Seo In-guk

Biographical Overview & Key Facts

Subject:

Seo In-guk

Role / Field:

South Korean actor and singer known for his versatile roles in drama and music.

Born:

1987-10-23

Century / Era:

1987s Historical Era

Database Source:

2Day Chrono-Wiki & Wikipedia CC BY-SA 4.0

Origins & Early Life

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). 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.

Pivotal Works & Achievements

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.

Enduring Legacy & Impact

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. 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.

Chronological Milestones & Life Events

1. 1987 (1987-10-23): Birth of Seo In-guk — South Korean actor and singer known for his versatile roles in drama and music.
2. 2009: 2009 Milestone — He began his singing career after winning the talent reality show Superstar K in 2009, and made his acting breakthrough in Reply 1997 (2012).
3. 2014: 2014 Milestone — 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).

Historical Fact-Check Quiz: Seo In-guk

True or False: “Seo In-guk's initial foray into acting for the music video of 'Just Beginning' was highly successful from the start.”

Answer (FALSE ❌): He described his first acting experience as feeling awkward, noting that he felt his hands and feet shrivel.

Contemporary Figures & Related Historical Timelines

• Aaron Carter — Contemporary (Born in 1987) (1987): American singer and rapper known for teen pop stardom and enduring musical career.
• Afrojack — Contemporary (Born in 1987) (1987): Dutch DJ and record producer, known professionally as Afrojack.
• Ahn Jae-hyun — Contemporary (Born in 1987) (1987): South Korean actor and model known for roles in dramas like Blood and The Beauty Inside.
• Adolph Green — Shared historical date (10-23 · Died) (2002): American lyricist and playwright known for his long-running, witty partnership with Betty Comden.
• Al Jolson — Shared historical date (10-23 · Died) (1950): Lithuanian-American entertainer, vaudevillian, and star of The Jazz Singer.
• Ahn Ji-hye — Historical peer (Born in 1987) (1987): South Korean actress known for her roles in films like In Her Place.
• Aidy Bryant — Historical peer (Born in 1987) (1987): American actress and comedian known for her work on Saturday Night Live.
• Aage Bohr — Historical peer (Died in 2009) (2009): Pioneering Danish nuclear physicist, Nobel laureate for atomic structure theory.
• Abdurrahman Wahid — Historical peer (Died in 2009) (2009): Influential Indonesian politician, Islamic leader, and fourth President known for pluralism.
• Adriana Caselotti — Historical peer (Died in 1997) (1997): American actress and singer, famed for voicing Snow White in the first Disney feature.
• 1987 Historical Timeline & Archive — Explore world events and figures from 1987
• October 23 (10-23) On This Day — Historical birthdays and events on October 23

Frequently Asked Questions about Seo In-guk