Yoon Kye-sang
Encyclopedia
Yoon Kye-sang is a South Korea
n actor and former singer in boyband g.o.d.
.
which enjoyed huge popularity for over half a decade. However, he turned to acting in 2004, making his film debut in Flying Boys
, directed by Byeon Yeong-joo. He made his television debut that same year in My 19 Year Old Sister in Law with Jung Da-bin.
Yoon was called a "traitor" for leaving g.o.d.
before the sixth album; they went on to release a seventh before disbanding in 2005.
at the height of his popularity due to mandatory military service
. He was inducted into the Republic of Korea Army
on 7 December 2004, assigned to the 102nd Reserves at Chuncheon
, Gangwon-do
, on the Korean Demilitarized Zone
. After completing basic training and serving there for some time, by 2006 was reassigned to duties as an "entertainment soldier", part of the new Korean Forces Network group in the army which provides television and radio broadcasts to soldiers, and also allows celebrities to maintain a public profile while completing their military service. He was discharged from the army on 6 December 2006 at 8 AM. In an interview that day, he said that he had not slept the night before and was very tired, but looked forward to seeing his fans; he further stated that he planned to resume his career in 2007.
As late as June 2011 his military service still earned him public attention, when a round-cheeked photo of him in uniform "went viral" among South Korean internet users. The photos received many amused comments for his then-fat cheeks, forming a sharp contrast with his more recent appearance.
) of a man he'd accidentally killed. The following year, he and Kim Haneul were cast in Lovers of Six Years, playing a couple in a six-year relationship. According to Kim, her initial perception of Yoon was that he was very shy, whereas Yoon perceived Kim as snobby, so it took them some time to break the ice and establish a good working relationship. Later that year, he took a dual role
in the comedy television series Who Are You?, playing a cold-hearted corporate raider who, in the aftermath of a traffic accident, becomes possessed by the spirit of a cheerful deliveryman for a few hours each day. At the same time he also took a starring role along with Ha Jeong-woo
in The Moonlight of Seoul, portraying a worker in a host club; Lee Hyo-won writing for the Korea Times praised him for his "gripping performance".
In 2009, after doing a lighter role in the slice-of-life drama Triple, Yoon starred in the movie The Executioner, which examined capital punishment in South Korea
; it debuted at the 14th Busan International Film Festival. Yoon took the role of junior prison guard Jae-gyeong, who takes up his post after failing an examination, and unluckily finds himself assigned to carry out executions after the only other guard in the prison with such experience quits. Just before the movie came out, he made controversial remarks in an interview with GQ Korea stating that the South Korean movie industry was dominated by leftists. As controversy rose among internet users over his remarks, he quickly made an apology for what he described as his "ignorance". He also became part of the ensemble cast in Come, Closer, a 2010 omnibus feature that follows the broken relationships of five couples.
After his highly anticipated big-budget Korean War
drama Road No. 1
, tanked in the ratings, Yoon said he wanted to play a character "who gets loved by the public" and took on a supporting role as a sweet, kind doctor in romantic comedy The Greatest Love.
The drama's success and Yoon's popularity in it helped bring attention to his next project, the low-budget, gritty indie Poongsan
. Director Juhn Jai-hong fought to cast Yoon against type as the titular taciturn messenger, saying that he'd been impressed by the piercing gaze Yoon had shown in previous films. Calling it "a meaningful project", Yoon enjoyed the difficult acting challenge of telling the story only through his eyes, facial expressions and body movements. He was rewarded with a Best Actor nomination from the Grand Bell Awards
.
Yoon next stars in the third season of popular sitcom High Kick!.
s for them at the store.
He began dating Sung Yu-ri
of girl group Fin.K.L
in 1999. The two initially did not admit their relationship, but it came to light due to photo booth
sticker photos of the two together which found their way onto the internet. Yoon said that the six-year romance ended as he headed into military service, as both parties got busier and they naturally drifted apart.
South Korea
The Republic of Korea , , is a sovereign state in East Asia, located on the southern portion of the Korean Peninsula. It is neighbored by the People's Republic of China to the west, Japan to the east, North Korea to the north, and the East China Sea and Republic of China to the south...
n actor and former singer in boyband g.o.d.
G.o.d.
g.o.d. was a Korean pop music group. The name is an acronym for Groove Over Dose. Their name is lower cased to avoid confusion with God. The group was one of the few groups to have an album become a "million seller" in K-pop. The members have gone to solo careers after dis-forming.- Career:The...
.
Beginnings
Yoon began his rise to fame as a member of South Korean pop music group g.o.d.G.o.d.
g.o.d. was a Korean pop music group. The name is an acronym for Groove Over Dose. Their name is lower cased to avoid confusion with God. The group was one of the few groups to have an album become a "million seller" in K-pop. The members have gone to solo careers after dis-forming.- Career:The...
which enjoyed huge popularity for over half a decade. However, he turned to acting in 2004, making his film debut in Flying Boys
Flying Boys
Flying Boys is a 2004 South Korean film, written and directed by Byeon Yeong-joo, and starring Yoon Kye-sang and Kim Min-jeong.- Plot summary :Min-jae is a high school senior who lives with his father, an airline pilot, and is struggling with his studies...
, directed by Byeon Yeong-joo. He made his television debut that same year in My 19 Year Old Sister in Law with Jung Da-bin.
Yoon was called a "traitor" for leaving g.o.d.
G.o.d.
g.o.d. was a Korean pop music group. The name is an acronym for Groove Over Dose. Their name is lower cased to avoid confusion with God. The group was one of the few groups to have an album become a "million seller" in K-pop. The members have gone to solo careers after dis-forming.- Career:The...
before the sixth album; they went on to release a seventh before disbanding in 2005.
Military service
Yoon had to interrupt his career and depart from g.o.d.G.o.d.
g.o.d. was a Korean pop music group. The name is an acronym for Groove Over Dose. Their name is lower cased to avoid confusion with God. The group was one of the few groups to have an album become a "million seller" in K-pop. The members have gone to solo careers after dis-forming.- Career:The...
at the height of his popularity due to mandatory military service
Conscription in South Korea
Conscription, or mandatory military service or compulsory national service, is legislated in South Korea, with military service stated as one of the Four Constitutional Duties for all citizens...
. He was inducted into the Republic of Korea Army
Republic of Korea Army
The Republic of Korea Army is the largest of the military branches of the South Korean armed forces with 520,000 members as of 2010...
on 7 December 2004, assigned to the 102nd Reserves at Chuncheon
Chuncheon
Chuncheon is the capital of Gangwon Province, South Korea. The city lies in the northeast of the country, located in a basin formed by the Soyang River and Han River. There are some large lakes around the city, most notably Lake Soyang and Lake Uiam...
, Gangwon-do
Gangwon-do (South Korea)
Gangwon-do is a province of South Korea, with its capital at Chuncheon. Before the division of Korea in 1945, Gangwon and its North Korean neighbour Kangwŏn formed a single province.-History:...
, on the Korean Demilitarized Zone
Korean Demilitarized Zone
The Korean Demilitarized Zone is a strip of land running across the Korean Peninsula that serves as a buffer zone between North and South Korea. The DMZ cuts the Korean Peninsula roughly in half, crossing the 38th parallel on an angle, with the west end of the DMZ lying south of the parallel and...
. After completing basic training and serving there for some time, by 2006 was reassigned to duties as an "entertainment soldier", part of the new Korean Forces Network group in the army which provides television and radio broadcasts to soldiers, and also allows celebrities to maintain a public profile while completing their military service. He was discharged from the army on 6 December 2006 at 8 AM. In an interview that day, he said that he had not slept the night before and was very tired, but looked forward to seeing his fans; he further stated that he planned to resume his career in 2007.
As late as June 2011 his military service still earned him public attention, when a round-cheeked photo of him in uniform "went viral" among South Korean internet users. The photos received many amused comments for his then-fat cheeks, forming a sharp contrast with his more recent appearance.
Post-army
In January 2007, Yoon returned to show business in the SBS drama Crazy in Love as a gangster who falls in love with the widow (Lee Mi-yeonLee Mi-yeon
Lee Mi-yeon is a South Korean actress.- Filmography :-Awards:*2008 Chunsa Film Art Awards: Best Actress *2007 Andre Kim Best Star Awards: Best Star...
) of a man he'd accidentally killed. The following year, he and Kim Haneul were cast in Lovers of Six Years, playing a couple in a six-year relationship. According to Kim, her initial perception of Yoon was that he was very shy, whereas Yoon perceived Kim as snobby, so it took them some time to break the ice and establish a good working relationship. Later that year, he took a dual role
Dual role
Dual role refers to one actor playing two or more roles, which may be deliberately scripted in a play or film, or merely be a by-product of a low budget. In a theatrical production where more than one actor plays multiple characters, it is sometimes referred to as an "Ironman" cast...
in the comedy television series Who Are You?, playing a cold-hearted corporate raider who, in the aftermath of a traffic accident, becomes possessed by the spirit of a cheerful deliveryman for a few hours each day. At the same time he also took a starring role along with Ha Jeong-woo
Ha Jeong-woo
Ha Jeong-woo is a South Korean actor. He is best known for his role in The Chaser, the 2008 film loosely based on serial killer Yoo Young-chul.-Career:Born as Kim Seong-hun, Ha Jeong-woo comes from an acting family...
in The Moonlight of Seoul, portraying a worker in a host club; Lee Hyo-won writing for the Korea Times praised him for his "gripping performance".
In 2009, after doing a lighter role in the slice-of-life drama Triple, Yoon starred in the movie The Executioner, which examined capital punishment in South Korea
Capital punishment in South Korea
Capital punishment is a legal form of punishment in South Korea and death sentences are still handed down, most recently on April 21, 2009, when Kang Ho-sun was convicted for the murder of ten people...
; it debuted at the 14th Busan International Film Festival. Yoon took the role of junior prison guard Jae-gyeong, who takes up his post after failing an examination, and unluckily finds himself assigned to carry out executions after the only other guard in the prison with such experience quits. Just before the movie came out, he made controversial remarks in an interview with GQ Korea stating that the South Korean movie industry was dominated by leftists. As controversy rose among internet users over his remarks, he quickly made an apology for what he described as his "ignorance". He also became part of the ensemble cast in Come, Closer, a 2010 omnibus feature that follows the broken relationships of five couples.
After his highly anticipated big-budget Korean War
Korean War
The Korean War was a conventional war between South Korea, supported by the United Nations, and North Korea, supported by the People's Republic of China , with military material aid from the Soviet Union...
drama Road No. 1
Road No. 1
Road No. 1 is a 2010 MBC television series about two South Korean soldiers Lee Jang Woo and Shin Tae Ho who loved with Kim Soo Yeon who was Jang-woo's childhood sweetheart and Tae-ho's fiancee.-Cast:*So Ji-sub as Lee Jang Woo...
, tanked in the ratings, Yoon said he wanted to play a character "who gets loved by the public" and took on a supporting role as a sweet, kind doctor in romantic comedy The Greatest Love.
The drama's success and Yoon's popularity in it helped bring attention to his next project, the low-budget, gritty indie Poongsan
Poongsan
Poongsan is a 2011 South Korean film starring Yoon Kye-sang and Kim Gyu-ri.Part love story, part postwar tragedy, with a dose of comedy thrown in, the low-budget film Poongsan depicts the sad reality of the division between the two Koreas.-Plot:...
. Director Juhn Jai-hong fought to cast Yoon against type as the titular taciturn messenger, saying that he'd been impressed by the piercing gaze Yoon had shown in previous films. Calling it "a meaningful project", Yoon enjoyed the difficult acting challenge of telling the story only through his eyes, facial expressions and body movements. He was rewarded with a Best Actor nomination from the Grand Bell Awards
Grand Bell Awards
The Grand Bell Awards is an awards ceremony presented annually by The Motion Pictures Association of Korea for excellence in film in South Korea....
.
Yoon next stars in the third season of popular sitcom High Kick!.
Personal life
Yoon is the youngest in his family, with an elder sister. He describes having been very embarrassed as a young boy having to run errands for his mother and elder sister such as buying tamponTampon
A tampon is a mass of cotton or rayon or a mixture of the two inserted into a body cavity or wound to absorb bodilyfluid. The most common type in daily use is designed to be inserted into the vagina during menstruation to absorb the flow of menstrual fluid...
s for them at the store.
He began dating Sung Yu-ri
Sung Yu Ri
Sung Yu Ri is a South Korean singer and actress, the youngest member of currently inactive K-pop group Fin.K.L.Sung first appeared in the miniseries "Bad Girls" which earned her the "Best New Actress" award. She followed it up with the popular series "Thousand Years Of Love" in which she...
of girl group Fin.K.L
Fin.K.L
Fin.K.L was a Korean pop girl group that debuted in 1998.Their name stands for Fin Killing Liberty, and was intended to mean that the group stood against "the oppression of all freedom" . The group's name was selected by a poll of young people by the record company before the group's inception...
in 1999. The two initially did not admit their relationship, but it came to light due to photo booth
Photo booth
A photo booth is a vending machine or modern kiosk that contains an automated, usually coin-operated, camera and film processor. Today the vast majority of photo booths are digital. Traditionally photo booths contain a seat or bench designed to seat the one or two patrons being photographed...
sticker photos of the two together which found their way onto the internet. Yoon said that the six-year romance ended as he headed into military service, as both parties got busier and they naturally drifted apart.
Movies
- Poongsan (2011)
- Come, Closer (2010)
- The Executioner (2009)
- The Moonlight of Seoul (2008)
- Lovers of Six Years (2008)
- Flying BoysFlying BoysFlying Boys is a 2004 South Korean film, written and directed by Byeon Yeong-joo, and starring Yoon Kye-sang and Kim Min-jeong.- Plot summary :Min-jae is a high school senior who lives with his father, an airline pilot, and is struggling with his studies...
(2004)
TV Dramas
- High Kick! 3: Counterattack of the Short Legs (MBC, 2011)
- The Greatest Love (MBC, 2011)
- Road No. 1Road No. 1Road No. 1 is a 2010 MBC television series about two South Korean soldiers Lee Jang Woo and Shin Tae Ho who loved with Kim Soo Yeon who was Jang-woo's childhood sweetheart and Tae-ho's fiancee.-Cast:*So Ji-sub as Lee Jang Woo...
(MBC, 2010) - Triple (MBC, 2009)
- Who Are You? (MBC, 2008)
- Crazy in Love (SBS, 2007)
- My 19 Year Old Sister in Law (SBS, 2004)
External links
- Yoon Kye Sang at My Name Is Entertainment
- Yoon Kye-sang at HanCinema