Ahn Hyo-seop

Pre-debut activities

After moving back to South Korea, Ahn was scouted by JYP Entertainment and became a trainee for three years, and lived in a dorm with members of the K-pop boy band Got7.^[6] He eventually left the company due to stress as a trainee.^[7]

2015–2016: Beginnings with One O One and acting debut

On October 1, 2015, Starhaus Entertainment launched the project group One O One, releasing their debut single "Love You". The group consisted of Ahn together with fellow Starhaus actors Kwak Si-yang, Song Won-seok and Kwon Do-kyun.^[8] However, the group presumably disbanded due to inactivity since January 2019. Ahn made his acting debut in the MBC drama, Splash Splash Love. He then became a cast member of the music variety show Always Cantare. He had supporting roles in One More Happy Ending, Happy Home and Entertainer in 2016.^[9]

2017–2020: Rising popularity

His popularity rose after his first ever lead role in Queen of the Ring in 2017. He then transitioned to lead roles thereafter.^[10] In 2018, Ahn starred in Still 17, playing passionate high school student Yoo Chan – the captain of the high school rowing club.^[11] For his performance, he won Best New Actor Award and was nominated for the "Character of the Year" Award at the 2018 SBS Drama Awards alongside Jo Hyun-sik and Lee Do-hyun.^[12] And later in the same year, Ahn acted in the drama Top Management which aired on YouTube Red.^[13] In 2019, Ahn starred alongside Park Bo-young in the romantic comedy fantasy crime drama Abyss, where he played rich yet unattractive heir to a cosmetics empire who transforms into a handsome young man as he is revived by a mysterious orb after his death.^[14] In late 2019, Ahn became an MC at the 4th Asia Artist Awards with Leeteuk, Lim Ji-yeon and Nancy.^[15]

In 2020, Ahn starred in the second season of the hit medical drama Dr. Romantic, playing general surgeon Seo Woo-jin with Lee Sung-kyung as his leading lady.^[16] The show was a success, with both Ahn and Lee keeping their promise of singing for the fans as it crossed the double-digit mark for ratings.^[17] His performance in the drama earned him the Best New Actor Award in television at the 56th Baeksang Arts Awards.^[18] He also received Excellence Award, Actor in a Miniseries Action/Genre Drama at 2020 SBS Drama Awards.^[19]

2021–present: Transition to lead roles

In 2021, Ahn starred in the historical-fantasy drama Lovers of the Red Sky adapted from the novel written by Jung Eun-gwol, playing the role of Ha Ram, a blind astrologer who reads the stars, while living a disguised life as Ilwolseong – chief of an information organization and whose body is possessed by Ma Wang (the Demon King) since childhood, alongside Kim You-jung as Hong Cheon-gi, a female painter.^[20][21][22] For his portrayal of multiple roles as Ha Ram, Ilwolseong and Ma Wang, he received Excellence Award, Actor in a Miniseries Genre/Fantasy Drama and won Best Couple Award with Kim You-jung at 2021 SBS Drama Awards.^[23][24]

In 2022, Ahn starred in the SBS-broadcast and Netflix-distributed romantic comedy drama Business Proposal adapted from the webtoon with the same title, with Kim Se-jeong.^[25][26] He played the role of Kang Tae-mu, a third generation chaebol and CEO.^[27] In March 2022, he was cast in the Netflix series A Time Called You, South Korean adaptation of the Taiwanese drama Someday or One Day.^[28] In May 2022, Ahn signed with The Present Company, the agency he co-founded with a manager who worked with him before his debut.^[29]

In 2023, Ahn reprised his role as Seo Woo-jin in the third season of the hit medical drama Dr. Romantic.^[30] In 2024, he was cast in his first film, the live-action fantasy Omniscient Reader: The Prophecy, an adaptation of the web novel Omniscient Reader's Viewpoint by Sing Shong. Directed by Kim Byung-woo, the film features Ahn as Kim Dok-ja, a character who finds himself in a world where a web novel he read has become reality. He partners with the novel's protagonist, Yoo Joong-hyuk (Lee Min-ho), to alter their destiny and avert the world's destruction.^[31]

In June 2025, Ahn made his voice acting debut as Jinu, a member of the fictional K-pop boy band Saja Boys, in the Netflix animated musical film KPop Demon Hunters. The film quickly rose to the top of Netflix's global charts for three consecutive days, achieving the No. 1 ranking in 31 countries. This gave Ahn wider international recognition.^[32]

Endorsements

Following his successful dramas, Ahn became a model for various brands, including cosmetics,^[33] fashion, and food and beverages.^[34] In March 2024, he was officially announced as a brand ambassador for Lacoste.^[35]

Philanthropy

In September 2020, he donated 160,000 face masks (worth about ₩100 million) to the National Fire Agency to help fight COVID-19.^[36] In August 2022, he donated ₩50 million to the Hope Bridge Korea Disaster Relief Association to help with recovery from heavy rain damage.^[37] In October 2023, he volunteered his voice for an audio guide at the special art exhibition for disabled artists, "Your World That I Live In," hosted by the Seoul Arts Center and the Seoul Foundation for Arts and Culture.^[38] In May 2024, in celebration of Children's Day, he donated ₩50 million to the Korean Committee for UNICEF to support children around the world.^[39] He later joined the "UNICEF Team" campaign as a talent donor, along with Lee Jung, Park Wi, Shim Eu-ddeum, Cha Jun-hwan, and Cha Hyun-seung.^[40]

Film

Television series

Web series

Television shows

Music video appearances

Hosting

Awards and nominations

Listicles