Table of contents
Biography
- Name: Ryoo Seung-bum (류승범)
- Date of Birth: August 9, 1980
- Place of Birth: Asan, South Chungcheong Province, South Korea
- Nationality: Korean
- Education: Daedong Commercial High School (dropped out)
- Marital Status: Married, 1 Daughter
- Height: 175 cm
- Religion: Protestant
Facts, Dating, and Personal Life
Ryoo Seung-bum was born to a family consisting of his mother, father, and older brother, who is film director Ryoo Seung-wan.
He was born in Asan, South Chungcheong Province, but moved to Seoul in elementary school only to relocate back to a small town in South Chungcheong Province called Onyang when the actor was in middle school. He then returned to Seoul again for high school, but ended up dropping out before graduating. According to the actor, he struggled to find a motivation for studying, but can easily immerse himself into acting, hence his career path.
Ryoo Seung-bum started dating famous actress Gong Hyo-jin in 2002 after starring together on “Wonderful Days”. According to Naver, their relationship was once ridiculed due to Ryu Seung Bum’s appearance and his lower level of fame compared to Gong Hyo Jin. Despite the criticism, the couple stayed by each other’s side at events, traveled together, and supported one another on film sets. The two’s relationship recently became a hot topic again after actor Lee Yi-kyung mentioned his ex, Jung In-sun, at the 2024 SEOULCON APAN STAR AWARDS.
However, after 10 years of dating, the couple decided to part ways, and Gong Hyo-jin later admitted she feared her ex-boyfriend would feel hurt by rumors linking her romantically to her male co-stars.
In 2020, Ryoo Seung-bum married a non-celebrity from Slovakia, who is 10 years younger than him and reportedly worked as a painter in France. They have a daughter born in 2020.
Meanwhile, Gong Hyo-jin later dated Lee Jin-wook in 2014, before marrying singer-songwriter Kevin Oh in 2022.
Career
As his older brother Ryoo Seung-wan was an aspiring filmmaker, he shot 4 low-budget short films starring himself, Ryoo Seung-bum, and several friends between 1996 and 1999. These short films were later re-edited and combined, marking Ryoo Seung-wan’s directorial debut with “Die Bad” in 2000 and drawing an instant cult hit. It also earned Ryoo Seung-bum the Best New Actor title at the Grand Bell Awards.
SBS played a pivotal role in turning Ryoo Seung-bum into a “shining star” by boldly casting him in the lead role of “Wonderful Days”, alongside Ji Sung, Park Sun Young, and Gong Hyo Jin. The series, which explored the lifestyles of Korean youth influenced by Americanization in the early 1980s, shows Ryoo Seung-bum as a rebellious and arrogant young man who, when faced with a worldly and experienced woman, transformed into a naive but courageous individual, willing to face danger to bring joy back to her life.
In the initial episodes, viewers were hesitant to support Ryoo Seung-bum, but as the series progressed, he became increasingly compelling. Surpassing Ji Sung, Ryoo Seung-bum won Best New Actor for TV at the 2001 SBS Drama Awards. This marked a turning point in his career.
In 2002, Ryoo Seung-bum joined the cast of gangster/heist film “No Blood No Tears” starring Jeon Do-yeon and Jung Jae-young, which ended up as a critical and box office disappointment. Despite this stumble, however, the actor began to venture away from his brother’s directorial fame to make a name for himself, with roles in the omnibus “No Comment” and Park Chan-wook’s famous film “Sympathy for Mr. Vengeance”.
Inspired by Ryoo Seung-bum in “Conduct Zero”, a new trend emerged in South Korea: a fascination with actors who weren’t conventionally handsome but had a unique charm that drew audiences, such as MC Mong and Bong Dae-kyu.
In 2004, Ryoo Seung-bum’s return to television in “Sunlight Pours Down” was a significant surprise, as the actor distanced himself from TV series for years. The drama ended up not being a success, and the actor decided to concentrate solely on big screen roles later in his career.
In 2005, Ryoo Seung-bum earned significant critical success via “Crying Fist”, where the actor and co-star Choi Min-sik underwent boxing training, didn’t use body doubles, and exchanged real blows. This performance cemented Ryoo Seung-bum’s reputation as one of the top actors of his generation and of the country as a whole.
After a brief venture to commercial projects, Ryoo Seung-bum returned to noir films via the movie “Bloody Tie”, which led to him winning Best Actor at the Golden Cinematography Awards and the Baeksang Arts Awards.
Ever since, Ryoo Seung-bum has proven his acting prowess via various other successful projects, including the 2010 “The Unjust”, “Perfect Number”, and “The Berlin File”.
After “The Berlin File”, however, the actor went on hiatus, claiming that he no longer wanted to an “overly commercialized product.” He then traveled all over Europe and lived in Paris for 3 years where he worked as a model.
Eventually, the actor returned to acting in 2015 with a leading role in “Intimate Enemiesbe”, followed by “ Human, Space, Time and Human”, and “Tazza: One Eyed Jack”.
In March 2023, he signed with Y One Entertainment
Additionally, since 2007, the actor has also worked as an in-demand DJ under the name “DJ Ryoo”.
