Seo Jang-hoon (; born 3 June 1974) is a South Korean former professional basketball player, who is currently active as an entertainer and variety show star.
Early life Seo attended Whimoon High School, known as one Seoul's high school basketball powerhouses, alongside close friend Hyun Joo-yup. Their team drew attention as they measured an average height of 1.97 meters, around the height of their adult counterparts, despite being only teenagers.
Basketball career Seo played college basketball for Yonsei University. His time at Yonsei coincided with what is often retrospectively dubbed the "golden era" of domestic college basketball and was referenced in the television series Reply 1994. He and his teammates, as well as their counterparts from traditional athletic rivals Korea University, enjoyed a level of popularity similar to that of idol singers and A-list actors/actresses due to their skills and good looks. Together with his future national teammates Yonsei counterparts Lee Sang-min, Moon Kyung-eun and Woo Ji-won and Korea University's Hyun Joo-yup, Chun Hee-chul and Shin Ki-sung among others, they were collectively dubbed "Oppa Troupe" () by the media.
By the end of Seo's college career, domestic basketball was transitioning into the professional era with the establishment of the Korean Basketball League. He was signed by Seoul SK Knights, then based in Cheongju, in 1998. That year he moved to Seoul Samsung Thunders and played for them until 2007. From 2007 to 2008, he played for Jeonju KCC Egis. In 2008 Seo went to Incheon Electroland Elephants, and played for them until his retirement in 2013.
In 1994, Seo was first called-up to the South Korean senior national team and played in the 1994 FIBA world cup. His team competed in the 1994 Asian Games and got second place. In 1997, his team played in the ABC World Basketball Tournament and won. 1998, He played in 1998 FIBA world cup. He was a mainstay of the team which won gold at the 2002 Asian Games. He took 4th place in 2005 FIBA Asian cup, and 5th place at the 2006 Asian Games.
In his prime, Seo was widely regarded as one of the greatest centers of his generation and was dubbed "National Treasure Center" () by fans and the media. A formidable rebounder and scorer, he held the league all-time record for rebounds (5235 in 688 games) until January 2022, when it was surpassed by Jeonju KCC Egis center-forward Ra Gun-ah. During the 1998–99 season, he led the league in rebounds (overall among both domestic and foreign players) and points (among domestic players); no other domestic player has simultaneously led the league in both a domestic and overall statistical category in a single season, until point guard Heo Hoon over two decades later.
Career statistics
SeasonGMin.2P2PA%3P3PA%FGFTFTA%OFFDEFREBASTw/FTw/oFTSTLBLKGDTOPTSTEAM2012–13 41 984:26 132 261 50.57 35 91 38.46 47.44 54 69 78.26 35 111 146 21 36 44 6 16 1 47 423 Busan KT2011–12 35 745:50 83 193 43.01 18 62 29.03 39.61 43 59 72.88 25 78 103 28 24 20 11 3 2 50 263 Changwon LG2010–11 54 1582:39 320 598 53.51 31 85 36.47 51.39 166 212 78.30 72 228 300 54 47 65 19 18 3 110 899 Incheon ET Land2009–10 54 1702:14 343 624 54.97 21 75 28.00 52.07 175 224 78.13 79 279 358 88 63 57 21 15 3 141 9242008–09 51 1536:18 238 460 51.74 55 133 41.35 49.41 178 227 78.41 60 214 274 82 70 65 19 24 4 102 819 KCC Egis2007–08 54 1662:8 311 595 52.2726 99 26.26 48.56 179 216 82.87 101 295 396 92 67 56 18 25 2 109 8792006–07 33 1036:17 158 289 54.67 40 98 40.82 51.16 101 135 74.81 33 122 155 70 33 37 14 5 1 96 537 Seoul Samsung2005–06 54 1861:4 329 605 54.38 77 200 38.50 50.43 173 216 80.09 85 229 314 109 69 71 35 22 3 121 10622004–05 54 1951:23 464 857 54.14 34 83 40.96 52.98 162 207 78.26 114 395 509 72 79 78 24 43 3 144 11922003–04 47 1665:22 392 753 52.06 25 64 39.06 51.04 179 231 77.49 92 312 404 89 74 39 41 42 8 99 10382002–03 54 2076:19 530 1015 52.22 11 52 21.15 50.70 190 265 71.70 121 472 593 105 60 55 33 55 4 147 12832001–02 54 2121:52 547 1040 52.60 26 65 40.00 51.86 194 281 69.04 104 436 540 90 75 52 38 80 8 165 1366 Seoul SK Knights2000–01 24 882:14 240 446 53.81 12 36 33.33 52.28 74 107 69.16 43 173 216 33 37 24 19 27 20 57 590 Cheongju SK Knights1999–00 45 1732:34 417 737 56.58 18 43 41.86 55.77 203 250 81.20 95 357 452 67 88 45 37 35 0 93 10911998–99 34 1298:51 343 532 64.47 9 30 30.00 62.63 152 190 80.00 118 357 475 77 55 44 21 53 0 139 865Career 688 22839:19 4847 9005 53.83 438 1216 36.02 51.71 2223 2889 76.95 1177 4058 5235 1077 877 752 356 463 62 1620 13231
Career averages
SeasonGMPGPPGRPGAPGTPGSPGBPGPF2P2PA%3P3PA%FGFTFTA%OPGDPGGPGTEAM2012–13 41 24:1 10.32 3.56 0.51 1.15 0.15 0.39 1.95 3.22 6.37 50.57 0.85 2.22 38.46 47.44 1.32 1.68 78.26 0.85 2.71 0.02 Busan KT2011–12 35 21:1 7.51 2.94 0.80 1.43 0.31 0.09 1.26 2.37 5.51 43.01 0.51 1.77 29.03 39.61 1.23 1.69 72.88 0.71 2.23 0.06 Changwon LG2010–11 54 29:1 16.65 5.56 1.00 2.04 0.35 0.33 2.07 5.93 11.07 53.51 0.57 1.57 36.47 51.39 3.07 3.93 78.30 1.33 4.22 0.06 Incheon ET Land2009–10 54 32:0 17.11 6.63 1.63 2.61 0.39 0.28 2.22 6.35 11.56 54.97 0.39 1.39 28.00 52.07 3.24 4.15 78.13 1.46 5.17 0.062008–09 51 30:0 16.06 5.37 1.61 2.00 0.37 0.47 2.65 4.67 9.02 51.74 1.08 2.61 41.35 49.41 3.49 4.45 78.41 1.18 4.20 0.08 KCC Egis2007–08 54 31:0 16.28 7.33 1.70 2.02 0.33 0.46 2.28 5.76 11.02 52.27 0.48 1.83 26.26 48.56 3.31 4.00 82.87 1.87 5.46 0.042006–07 33 31:1 16.27 4.70 2.12 2.91 0.42 0.15 2.12 4.79 8.76 54.67 1.212.97 40.82 51.16 3.06 4.09 74.81 1.00 3.70 0.03 Seoul Samsung2005–06 54 34:0 19.67 5.81 2.02 2.24 0.65 0.41 2.59 6.09 11.20 54.38 1.43 3.70 38.50 50.43 3.20 4.00 80.09 1.57 4.24 0.062004–05 54 36:0 22.07 9.43 1.33 2.67 0.44 0.80 2.91 8.59 15.87 54.14 0.63 1.54 40.96 52.98 3.00 3.83 78.26 2.11 7.31 0.062003–04 47 35:0 22.09 8.60 1.89 2.11 0.87 0.89 2.40 8.34 16.02 52.06 0.53 1.36 39.06 51.04 3.81 4.91 77.49 1.96 6.64 0.172002–03 54 38:0 23.76 10.98 1.94 2.72 0.61 1.02 2.13 9.81 18.80 52.22 0.20 0.96 21.15 50.70 3.52 4.91 71.70 2.24 8.74 0.072001–02 54 39:1 25.30 10.00 1.67 3.06 0.70 1.48 2.35 10.13 19.26 52.60 0.48 1.20 40.00 51.86 3.59 5.20 69.04 1.93 8.07 0.15 Seoul SK Knights2000–01 24 37:1 24.58 9.00 1.38 2.38 0.79 1.13 2.54 10.00 18.58 53.81 0.50 1.50 33.33 52.28 3.08 4.46 69.16 1.79 7.21 0.83 Cheongju SK Knights1999–00 45 38:1 24.24 10.04 1.49 2.07 0.82 0.78 2.96 9.27 16.38 56.58 0.40 0.96 41.86 55.77 4.51 5.56 81.20 2.11 7.93 0.001998–99 34 38:2 25.44 13.97 2.26 4.09 0.62 1.56 2.91 10.09 15.65 64.47 0.26 0.88 30.00 62.63 4.47 5.59 80.00 3.47 10.50 0.00Career average 45.87 33.2 19.23 7.61 1.57 2.35 0.52 0.67 2.37 7.05 13.09 53.83 0.64 1.77 36.02 0.08 3.23 4.2 76.95 1.71 5.9 0.09
Entertainment career After he retired from basketball, Seo began a career appearing on entertainment shows and was signed to Mystic Entertainment in 2013. In 2015, he was a guest on the critically and commercially popular variety show Infinite Challenge. He won the 2015 SBS Entertainment Award for Rookie of the Year for his appearance in Flaming Youth.
He is a regular celebrity panelist on the singing competition show Fantastic Duo, which debuted on April 17, 2016. He is also a regular panelist on the talk show Same Bed, Different Dreams, and a permanent cast member of JTBC's Knowing Bros.
Personal life On June 23, 2009, Seo married Oh Jeong-yeon, a television announcer. They divorced in 2012, after 3 years of marriage.
In July 2026, it was reported that Seo had listed a five-story building he owns near Yangjae Station in Seoul's Seocho District for sale at 45 billion won. He originally purchased the building for 2.817 billion won in 2000. Seo is regarded as one of the wealthiest entertainers in South Korea in terms of real estate holdings, owning at least two other buildings in Seoul.
Filmography TV shows
Year Title Role 2014 Four Sons and One Daughter Cast member 2014–2015 Quiz to Change the World Host2015 Animals Cast member The Brave Teenagers Cast memberYaman TVMain Host2015–2016Same Bed, Different DreamsMain Host2015–presentKnowing BrosRegular Member2016Candy In My EarRegular MemberHello FriendsMain Host Fantastic Duo Panelist2016–2017Flower CrewMain Role2016–presentMy Little Old BoyMain Host2017The Dynamic DuoRegular MemberElucidating ScienceHostThe New Product CheckersHostStrange RestaurantHostShoulders of GiantsHost2017–2018Cart ShowMain HostThe Swan ClubMain Host2017–presentSame Bed, Different Dreams 2: You Are My DestinyMain Host2018Temperature of JudgementHostFood DiaryRegular MemberGo HereHostReckless but HappyHostSupermodel 2018 SurvivalHost2018–2019Favorable Night For You - Opening At NightMain HostLove Naggers 2Main Host2019Trio's Childcare ChallengeRegular Member2019–2020Five Cranky BrothersMain HostBroadcasting on Your SideMain Host2019–presentAsk Us Anything Fortune TellerMain Host2020Handsome TigersTeam CoachTravelling MarketHostRed-Cheeked Ramyun LabCast2020 Home Star WarsHost2020–presentLove Naggers 3Main Host2021Crazy Recipe AdventureMain Host Cooking - The Birth of King Lee Main Host 2022 Part 1 Special Song Host Full Filer Cast Member Young Boss Who Makes Money Host Sports Golden Bell Host; Chuseok Special 2023 Myeongdong Love Room Manager
Accolades Awards and nominations + Year presented, name of the award ceremony, award category, nominated work and the result of the nominationYearAwardCategoryNominated workResult201610th SBS Entertainment Awards Excellence Award in Variety ShowFlower Crew,My Little Old Boy Best Friends Award (with Flower Crew team)Flower Crew 201711th SBS Entertainment Awards Excellence Award in Show/Talk CategoryMy Little Old Boy Top Excellence Award in Show/Talk Category My Little Old Boy,Same Bed, Different Dreams 2 201854th Baeksang Arts AwardsBest Variety Performer - MaleKnowing Bros,Same Bed, Different Dreams 2 201917th KBS Entertainment AwardsBest Couple Award (with Lee Soo-geun)Ask Us Anything Fortune Teller 13th SBS Entertainment AwardsGrand Prize (Daesang) My Little Old Boy,Same Bed, Different Dreams 2 19th MBC Entertainment AwardsPopularity Award Best Couple Award (with Boom) 202014th SBS Entertainment AwardsGrand Prize (Daesang)My Little Old Boy,Handsome Tigers,Same Bed, Different Dreams 2 Special Award: Lifetime Achievement Award 202115th SBS Entertainment Awards Grand Prize (Daesang) with My Little Old Boy team (Shin Dong-yup, Cho Hye-seon, Kim Sun-ja, Park Young-hye, Lee Sang-min, Tak Jae-hoon, Im Won-hee, Kim Joon-ho, Kim Jong-kook, Kim Hee-chul, Lee Tae-sung, Oh Min-suk, Park Goon, Choi Jin-hyuk)My Little Old Boy Entertainer of the Year Award My Little Old Boy, Same Bed, Different Dreams 2: You Are My Destiny
Listicles + Name of publisher, year listed, name of listicle, and placement Publisher Year Listicle Placement Forbes 2020 Korea Power Celebrity 13th
References
External links Seo Jang-hoon's matches at Korean Basketball League