Yoo Seung-ho (; ; born August 17, 1993) is a South Korean actor. Known for his roles in film and television, he has received two nominations at the Baeksang Arts Awards and was nicknamed "Nation's Little Brother" in his home country. Yoo rose to fame as a child actor in the film The Way Home (2002), and has since starred in the television series The Emperor: Owner of the Mask (2017), I'm Not a Robot (2017), and Moonshine (2021–2022).
Early life Yoo was born on August 17, 1993, and was raised in Jakjeon-dong, Gyeyang District, Incheon, South Korea, He is the younger of two siblings, he later claimed that his family had been poor. Yoo graduated from Baekshin High School in February 2012. He decided not to pursue a college degree in order to concentrate on his acting career.
Career 1999–2009: Beginnings as a child actor Yoo made his entertainment debut in a cellphone commercial in 1999 after Yoo's mother sent in a photo of her son to an ad agency. In 2000 Yoo began his career as a child actor, first appearing in the television drama Daddy Fish. He rose to stardom in his first film The Way Home, playing a bratty city boy who learns to appreciate country life when he's forced to spend the summer with his deaf-mute grandmother. The low-budget film was a surprise box office hit in 2002, drawing more than 4 million admissions. He was then affectionately labeled as "Nation's Little Brother". Thereafter, Yoo also starred in animal movie Hearty Paws (2006) about a boy and his beloved dog, and Unforgettable (2008) about school children from a remote island who go on a field trip to a candy factory in Seoul during the 1970s.
He continued acting in television, appearing in Magic Warriors Mir & Gaon (2005), an adventure series for children. Yoo further built his filmography, playing younger counterparts of male protagonists in television dramas, including general Yi Sun-sin in Immortal Admiral Yi Sun-sin (2004), King Seongjong in The King and I (2007), and Gwanggaeto the Great in The Legend (2007). In 2009, Yoo starred in the action film City of Fathers and thriller film 4th Period Mystery. He also played Kim Chunchu in the period epic Queen Seondeok.
2010–2014: Teen roles In his teens, Yoo was cast in one of the major roles in Master of Study (2010), a Korean screen adaptation of Japanese manga Dragon Zakura. He then played a more mature role in Flames of Desire, as the second-generation son of a wealthy chaebol family who is uninterested in the battles of succession among his relatives and becomes a married man at 21. Later that year, Yoo sang a duet with singer/actress IU titled "I Believe in Love" for the charity program Love Request. The song's lyrics was based on a diary that Yoo had written while seeing orphans of war in the slums of Sri Lanka.
In 2011, Yoo trained in swordplay and martial arts in his role as an assassin in Warrior Baek Dong-soo, an action-period drama based on the manhwa by Lee Jae-heon. He also voiced Greenie, Leafie's adopted son, on Leafie, a Hen into the Wild, which was adapted from a bestselling children's novel by Hwang Sun-mi. He then co-starred with Kim Ha-neul in the thriller Blind.
In 2012, Yoo was cast in his first role as a leading man in Operation Proposal, a Korean remake of the Japanese drama Proposal Daisakusen. This was followed by a supporting role as the Jade Emperor, ruler of the heavens, in the fantasy-period drama Arang and the Magistrate. Afterwards, he starred in the melodrama Missing You, playing a cold man who hides a vengeance-filled heart behind his seemingly gentle smile.
Known in the press as "Little So Ji-sub" for his resemblance to the said actor, in 2013 Yoo starred in the music video for So's single "Eraser" together with Park Shin-hye. This was his second time promoting So's musical endeavors, after "Lonely Life" in 2008. Following that, Yoo's first photo book titled Travel Letter, Spring Snow, And... was published; it was the last project shot by celebrity photographer Bori before her death on April 9, 2013.
2015–present: Adult roles and rising popularity As his first post-army project, Yoo appeared in the music video for Naul's "You From the Same Time" in 2015. He was next cast as a stubborn webcomic writer raising a cat in the TV adaptation of webtoon Imaginary Cat. Yoo followed this by starring in the joseon-era romance film The Magician directed by Kim Dae-seung, in which he plays a circus magician who falls in love with a princess. Yoo was then cast in SBS's legal thriller series Remember as a lawyer with hyperthymesia who defends his father on death row.
In 2016, Yoo starred in the historical comedy film Seondal: The Man Who Sells the River as the titular character Kim Seon-dal. In 2017, he starred in MBC's historical melodrama The Emperor: Owner of the Mask and romantic-comedy I'm Not a Robot. In 2018, he was cast in SBS's high school drama My Strange Hero. In 2020, Yoo starred in the mystery thriller Memorist as a detective in the police force with the power to read people's memories. In 2021, Yoo played a passionate inspector in KBS2 historical drama Moonshine. In 2022, he made a special appearance in the action crime film Special Delivery. In March 2022, Yoo signed with new agency YG Entertainment.
In 2023, Yoo returned to the small screen with his first streaming project, Wavve's crime thriller The Deal portraying a completely different character than his previous ones - a financially struggling young man who accidentally kidnaps his school friend for a 10 billion won ransom. The mini-series was the only Korean drama invited to the third edition of the Red Sea International Film Festival in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia. Yoo walked the red carpet at VOX Cinemas in the Red Sea Mall together with the director Lee Jung-gon and took part in the screening of the first three episodes of the drama. In 2024, he appeared in the music video for Day6's "Welcome to the Show." In March 2025, Yoo signed with 333, a new management company established by Son Ho-jun. In
Personal life Military service Yoo enlisted for his mandatory military service as an active duty soldier on March 5, 2013, where he became an instructor training new recruits. He was discharged on December 4, 2014.
Philanthropy Yoo donated ₩10 million to Ronald McDonald House Korea, which provides shelters near hospitals. He has been named ambassador for the 2025 McDonald's Happy Walk, furthering his commitment to helping the foundation and its beneficiaries.
Filmography Film Year Title Role Notes 2002 The Way Home Sang-woo 2003 Happy Ero Christmas Children's angel choir 2004 Don't Tell Papa Kim Cho-won 2006 Hearty Paws Chan-yi 2008 Unforgettable Gil-su 2009 Astro Boy Astro Boy (voice, Korean dubbed) City of Fathers Kim Jong-chul 4th Period Mystery Han Jung-hoon 2011 Leafie, A Hen into the Wild Greenie (voice) Blind Kwon Gi-seob 2012 Fragments of Sweet Memories (3D short film) 2015 Joseon Magician Hwan-hee 2016 Seondal: The Man Who Sells the River Kim In-hong / Kim Seon-dal 2022 Special Delivery Special appearance
Television series Year Title Role Notes 2000 Daddy Fish Jung Da-um 2001 Boys Don't Cry Doo-san Drama City It Happened in the Parking Lot 2003 All That Ramen Joon-young Winter Bird's Dream Joon-ho Love Letter young Lee Woo-jin 2004 Hi, Clementine Se-beom Drama City Sweet Buns young Lee Shin-hyuk Immortal Admiral Yi Sun-sin young Yi Sun-sin Precious Family Park Joon-yi 2005 Sad Love Story young Seo Joon-young Mir 2006 Alien Sam Wang Hae-ryong 2007 The King and I young Seongjong The Legend young Damdeok 2009 Queen Seondeok Kim Chunchu You're Beautiful Customer at convenience store Cameo (Episode 9) 2010 Master of Study Hwang Baek-hyun Flames of Desire Kim Min-jae 2011 Warrior Baek Dong-soo Yeo Woon 2012 Operation Proposal Kang Baek-ho Arang and the Magistrate Jade Emperor, King of Heaven Missing You Kang Hyung-joon / Harry Borrison 2015 Imaginary Cat Hyun Jong-hyun 2015–2016 Remember Seo Jin-woo 2017 The Emperor: Owner of the Mask Lee Sun 2017–2018 I'm Not a Robot Kim Min-kyu 2018 Player Lee Han-sang Cameo (Episode 1) 2018–2019 My Strange Hero Kang Bok Soo 2020 Memorist Dong Baek 2021–2022 Moonshine Nam Young 2023 The Deal Lee Jun-seong 2026 Flex X Cop Yoo Seong-won Season 2, Special appearance
Television shows Year Title Role Notes 2013 Homo Academicus Narrator Documentary narrator 2022–2023 Off the Grid Main Cast Episodes 19–20 2023 Docu Insight: Code Blue Narrator Medical Documentary 2026 The Last Humanity Cast member
Music video appearances Year Song title Artist 2001 "Second Wish" Duke 2002 "Have You Ever Been Lovesick" Lyn "Photo" Dragonfly "Sorry" Kim Jang-hoon 2004 "Thanks" Tim 2008 "Don't Go, Don't Go" Brown Eyes "A Lonely Life" () So Ji-sub 2009 "Take Care of Her" () Jo Sung-mo "Lie" () T-ara 2010 "Like a Star" () Taeyeon 2011 "Whenever You Play That Song" () Huh Gak 2013 "Eraser" () So Ji-sub 2015 "You From the Same Time" () Naul 2016 "I Don't Love You" () Urban Zakapa 2018 "Sullae" () Rothy 2024 "Welcome to the Show" Day6
Theater + Theater play performance Year Title Role Theater Date English Korean 2024 Angels in America 엔젤스인 아메리카 Prior Walter LG Signature Hall at LG Arts Center, Seoul August 6 to September 28 2025Killing Ceaser 킬링시저BrutusMary Hall Grand Theater of Sogang University, SeoulMay 10 to July 20
Discography Singles Title Year Peak positions Sales Album KOR "I Believe in Love" () 2010 11 KOR: 1,010,437 Road for Hope
Bibliography Year Title Publisher ISBN Notes 2013 Travel Letter, Spring Snow, And... Wisdom House Photobook
Awards and nominations + Name of the award ceremony, year presented, category, nominee of the award, and the result of the nomination Award ceremony Year Category Nominee / Work Result Andre Kim Best Star Awards 2009 Male Star Award Yoo Seung-ho Baeksang Arts Awards 2010 Best New Actor – Film 4th Period Mystery Best New Actor – Television Master of Study Grand Bell Awards 2002 Best New Actor The Way Home KBS Drama Awards 2005 Best Young Actor Immortal Admiral Yi Sun-sin, Precious Family 2010 Excellence Award, Actor in a Miniseries Master of Study Best Couple Awards Yoo Seung-ho Master of Study Korea Best Dressed Swan Awards 2010 Best Dressed, TV Actor category Master of Study Korea First Brand Awards 2024 Best OTT Actor The Deal Korea Movie Star Awards 2007 Best Young Actor Heart Is... Korea Drama Awards 2016 Top Excellence Award, Actor Remember MBC Drama Awards 2009 Best New Actor Queen Seondeok 2012 Excellence Award, Actor in a Miniseries Arang and the Magistrate, Missing You 2017 Grand Prize (Daesang) The Emperor: Owner of the Mask Top Excellence Award, Actor in a Miniseries Mnet 20's Choice Awards 2008 Hot Younger Male Yoo Seung-ho SBS Drama Awards 2007 Best Young Actor The King and I 2016 Excellence Award, Actor in a Genre Drama Remember 2019 Top Excellence Award, Actor in a Miniseries My Strange Hero Soompi Awards 2018 Best Couple Award Yoo Seung-ho The Emperor: Owner of the Mask Young Artist Awards 2003 Best Young Performer in International Film The Way Home
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