The journey to become a respected actor of Yoo Ah In is filled with all sorts of trials, errors, and struggles.
Yoo Ah In is now a top-tier artist in Korea, who is known for multiple roles, from actor, creative director, to freelance writer. Respected as he is, the star actor actually had an extremely harsh time in Seoul, before his name became well-established.
In particular, Yoo Ah In was born in 1986 with the birth name of Uhm Hong Sik. He was the youngest child who looked different from everyone else, and so often felt isolated inside his own home. The actor was shockingly intelligent, but he did not have a lot of friends, and often pondered on philosophical questions instead of focusing in class.
He was later scouted by a talent agency, and decided to drop out of school to pursue a celebrity dream, against his parents’ wishes. However, due to intense stage fright, Yoo Ah In failed to become a singer, and found himself struggling to make ends meet while alone in Seoul.
Eventually, the actor tried out acting and gained huge attention with his debut role “Sharp”, with commercial deals and filming offers constantly flooding in. However, such early attention means the actor was ill-prepared, leading to an eventual 2-year hiatus.
After the break, the actor returned with a much clearer and more mature mind, making an impressive comeback with the indie film “Boys of Tomorrow”. He then stabilized his footing in the industry with roles in “Sungkyunkwan Scandal”, “Secret Affair”, “Veteran”, and “The Throne”.
“The Throne”, in particular, has transformed Yoo Ah In into the youngest to win Best Leading actor in Korea’s film industry’s history, at the age of 29. An iconic scene of the actor in this movie even became an actual example in the official curriculum at acting schools.
However, Yoo Ah In shared that the filming period for “The Throne” is possibly the worst period of his life, and he struggled to get out of his haunting emotions.
A later work, “Burning”, not only proves Yoo Ah In’s acting capability, but also received a nomination at the prestigious Oscars.
After taking a short break, he returned in “Alive” with Park Shin Hye, a zombie movie. “Alive” achieved great success at the box office and is considered to be on par with Korea’s biggest zombie hit, “Train To Busan”.
In 2020, Yoo Ah In starred in “Voice Of Silence”. He gained fifteen pounds for this role. Yoo Ah In is known for his dedication to the job. He never hesitates to go all out for every character he portrays.
In “Voice Of Silence”, he plays Tae In, a man who gets paid to clean up crime scenes. Thanks to this role, he surpassed many seniors such as Lee Byung Hun, Lee Jung Jae, Jung Woo Sung and Hwang Jung Min to win Best Actor at the Blue Dragon Film Awards for the second time.
In 2021, he transformed into the cult leader Jung Jin Soo in “Hellbound”, a series directed by Yeon Sang Ho, the father of “Train To Busan”.
At the same time, it was revealed that apart from learning to immerse and act, Yoo Ah In adopted many new perspectives, and learned to respect all fellow actors and actresses. He himself also earned respect from seniors and in the industry, who spared no praise on his acting.
It was known that Yoo Ah In is extremely particular with his choice of works, and refuses to let his name be tied to one certain type of role. As a result, he turned down an offer for “Boys Over Flowers”, and played all sorts of roles from innocent to insane, from criminal to justice defender.
All actors and directors who worked with Yoo Ah In have expressed admiration for the actor’s discipline and professionalism.
In fact, according to “Veteran” director Ryu Seung Wan, the actor made a vow to never go to gatherings, drink, nor sleep outside of his home to guarantee sleep quality.
On the other hand, Yoo Ah In also became recognized as a style icon, becoming the first global campaign model for Diesel and the first Korean actor to become an ambassador for Cartier.
However, ahead of his highly-anticipated comeback, Yoo Ah In currently shocks the public when he is confirmed to be investigated by the police for illegal propofol use. He has also been banned from leaving Korea.
Source: Revelogue
