Kwon Sang-woo
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Kwon Sang-woo (in
Korean Korean may refer to: People and culture * Koreans, ethnic group originating in the Korean Peninsula * Korean cuisine * Korean culture * Korean language **Korean alphabet, known as Hangul or Chosŏn'gŭl **Korean dialects and the Jeju language ** ...
: 권상우, ''Kweon Sang-u''; born August 5, 1976) is a South Korean actor. He rose to stardom in 2003 with the romantic comedy film ''
My Tutor Friend ''My Tutor Friend'' (; lit. "Tutoring a Student of the Same Age") is a 2003 South Korean romantic comedy film starring Kim Ha-neul and Kwon Sang-woo. Unglamorous Su-wan is a sophomore in college who gets hired to tutor rich troublemaker Ji-hoon, ...
'' and the melodrama series ''
Stairway to Heaven "Stairway to Heaven" is a song by English rock band Led Zeppelin, released in late 1971. It was composed by the band's guitarist Jimmy Page and lead singer Robert Plant for their untitled fourth studio album (often titled ''Led Zeppelin IV'') ...
''.


Career

Kwon Sang-woo, the most visible example of the so-called ''mom-zzang'' (slang for "great body") movement, started his career as a fashion
model A model is an informative representation of an object, person or system. The term originally denoted the plans of a building in late 16th-century English, and derived via French and Italian ultimately from Latin ''modulus'', a measure. Models c ...
in the late 1990s. His first acting experience was in the
TV drama In film and television, drama is a category or genre of narrative fiction (or semi-fiction) intended to be more serious than humorous in tone. Drama of this kind is usually qualified with additional terms that specify its particular super-ge ...
''
Delicious Proposal ''Delicious Proposal'' () is a 2001 South Korean television series starring Jung Joon, Son Ye-jin, So Yoo-jin and So Ji-sub. It aired on MBC from February 7 to March 29, 2001 on Wednesdays and Thursdays at 21:55 for 16 episodes. Plot The drama ...
'', and for the first few years of his entertainment career, he received only minor roles on television, before making his big-screen debut in the
martial arts film Martial arts films are a subgenre of action films that feature numerous martial arts combat between characters. These combats are usually the films' primary appeal and entertainment value, and often are a method of storytelling and character expres ...
''
Volcano High ''Volcano High'' () is a 2001 South Korean martial arts action comedy film. It revolves around a troublemaking high school student named Kim Kyung-soo (portrayed by Jang Hyuk) who finds himself transferred to the last school that will take him, ...
'' (2001). The following year, he played his first lead role in the
comedy Comedy is a genre of fiction that consists of discourses or works intended to be humorous or amusing by inducing laughter, especially in theatre, film, stand-up comedy, television, radio, books, or any other entertainment medium. The term o ...
''
Make It Big ''Make It Big'' is the second and final studio album from British pop duo Wham!, released in 1984. In comparison to their earlier work, Wham! (George Michael and Andrew Ridgeley) had more control over the album's production and Michael would a ...
'' (2002) together with real-life best friend
Song Seung-heon Song Seung-heon (; born October 5, 1976) is a South Korean model and actor. He has acted in various television dramas, notably ''Autumn in My Heart'' (2000), '' ''East of Eden' (2008), '' ''My Princess' (2011), ''Black'' (2017), ''Player' ...
."Actors and Actresses of Korean Cinema: Kwon Sang-woo"
. Koreanfilm.org. Retrieved 2012-11-22.
Kwon's breakthrough came in 2003 with the phenomenally successful
romantic comedy Romantic comedy (also known as romcom or rom-com) is a subgenre of comedy and slice of life fiction, focusing on lighthearted, humorous plot lines centered on romantic ideas, such as how true love is able to surmount most obstacles. In a typica ...
''
My Tutor Friend ''My Tutor Friend'' (; lit. "Tutoring a Student of the Same Age") is a 2003 South Korean romantic comedy film starring Kim Ha-neul and Kwon Sang-woo. Unglamorous Su-wan is a sophomore in college who gets hired to tutor rich troublemaker Ji-hoon, ...
'', as a troublesome high school boy who is tutored by a college student of the same age (played by actress
Kim Ha-neul Kim Ha-neul (; born February 21, 1978) is a South Korean actress. After starting her career as a model, she rose to fame by starring in romantic-comedy films ''My Tutor Friend'' (2003) and ''Too Beautiful to Lie'' (2004) and the action-comedy f ...
). This was followed by appearances in ''My Good Partner'', the world's first movie made for mobile phones, and the
music video A music video is a video of variable duration, that integrates a music song or a music album with imagery that is produced for promotion (marketing), promotional or musical artistic purposes. Modern music videos are primarily made and used as a m ...
collection ''Project X''. His next film released in early 2004 was also a hit. ''
Once Upon a Time in High School ''Once Upon a Time in High School: The Spirit of Jeet Kune Do'' ( ko, 말죽거리 잔혹사) is a 2004 South Korean drama film. The background of the film is set in a high school in South Korea, 1978. The original Korean title literally means "c ...
'' portrayed the authoritarian society of the 1970s through a notoriously violent high school. Simultaneously, Kwon's TV tearjerker ''
Stairway to Heaven "Stairway to Heaven" is a song by English rock band Led Zeppelin, released in late 1971. It was composed by the band's guitarist Jimmy Page and lead singer Robert Plant for their untitled fourth studio album (often titled ''Led Zeppelin IV'') ...
'' was winning high ratings over 40%. The drama eventually screened throughout Asia and helped to turn him into a regional star. However, Kwon's follow-up film ''
Love, So Divine ''Love, So Divine'' is a 2004 South Korean romantic comedy film starring Ha Ji-won and Kwon Sang-woo, and the directorial debut of Heo In-moo. Released in Korea on August 6, 2004, the film sold over 1,242,476 tickets nationwide. Plot After getti ...
'', about a priest in training who falls in love, earned poor reviews and did not get much attention from audiences. For 2006, Kwon starred in the big-budget action noir '' Running Wild'', about a detective, a prosecutor, and a criminal who are all equally vicious. ''Running Wild'' received satisfactory reviews, but disappointing returns, and Kwon's next film '' Almost Love'', a romantic comedy reteaming him with Kim Ha-neul, likewise failed to replicate the success of their previous film. Thus began Kwon's career slump, as the films ''
Fate Destiny, sometimes referred to as fate (from Latin ''fatum'' "decree, prediction, destiny, fate"), is a predetermined course of events. It may be conceived as a predetermined future, whether in general or of an individual. Fate Although often ...
'' and ''
More Than Blue ''More Than Blue'' () is a 2009 South Korean film. The directorial debut of poet Won Tae-yeon, it stars Kwon Sang-woo, Lee Bo-young and Lee Beom-soo in the lead roles. The film's Korean title translates as "A Story Sadder Than Sadness".Lee Hyo-w ...
'' flopped in the box office, and his small-screen projects ''
Sad Love Story ''Sad Love Story'' () is a 2005 South Korean television drama series starring Kwon Sang-woo, Kim Hee-sun and Yeon Jung-hoon. It aired on MBC from January 5 to March 17, 2005 on Wednesdays and Thursdays at 21:55 for 20 episodes. Plot From the m ...
'', '' Bad Love'', and ''
Cinderella Man ''Cinderella Man'' is a 2005 American biographical sports drama film directed by Ron Howard, titled after the nickname of world heavyweight boxing champion James J. Braddock and inspired by his life story. The film was produced by Howard, Penn ...
'' received low ratings. Things took a turn for the better in 2010 with the box-office success of
Korean War , date = {{Ubl, 25 June 1950 – 27 July 1953 (''de facto'')({{Age in years, months, weeks and days, month1=6, day1=25, year1=1950, month2=7, day2=27, year2=1953), 25 June 1950 – present (''de jure'')({{Age in years, months, weeks a ...
film '' 71: Into the Fire'' which Kwon reportedly did not hesitate to take on, though he again portrayed a high school student. His drama ''
Daemul ''Big Thing'' () is a 2010 South Korean television drama based on manhwa artist Park In-kwon's comic ''Daemul'', and stars Go Hyun-jung as South Korea's first female president. Number one in its timeslot for 11 consecutive weeks, it gained succes ...
'' about Korea's first female president (played by
Go Hyun-jung Go Hyun-jung (; born March 2, 1971) is a South Korean actress. She debuted in the entertainment industry as a Miss Korea runner-up in 1989 and went on to star in '' Sandglass ''(1995), one of the highest-rated and critically acclaimed dramas in ...
) was also very popular during its run, staying atop TV charts for 11 weeks straight and ending with viewership ratings around 26%. In the 2011
melodrama A modern melodrama is a dramatic work in which the plot, typically sensationalized and for a strong emotional appeal, takes precedence over detailed characterization. Melodramas typically concentrate on dialogue that is often bombastic or exces ...
'' Pained'', Kwon played a man with
analgesia Pain management is an aspect of medicine and health care involving relief of pain (pain relief, analgesia, pain control) in various dimensions, from acute and simple to chronic and challenging. Most physicians and other health professionals ...
, the inability to sense physical pain, who then falls in love with a woman suffering from
hemophilia Haemophilia, or hemophilia (), is a mostly inherited genetic disorder that impairs the body's ability to make blood clots, a process needed to stop bleeding. This results in people bleeding for a longer time after an injury, easy bruising, ...
. Based on an original story by
webcomic Webcomics (also known as online comics or Internet comics) are comics published on a website or mobile app. While many are published exclusively on the web, others are also published in magazines, newspapers, or comic books. Webcomics can be co ...
artist
Kang Full Kang Full (or Kang Pool, ) is the pen name of Kang Do-young (born December 7, 1974), a South Korean webtoon artist. Though he had no formal training in art or writing, Kang launched a website in 2002 to display his comics. Kang's webtoons quick ...
, ''Pained'' was directed by
Kwak Kyung-taek Kwak Kyung-taek (; born 23 May 1966) is a South Korean film director best known for his 2001 record-breaking film ''Friend (2001 film), Friend''. Career ''Friend'', a drama where conflicting criminal alliances turn old friends into enemies, ...
in a departure from his previous macho movies. Kwak said, "The production company told me Kwon Sang-woo was contemplating the part, and I said I would do it only if Kwon does. There was nobody else." Looking to expand his acting career to a wider audience in Asia, in 2012 Kwon starred in movies with Chinese superstars
Cecilia Cheung Cecilia Cheung Pak-chi (in Chinese 張栢芝, born 24 May 1980) is a Hong Kong actress and cantopop singer. Cheung is considered a " Sing girl"—an actress who first received media attention through starring alongside Stephen Chow, and later ...
(romantic comedy ''Shadows of Love'', previously known as ''Repeat, I Love You'') and
Jackie Chan Fang Shilong (born 7 April 1954), known professionally in English as Jackie Chan and in Chinese as Cheng Long ( zh, c=成龍, j=Sing4 Lung4; "becoming the dragon"), is a Hong Kong actor, filmmaker, martial artist, and stuntman known for ...
(action film ''
CZ12 ''CZ12'' (), also known as ''Chinese Zodiac'', is a 2012 Hong Kong action-adventure comedy film co-written, co-produced and directed by Jackie Chan, who also starred as the main character in the film. ''CZ12'' is the third film of a franchise t ...
''). He also made his singing debut in a DVD released in Japan in 2010. Cast as the male lead in a
Chinese TV series Chinese television dramas ( Simplified Chinese: 中国电视连续剧), sometimes colloquially known as C-dramas, are television dramas originating from China or the Greater China region. China produces more television dramas than any other coun ...
titled ''Feng Hua Xue Yue'' (''Wind Flower Snow Moon''), Kwon's role was an Asian-American
Broadway Broadway may refer to: Theatre * Broadway Theatre (disambiguation) * Broadway theatre, theatrical productions in professional theatres near Broadway, Manhattan, New York City, U.S. ** Broadway (Manhattan), the street **Broadway Theatre (53rd Stree ...
producer who comes back to China to stage a musical production in
Yunnan Province Yunnan , () is a landlocked province in the southwest of the People's Republic of China. The province spans approximately and has a population of 48.3 million (as of 2018). The capital of the province is Kunming. The province borders the C ...
and falls in love with the leading lady of his stage musical. He next starred opposite
Soo Ae Park Soo-ae (; born 16 September 1979), known mononymously as Soo Ae, is a South Korean actress best known for portraying Kim In-hae in the 2013 film ''The Flu'' and Oh Soo-yeon in the 2018 film ''High Society''. Soo Ae began her career on telev ...
in ''Yawang'' (also known as ''
Queen of Ambition ''Queen of Ambition'' () is a 2013 South Korean television series, starring Kwon Sang-woo, Soo Ae, Jung Yun-ho, Kim Sung-ryung, and Go Joon-hee. It aired on SBS from 14 January – 2 April 2013 on Mondays and Tuesdays at 21:55 for 24 episodes ...
''), which was adapted from the third installment of ''
manhwa (; ) is the general Korean language, Korean term for comics and print cartoons. Outside Korea, the term usually refers to South Korea, South Korean comics. is greatly influenced by Japanese Manga comics. Modern Manhwa has extended its rea ...
'' artist Park In-kwon's 21-part saga ''Daemul'' (the 2010 SBS TV series of the same name that also starred Kwon was adapted from the comic's second book). Kwon was cast in his first
medical drama A medical drama is a television show or film in which events center upon a hospital, an ambulance staff, or any medical environment. Most recent medical drama (film and television), dramatic programming go beyond the events pertaining to the chara ...
in 2013, ''
Medical Top Team ''Medical Top Team'' () is a South Korean television series written by Yoon Kyung-ah and directed by Kim Do-hoon. It starred Kwon Sang-woo, Jung Ryeo-won, Ju Ji-hoon, Oh Yeon-seo and Choi Min-ho. The series began filming in August 2013, and aired ...
'' from the director of ''
Moon Embracing the Sun ''Moon Embracing the Sun'' (, also known as ''The Moon that Embraces the Sun'' or ''The Sun and the Moon'') is a 2012 South Korean television drama series, starring Kim Soo-hyun, Han Ga-in, Jung Il-woo, and Kim Min-seo. It aired on MBC from Jan ...
'' and the writer of ''
Brain A brain is an organ that serves as the center of the nervous system in all vertebrate and most invertebrate animals. It is located in the head, usually close to the sensory organs for senses such as vision. It is the most complex organ in a v ...
''. He played a straightforward yet warm-hearted genius surgeon. In 2014, he reunited with ''Stairway to Heaven'' costar
Choi Ji-woo Choi Ji-woo (born Choi Mi-hyang on June 11, 1975) is a South Korean actress. Considered one of South Korea's most beautiful women, she has received critical acclaim for her work in a wide range of melodramas, most notably '' Beautiful Days'' (2 ...
in ''
Temptation Temptation is a desire to engage in short-term urges for enjoyment that threatens long-term goals.Webb, J.R. (Sep 2014). Incorporating Spirituality into Psychology of temptation: Conceptualization, measurement, and clinical implications. Sp ...
'', about a married, debt-ridden businessman who agrees to a deal with a female
CEO A chief executive officer (CEO), also known as a central executive officer (CEO), chief administrator officer (CAO) or just chief executive (CE), is one of a number of corporate executives charged with the management of an organization especially ...
in exchange for her "ownership" of his body. He next played the owner of an internet
startup company A startup or start-up is a company or project undertaken by an entrepreneur to seek, develop, and validate a scalable business model. While entrepreneurship refers to all new businesses, including self-employment and businesses that never intend t ...
in ''Honey Enemy'', a 2015 Chinese romance film opposite
Zhang Yuqi Zhang Yuqi (; born 8 August 1987), also known as Kitty Zhang, is a Chinese actress best known for portraying Mrs. Yuen in the 2008 film ''CJ7'' — which brought her media attention and kick-started her acting career, and Ruo Lan in the 2016 f ...
that filmed in Jeju Island and
Shanghai Shanghai (; , , Standard Mandarin pronunciation: ) is one of the four direct-administered municipalities of the People's Republic of China (PRC). The city is located on the southern estuary of the Yangtze River, with the Huangpu River flow ...
. Kwon then starred in comedy film ''The Accidental Detective'' which revolves around a misfit comic book rental shop owner who becomes involved in a murder case. In 2016, Kwon starred alongside Choi Kang-hee in the crime comedy drama, '' Queen of Mystery''. Kwon reprised his role in the second season of the show, which aired in 2018. In 2018, Kwon starred in crime comedy '' The Accidental Detective 2: In Action''. He was also cast in the romantic comedy film ''Shall We Do It Again''. Kwon has said in an interview, "I hope I'm remembered as an actor whose work the audience looks forward to rather than an actor who acts well."


Business interests

In 2009 Kwon established the cosmetics firm Natural Tears, of which he is the owner and
CEO A chief executive officer (CEO), also known as a central executive officer (CEO), chief administrator officer (CAO) or just chief executive (CE), is one of a number of corporate executives charged with the management of an organization especially ...
, as well as the inaugural advertising model for the brand TEARS. It was named after his nickname "Mr. Tears", given to him by fans in recognition of his tear-jerking acting in ''
Stairway to Heaven "Stairway to Heaven" is a song by English rock band Led Zeppelin, released in late 1971. It was composed by the band's guitarist Jimmy Page and lead singer Robert Plant for their untitled fourth studio album (often titled ''Led Zeppelin IV'') ...
''. He also opened the cafe Tea'Us in
Myeong-dong Myeongdong () is a dong in Jung-gu, Seoul, South Korea between Chungmu-ro, Eulji-ro, and Namdaemun-ro. It covers 0.99km² with a population of 3,409 and is mostly a commercial area, being one of Seoul's main shopping, parade route and tourism ...
, and is the biggest
shareholder A shareholder (in the United States often referred to as stockholder) of a corporation is an individual or legal entity (such as another corporation, a body politic, a trust or partnership) that is registered by the corporation as the legal own ...
of the resort Ocean Blue Hotel
Bali Bali () is a province of Indonesia and the westernmost of the Lesser Sunda Islands. East of Java and west of Lombok, the province includes the island of Bali and a few smaller neighbouring islands, notably Nusa Penida, Nusa Lembongan, and Nu ...
. The property Kwon owns in
Bundang-gu Bundang-gu is the largest and most populous district ('' gu'') of Seongnam, a major city in the Seoul Capital Area, South Korea. Bundang-gu is one of South Korea's wealthiest and highest developed areas, being the nation's first and largest comple ...
was appraised at an estimated worth of .


Personal life

Unlike many Korean male stars who had to fulfill their
mandatory military service Conscription (also called the draft in the United States) is the state-mandated enlistment of people in a national service, mainly a military service. Conscription dates back to antiquity and it continues in some countries to the present day un ...
at the height of their careers, Kwon completed his military service long before he became an actor. Kwon's mother is a
Roman Catholic Roman or Romans most often refers to: *Rome, the capital city of Italy *Ancient Rome, Roman civilization from 8th century BC to 5th century AD *Roman people, the people of ancient Rome *'' Epistle to the Romans'', shortened to ''Romans'', a lette ...
, and he himself converted after filming ''
Love, So Divine ''Love, So Divine'' is a 2004 South Korean romantic comedy film starring Ha Ji-won and Kwon Sang-woo, and the directorial debut of Heo In-moo. Released in Korea on August 6, 2004, the film sold over 1,242,476 tickets nationwide. Plot After getti ...
'' in which he played as a seminarian. His
confirmation name In Christian denominations that practice infant baptism, confirmation is seen as the sealing of the covenant created in baptism. Those being confirmed are known as confirmands. For adults, it is an affirmation of belief. It involves laying on ...
is Francisco. Kwon married actress and former
Miss Korea Miss Korea ( ko, 미스코리아) is a national beauty pageant in South Korea. Lee Seung-hyeon won the title on October 26, 2022. History The first Miss Korea competition took place in 1957 and was sponsored by the Korean newspaper Hankook I ...
Son Tae-young Son Tae-young (born August 19, 1980) is a South Korean actress and former Miss Korea. Career As Miss Daegu, Son Tae-young placed second runner-up (or third place) at the Miss Korea pageant in 2000. She was the country's representative at the 2000 ...
at the
Shilla Hotel Hotel Shilla ( ko, 신라호텔) is a South Korean operator of luxury hotels and duty-free shops. It is a member of The Leading Hotels of the World. The company is an affiliate of Samsung. History Hotel Shilla started operations in March 1979 at ...
on September 28, 2008. On February 6, 2009, his wife gave birth to a baby boy, christened as Luke (nicknamed Rookie). Their second child, a daughter, was born on January 10, 2015.


Controversy

In 2006 Kwon filed a complaint against Kim Tae-chon, the godfather of Beomseobangpa (one of Korea's three major criminal gangs), for threatening him when the actor failed to keep his promise to hold a fan meeting in Japan. Kwon and the defendant eventually came to a settlement, but prosecutors continued investigations into possible ties between
kkangpae ''Kkangpae'' (Korean: 깡패) is a romanization of the Korean for a 'gangster', 'thug', 'punk' or 'hoodlum', usually referring to members of unorganized street gangs. This is as opposed to mafiosos or members of organized crime gangs, which are kn ...
and the Japanese
Yakuza , also known as , are members of transnational organized crime syndicates originating in Japan. The Japanese police and media, by request of the police, call them , while the ''yakuza'' call themselves . The English equivalent for the term ...
and Chinese crime syndicates that are looking to cash in on the Korean Wave entertainment business. There was fan backlash to his 2008 marriage due to his wife's previous dating history. In an appearance on talk show ''
Golden Fishery ''Golden Fishery'' () is a South Korean talk show broadcast on Munhwa Broadcasting Corporation, MBC. It first aired on the July 7, 2006 and has had a fairly stable audience share. Currently, ''Radio Star (TV series), Radio Star'' is the main segm ...
'' hosted by
Kang Ho-dong Kang Ho-dong (born June 11, 1970) is a South Korean television host and comedian, who first became known to Koreans as one of the top Korean traditional wrestlers. In 2008, Kang Ho Dong became the first comedian in history to win the Baeksan ...
in 2009, Kwon said, "After I got married, membership in my fan cafe dwindled from 240,000 to 135,000 - it was like a stock market crash." He also said that before he got married, he had an average of seven TV commercials per year, but by early 2009 that number had dwindled down to zero. In the early hours of June 12, 2010, Kwon was involved in a car accident in
Gangnam District Gangnam District ( ; , ) is one of the 25 local government districts which make up the city of Seoul, South Korea. Gangnam translates to "South of the (Han) River". Gangnam District is the third largest district in Seoul, with an area of . A ...
. According to news reports, Kwon was driving on the wrong side of the road and hit a parked car. He then ran into the police car that had pursued him, continued driving and hit a tree before fleeing the scene on foot. Two days later, he turned himself in at Gangnam Police Station, claiming he had not been drunk. Kwon later made a public apology through a handwritten letter, and was fined by a
Seoul Seoul (; ; ), officially known as the Seoul Special City, is the capital and largest metropolis of South Korea.Before 1972, Seoul was the ''de jure'' capital of the Democratic People's Republic of Korea (North Korea) as stated iArticle 103 ...
district court.


Filmography


Film


Television series


Web series


Television shows


Music video


Ambassadorship

*Seoul Public Relations Ambassador for 2023 S/S Seoul Fashion Week (2022)


Awards and nominations


References


External links

* {{DEFAULTSORT:Kwon, Sang-woo 1976 births Living people Hannam University alumni People from Daejeon 21st-century South Korean male actors South Korean male film actors South Korean male models South Korean male television actors South Korean Roman Catholics Best New Actor Paeksang Arts Award (film) winners