Ryu Seung-ryong

Ryu Seung-ryong

Ryu in January 2019

Born November 29, 1970 (age 53)

Seocheon County, South Chungcheong

Province, South Korea

Other names Ryoo Seung-yong

Education Seoul Institute of the Arts (Theatre)

 Actor
Occupations
 professor

Years active 1985–present

Agent Prain TPC

Unknown
Spouse

(m. 2004)

Children 2
 Korean name

Hangul 류승룡

Hanja 柳承龍

Revised Romanization Ryu Seungryong

McCune–Reischauer Ryu Sŭngnyong

Ryu Seung-ryong (Korean: 류승룡; born November 29, 1970) is a South Korean actor.
Ryu began his acting career in theater, subsequently becoming one of the most
versatile supporting actors in Korean film and television. In 2013, he headlined Miracle
in Cell No. 7, which became (at the time) the third highest grossing Korean film of all
time, in 2014 he starred in historical film The Admiral: Roaring Currents, which is
currently the highest-grossing film of all time in South Korea, and in 2019 he headlined
the comedy film Extreme Job, which is currently the 2nd highest-grossing film of all time
in South Korea.[1] Ryu is the first Korean to star in four movies that have drawn over 10
million viewers each.[2]
Early life and education[edit]
Ryu graduated with a Theatre degree from Seoul Institute of the Arts.[3] He currently
teaches at Seoul Art College's School of Acting Arts as an adjunct professor.[4]
Career[edit]

Ryu in September 2012

Ryu Seung-ryong made his acting debut at the age of 15 in a stage musical. After his
screen debut in 2004's Someone Special, he has since become one of the most
versatile and dependable character actors in Korea. A sampling of the various roles he
has played over the years: a mentally handicapped father in Miracle in Cell No. 7,[5][6] the
royal adviser Heo Gyun in Masquerade, an officer of the North Korean People's
Army in The Front Line, a hard-nosed general of the Qing Dynasty in War of the Arrows,
a ladies' man in All About My Wife, a gambling husband who fears his wife in The Quiz
Show Scandal, a refined gay man in Personal Taste, a vengeful gangster in Secret, a
reporter on the trail of a story in The Recipe, and the titular figure in The Piper.[7][8]
In 2017, Ryu was cast in the main role of Cho Hak-ju on the Netflix period zombie
thriller Kingdom.[9] The series premiered on January 25, 2019.[10]

Ryu in March 2018

In 2019, Ryu starred in the comedy film Extreme Job which became the 2nd highest-
grossing film of all time in South Korea.[11][12]
Personal life[edit]
Ryu has two sons, Ryu Kang and Ryu Geon. In 2014, they appeared in MBC
entertainment program 'Sunday Night - Where Are We Going, Dad.'[13]
Filmography[edit]
Film[edit]

Year Title Role Notes Ref.

Someone Special Robber 1

2004
short film Has the Shower
1.3.6 Ploughman
Ended?

Murder, Take One Sung-joon [14]

2005
Good Girl short film

2006 If You Were Me 2 Kim Joo-joong short film Someone Grateful

Righteous Ties Jung Soon-tan

Year Title Role Notes Ref.

Cruel Winter Blues Lee Min-jae

Beyond the Years Yong-taek

Hwang Jin-yi Hee-yeol

2007
Eleventh Mom Jae-soo's father [15]

My Love Jeong-seok [16]

My Girlfriend Is an Agent Won-seok

Possessed Detective Tae-hwan [17]

2009
North Korean emissary
Good Morning President
(cameo)

Secret "Jackal" [18]

Bestseller Park Young-joon [19]

Loving You Today short film

2010 Blades of Blood Nobleman Jung

The Quiz Show Scandal Kim Sang-do

The Recipe Choi Yoo-jin

Year Title Role Notes Ref.

Battlefield Heroes Yeon Nam-geon

Children... Hwang Woo-hyuk [20]

2011 Earth Rep Rolling Stars Big (voice) animated film

The Front Line Hyeon Jeong-yoon

War of the Arrows Jyuushinta [21]

All About My Wife Jang Sung-ki

Masquerade Heo Gyun

2012

animated film
Rise of the Guardians North (voice) [22]

(Korean dubbed)

2013 Miracle in Cell No. 7 Lee Yong-gu

Space Pirate Captain animated film

Captain Harlock (voice)
Harlock (Korean dubbed)

animated film
Rio 2 Nigel (voice)
(Korean dubbed)
2014

The Target Baek Yeo-hoon [23]

The Admiral: Roaring

Kurushima Michifusa [24]

Currents
Year Title Role Notes Ref.

Five Senses of Love

2015 The Piper Woo-ryong

The Sound of a Flower Shin Jae-hyo [25]

2016 Seoul Station Father (voice) animated film [26]

Psychokinesis Suk-hun [27]

2018
Seven Years of Night Hyun-soo [28]

2019 Extreme Job Squad Chief Go

The Book of Fish Doctor Cameo [29]

2021
Perhaps Love Hyun [30][31]

Life Is Beautiful Kang Jin-bong [32]

2022
Special appearance; Netflix
20th Century Girl Woon-ho's father (voice) [33]

Film

TBA Fifth Column Hyun Joo-hee [34]

Portrait of a Family Jung-goo [35][36]

[37]
Jung's Ranch Man-soo
Year Title Role Notes Ref.

Amazon Whal Myung-soo Jin-bong [38]

Television series[edit]

Year Title Role Notes Ref.

1998 Shadows of an Old Love Sinawe

2000 Foolish Love

2005 Diamond Tears

Chosun Police: Season

2007 Kang Seung-jo
1

Mystery X-Files

2008 U-Turn Yong

Painter of the Wind Kim Jo-nyeon

2009 IRIS Leader of IRIS mercenaries

2010 Personal Taste Choi Do-bin

2014 My Love from the Star Heo Gyun Cameo (Episode 19)

2021 Jirisan Narrator Cameo (Episode 1) [39]

Year Title Role Notes Ref.

2023 The Good Bad Mother a tailor Cameo (Episode 13) [40]

Web series[edit]

Year Title Role Notes Ref.

2019–2020 Kingdom Lord Cho Hak-ju Season 1–2

2023 Moving Jang Joo-won [41]

Chicken
2024 Choi Seon-man [42]

Nugget

2025 Low Life TBA

Music video appearances[edit]

Year Song Title Artist Ref.

2004 "Close Your Eyes Quietly" Jaewook Jeong

"Are you happy?" Kim Jang-hoon

2005
"Snowman" Gabi NJ

2009 "Sign" Brown Eyed Girls

2021 "Keep your head up" (네가 아는 너) Lee Dong-hwi [43]

Theater[edit]
 Teater play performances of Ryu

Title
Year Role Venue Date Ref.
English Korean

Dongsung Art
Mar 26 to
1998 Nanta 난타 Chef Center Dongsung [44]

May 3
Hall

The Reason She 그 여자가 아름다 Donrang Theater

1998 June 3–15 [45]

is Beautiful 운 이유 Ensemble

Myeongdong
1999 Nanta 난타 Chef May 10 [46]

Jeongdong Theater

Suseungdae
2000 Nanta 난타 Chef August 4 [47]

Outdoor Theater

Jang
Jang Bogo 장보고
Bogo

Welcome to
2002 웰컴 투 동막골 [48]

Dongmakgol

Arts Center Small Jul 16 to

2004 Taxi Driver 택시 드리벌 [49]

Theater Aug 29

Death of a Willy
2006 세일즈맨의 죽음
Salesman Loman

서툰 사람들 - 장진 Dongsung Art

2007– Jang Dec 7 to
Clumsy People 이 만든 코믹소란 Centre Small [50]

2008 Deok-bae Mar 16

극 Theatre
Accolades[edit]
Awards and nominations[edit]

Sortable table of awards and nominations

Nominated
Year Award Category Result Ref.
work

2007 6th Korean Film Awards Best New Actor Hwang Jin-yi Nominated

Best Supporting Actor Painter of the

2008 SBS Drama Awards Nominated
in a Drama Special Wind

7th Max Movie Awards Nominated

2010 Secret
31st Blue Dragon Film
Nominated
Awards
Best Supporting Actor
20th Buil Film Awards Nominated

32nd Blue Dragon Film

War of the Won
2011 Awards
Arrows

19th Korean Culture and Top Excellence Award,

Won
Entertainment Awards Actor in a Film

2012 Seoul Art College SAC Art Award Ryu Seung-ryong Won

Best Supporting Actor All About My

21st Buil Film Awards Nominated
Wife

49th Grand Bell Awards Masquerade Won

 Sortable table of awards and nominations

Nominated
Year Award Category Result Ref.
work

Nominated
All About My
Wife
33rd Blue Dragon Film
Won
Awards

KBS Entertainment
Best Star of 2012 Ryu Seung-ryong Won [51]

Weekly

2013 4th KOFRA Film

Best Supporting Actor Won
Awards
All About My
Wife
Best Supporting Actor
Nominated
(Film)

49th Baeksang Arts

Awards Best Actor (Film) Nominated [52][53][54][55][56]

Grand Prize (Film) Miracle in Cell Won

No. 7

7th Mnet 20's Choice

20's Movie Star - Male Won [57]

Awards

22nd Buil Film Awards Best Supporting Actor Masquerade Won

50th Grand Bell Awards Best Actor Miracle in Cell Won

No. 7

34th Blue Dragon Film Nominated

Awards
 Sortable table of awards and nominations

Nominated
Year Award Category Result Ref.
work

21st Korean Culture and

Grand Prize (Film) Won
Entertainment Awards

Korean Film Actors

Movie Top Star Award Won
Association

33rd Korean Association

Nominated
of Film Critics Awards
Best Actor

9th Max Movie Awards Nominated

2014
2014 Korea Advertising
Best Model Award Ryu Seung-ryong Won [58]

Awards

The Admiral:
2015 10th Max Movie Awards Best Supporting Actor Nominated
Roaring Currents

2019 55th Baeksang Arts Extreme Job

Best Actor (Film) Nominated [59]

Awards

24th Chunsa Film Art

Best Actor Nominated
Awards

28th Buil Film Awards Popular Star Award Nominated

40th Blue Dragon Film Best Actor Nominated

Awards
 Sortable table of awards and nominations

Nominated
Year Award Category Result Ref.
work

8th Korea Best Star

Award (Korean Film Won
Actors Association)

19th Director's Cut

Nominated
Awards

21st New York Asian Best from the East

Won [60][61]

Film Festival Award

Perhaps Love
Cinematographers'
2022 42nd Golden
Choice Popularity Won
Cinematography Awards
Award

58th Grand Bell Awards Best Actor Life Is Beautiful Nominated [62]

Asia Contents Awards &

Best Lead Actor Won [63]

Global OTT Awards

Moving

59th Grand Bell Awards Best Series Actor Nominated [64]

2023
'Moving' in 'Room
8th Dong-A.com's PICK Ryu Seung-ryong Won [65]

No.7'

Top Excellence Award,

9th APAN Star Awards Moving Won [66][67]

Actor in a Miniseries

[69]
2024 CJ ENM Visionary 2024 Visionary Ryu Seung-ryong Won
Awards[note 1]
 Sortable table of awards and nominations

Nominated
Year Award Category Result Ref.
work

60th Baeksang Arts

Best Actor – Television Moving Pending [70]

Awards

State honors[edit]

Name of country, year given, and name of honor

Country Ceremony Year Honor Or Award Ref.

South Korean Popular Culture and Arts Minister of Culture, Sports and Tourism
2012 [74]

Korea Awards[note 2] Commendation

Listicles[edit]

Name of publisher, year listed, name of listicle, and placement

Publishe
Year Listicle Placement Ref.
r

Forbes 2013 Korea Power Celebrity 40 34th [75]

2009–2009 Top Box Office Powerhouse Actors in Korean

The Screen 2019 4th [76]

Movies

Notes[edit]
1. ^ Visionary Awards, which started in 2020, selects and awards people who lead roles in the
Korean entertainment industry. It highlights the meaning and achievements of a person
whose chosen trend keywords penetrated the entertainment industry, including broadcasting,
movies, music, and performances, and presents the next vision of the cultural sector with
outstanding achievements and influence.[68]
2. ^ Honors are given at the Korean Popular Culture and Arts Awards, arranged by the Korea
Creative Content Agency and hosted by the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism.[71][72] They
are awarded to those who have contributed to the arts and South Korea's pop culture.[73]