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O Yeong-su Height, Age, Kids, Wife, Family, Biography and More

O-Yeong-su

Bio/Wiki
Real NameO Se-kang [1]National Theater Company Digital Archive
Profession Actor
Famous Role(s) O Il-Nam in the Netflix survival series "Squid Game" (2021)
Physical Stats & More
Height (approx.)in centimeters- 175 cm
in meters- 1.75 m
in feet & inches- 5’ 7”
Eye ColorBlack
Hair ColorSalt and Pepper
Career
DebutTheater (South Korean) : Naj Gong-won Sanchaeg (1968)
Film (South Korean): The Seashore Village (1965) in an uncredited role
sea-shore-village
TV (South Korean): The First Republic (1981) as 'military prosecutor'
O Yeong-su in a scene from The First Republic (1981)
Awards, Honors, Achievements • Order of Cultural Merit (Hwagwan, 5th Class) (South Korea) in 2019
• Seoul Theater Festival - Best Actor Award for 'Jangpan' in 2006
• National Theater Association Of Korea - Best Actor Award for 'Abi' in 2000
• Dong-A Theatre Awards for Best Actor for Crime on Goat Island in 1979
• Baeksang Arts Awards for Best Actor (Theater) for ‘Pigojigo Pigojigo’ in 1994
Personal Life
Date of BirthOctober 19, 1944 (Thursday)
Age (as of 2022)78 Years
BirthplaceKaepung County, Gyeonggi, Japanese Korea (present-day Kaepung District, Kaesong, North Hwanghae, North Korea)
Zodiac signLibra
Nationality South Korean
HometownPaju-si, Gyeonggi Province, South Korea
College/UniversityDongguk University, Seoul, South Korea
Educational QualificationGraduation in Theater and Film [2]O Yeong-su - Daum
Religion/Religious ViewsIrreligious [3]Nate News
AddressWirye New Town in Seongnam-si, Gyeonggi Province, South Korea (As of 2021)
Relationships & More
Sexual Orientation Straight
Marital StatusMarried
Affairs/GirlfriendsMo Kang (banker; dated for two years)
Marriage Date1987
Family
Wife/SpouseMo Kang
ChildrenDaughter- He has a daughter
ParentsFather: His father died at the hands of communist forces on June 25, 1950.
Mother: His mother used to go to the market to earn a living
SiblingsHe had three brothers and one sister

O-Yeong-su

Some Lesser Known Facts About O Yeong-su

  • After the end of the Korean War, his family was forced to live in the underground houses. Later, his grandfather, who lived in Haeju, Gwanghae Province, North Korea, decided to look after his family.
  • His great-grandfather was a member of a Goeul, an administrative division headed by a chief appointed by the central government (especially during the Joseon Dynasty). His family still owns a lot of land in Haeju, and he has the land documents.
  • O Young-Su is actually the stage name that he started using when he started acting in theaters, as the acting was not appreciated at that time.
  • He completed his military training at the age of 23. After returning from military service, he went to the theater with his friend who worked in a theater company, and he was amused by the audience’s reaction to the actor on stage. He decided to work in theater and started by taking on all the work from cleaning to sticking up posters.
  • As of 2021, he resides in Wirye New Town in Seongnam-si, Gyeonggi Province, South Korea.
  • In November 2019, while performing in the play “Nobu in-Ui Bangmun” at the Arko Arts Theater in Seoul, Hwang Dong-hyuk approached him to appear in Squid Game. The director had admired him since he had seen him in the film “Spring, summer, autumn, winter… and spring” and had even wanted to cast him in his film “The Fortress” (2017). Yeong-Su declined the offer as he had a tight schedule.
  • He suffers from acrophobia which is the fear of heights.
  • After playing monk roles in various films and television series, he was named a “professional actor for monks”. In an interview, he said:

I’ve done a lot of Buddhist dramas. That’s why I took on the role of a monk in movies and dramas. It’s true that when I play the role of a monk, I feel comfortable and intimate. I never asked a monk for advice when playing the role of a monk. Only on the theater stage does the world find its way. The same is true for religious education.

  • He considers stage and voice actor Jang Min-ho his mentor because he taught him the basics of acting. [4]Yeongnam He also considers Kim Jeong-ok as his mentor as he instilled in him the spirit of acting. He says he admired Jang because he acted until he was 85, which is what he wanted to do.
  • In 2021, he was offered to do a Kkanbu Chicken commercial, but he rejected the role, stating that he wanted to be focused on acting for now.
  • After Squid Game became popular, all Squid Game actors started gaining a huge following on Instagram. Soon, news spread that O Yeong-Su had opened an Instagram account. The account gained a huge following in no time, even Lee Jung-Jae, Jung Ho-Yeon, Park Hae-soo, Lee Yu-mi, Wi Ha-Joon followed and shared the account. Much to the dismay of fans, the account turned out to be fake and it was created by a fan. [5]The Straits Times

    OH Yeong-su's fake Instagram account

    OH Yeong-su’s fake Instagram account

  • After his appearance in Squid Game, it was reported that he was a veteran of the Vietnam War (from October 1966 to November 1967). There was a post on an online community, showing a photo of Corporal Oh Young-Su with the 9th Army Division (White Horse Unit) Powell 1966-1967 Memorial Album. Later, upon confirmation, it was found that he never participated in the Vietnam War. [6]KBIZoom
  • In an interview, he said that he wanted to play “Doctor Faustus” in the play “Doctor Faustus”. He said he was young when he performed it and passed out during the play. In an interview, he said,

There was no voice, and in a word, I was dying. I felt sorry for everyone. I want to cry. In the end, I blacked out for about 20 seconds during the monologue scene while holding the globe. I won’t forget.

  • When he was young, he preferred to act in plays than in movies or dramas, because it was a popular belief at the time that actors lose their essence once they act in movies or dramas.
  • In 2010, he suffered from angina pectoris due to which he underwent angioplasty. In 2018, he suffered from acute pneumonia and was on the verge of death, but his health improved a lot after his recovery.
  • He plays Go online whenever he has time. He is a 6th dan player in the game. He says that playing the game has made him feel more relaxed and calm and put his mind to rest.
  • In an interview, he said that when reunification takes place, he wants his life to end where his grandfather lived in Haeju.
  • As a child, he was skilled in calligraphy, influenced by his grandfather, leader of the Seodang Order.
  • In his sixties, he expressed an interest to play Willy Loman in Death of a Salesman. [7]100SSD
  • In 2021, it was revealed that he would play the role of Sigmund Freud in the play “Freud’s Last Session” by Mark St. Germain which is expected to start its first performance in Daehangno on January 7, 2022. [8]Chosun
  • On the first day of the 2021 Korean Series ( championship series of the 2021 KBO League season) O threw the first pitch. [9]Chosun
  • ‘Squid Game’ star O Yeong-su became the first actor from Korea to win a Golden Globe. [10]Yahoo News

    O Yeong-su wins a Golden Globe in 2021

    O Yeong-su wins a Golden Globe in 2021

  • O Yeong-su admits that he still does not know how to deal with fame and it is in fact his daughter who manages him and helps him deal with the hustle. [11]BRYTFMOnline

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