his campus theater club Theatrical Art Research Society . In the theater club, Kim started to act in plays such as My Town, The Seagull, and Chunpung's Wife.
Kim went for his mandatory military enlistment in 2007, before making his debut as an actor. He served as an assistant instructor at Nonsan Army Training Center and later switched to working as a public service worker. His time in the military broadened his worldview.
Kim first professional stage role was in the open-run production of New Boeing Boeing (an adaptation of the French play of the same name) in 2009, which he reprised in 2013. In 2012, Kim acted the role Dr. Watson to Korean production of William Gillette's play Sherlock Holmes.
In 2013, after graduating from college, Kim auditioned for a play based on the stage experience he had accumulated while attending Seoul Institute of the Arts. At the end of 2013, Kim took on the main lead role in play Words I Couldn't Say for 7 Years, written and directed by Park Jung-in, at Daehakro Moonlight Theater. In March 2014, Kim reprised his role at the Figaro Art Hall in Jung-gu, Ulsan.
In autumn of the same year, Kim was triple-cast in season 10 of Aligator Theater Company's play Rooftop House Cat. Kim won the role of protagonist Lee Kyung-min after beating around 200 hopefuls in an open audition. He was then recast for seasons 11 and 12. In 2015 he was cast for another title role in the Aligator Theater Company's play Purpose of Love. Both plays are popular Daehakro (comparable to Off-Broadway) romantic comedy open-run plays.
Later, he expanded his repertoire with darker roles in limited-run plays produced by Aligator Theater Company. In 2015, Kim auditioned for Austin role in Korean revival of Sam Shepard's acclaimed True West, directed by Oh Man-seok. He was triple-cast as Austin with Lee Hyun-wook and Moon Sung-il. They alternately acted opposite Jeon Seok-ho, Kim Jun-won, and Lee Dae-il, who played Austin older brother Lee. According to Interpark, the play ranked first for theater ticket sales at the same time as ticket sales was opened. It was performed at the University Road A Art Hall from August 13 to November 1. Also in 2015, he played Valentin in Korean stage adaptation of Manuel Puig's play Kiss of the Spider Woman at the Art One Theater, Seoul. Kim found minor success and earned the nickname "theater idol".
Personal Info
- Name: Kim Seon-ho
- Occupation: Actor
- Known For: Hometown Cha-Cha-Cha as Hong Du-sik
Agency Event Price Info
- Meet and Greet: $10,000 - $60,000
- Vacation: $30,000
- VIP Card and Access: $4,500 - $8000
- Endoresment: $15,000
- Virtual Event: $5,000
- Event Invitation: $13,000