It’s been a fruitful year for 27-year-old Ahn Hyo Seop. The theme of his Netflix series Business Proposal is, frankly, a bit old-fashioned, but its romantic and light-hearted plot adapted from the webtoon of the same title by HaeHwa was unexpectedly well received by Gen Zs. The release of its first episode alone was enough to send the internet buzzing. Starring as CEO Kang Tae-moo, Ahn Hyo Seop skyrocketed to fame and became a highly sought-after actor, loved by fans and brands alike.
Ahn Hyo Seop shares, “Every moment I’ve spent shooting is very much ingrained in my memory – I still recall the laughter and the happiness. Every scene I shot and the dialogue I’ve exchanged with other characters for the series was fun, and these moments were created together with those both in front and behind the cameras. It was a pleasure to work with so many amazing people. I don’t just focus on the results — I feel the effort everyone put into making this happen. Therefore, it’s extra meaningful to me when I see people enjoying this series. I’m really happy.”
Yet, fame does not necessarily come hand in hand with satisfaction. Rather, figuring out how to go on becomes a challenge. Hyo Seop agrees, “I need to prove myself. As an actor, I have faced different difficulties but I see this as a positive challenge. As long as I can do better, I can overcome it. The road to growth has always been like this.”
Double-breasted blazer, shirt, sweatpants, socks, shoes, Dior.
Double-breasted blazer, shirt, sweatpants, socks, shoes, Dior.
Ahn Hyo Seop’s road to stardom was an interesting one. While studying in Canada, he was a teen who would pass his time watching Korean dramas — who could’ve known he would become an actor one day? “Since I was young, I’ve always enjoyed watching movies with my family. Every time I visited the movie theatre, I would think to myself how much I enjoyed it and hoped that people would love movies as I did. Later on, I wanted to know how the filming process worked. It wasn’t until I became an actor that I understood that every role has a different audience. I enjoyed exploring — staying curious is one way to become a good actor. When you step into your character’s shoes, you need to know how to express your emotions — when I’m filming, I am no longer Ahn Hyo Seop. When my audience feels something about the roles I play, it’s a truly invaluable and proud moment for me.”
The actor went on to share how South Korea has showered him with love and how he feels grateful for every moment. As his schedule becomes more and more packed, he hopes to show people his multifaceted self. From his responses, it’s clear that he has been passionate about performing since he was young. Looking back at his career, we can trace Ahn Hyo Seop’s footsteps as he chased after his dreams, a journey far more fascinating than the passionate, coming-of-age dramas we see on screen.
Double-breasted blazer, shirt, sweatpants, socks, shoes, Dior.
2020 marked a turning point in Ahn Hyo Seop’s career as he starred in the critically acclaimed Dr. Romantic, a role that won him Best New Actor in TV at the 56th Baeksang Awards and the Best New Actor award at SBS Drama. His work on this television series remains one he is most satisfied with. “Each of my works is meaningful in different ways and I love every team that I’ve worked with. However, I grew the most as an actor while filming Dr. Romantic and I crossed paths with incredible directors and a lot of seniors, especially Han Suk-kyu. I remember he taught me how to be present and to enjoy every moment. I found a lot of joy working on this series. I looked forward to each day and felt very excited. The truth is, you always become good friends with people working in front of the camera and behind the scenes. Even if you go back to your usual routine after filming, you’ll still get along with each other.”
From playing general surgery fellow Seo Woo-jin in Dr. Romantic and mysterious astrologer Ha Ram in Lovers of the Red Sky to CEO Kang Tae-moo in Business Proposal, Ahn Hyo Seop has shown his ability to portray a multitude of personalities as different characters. When asked about how he prepares for his roles, he reveals, “When I receive my script, I look at the themes and style of the plot rather than honing in on just my character. I read the script over and over again and immerse myself in my role, and think of what message the work is trying to convey. Even though the story and characters are fictional, I try to view them as real-life scenarios. The first thing I do when I arrive on set is to analyse the space carefully, such as the house I would live in as my character, so that I can get used to the unfamiliar environment and familiarise myself with the atmosphere.”
Everyone who knows Ahn Hyo Seop knows he is also passionate about music. Growing up, he listened to a lot of classical music, and in high school, he was a violinist in his school’s orchestra. “I think we share an inextricable relationship with music”, he shares. “It can change subtly in different places or situations, and experiencing music through our five senses can produce different effects. Through melodic variations, different emotions can be evoked, and the time we spend listening to music is one of rest. Recently, I’ve been exposed to pop music from various countries and I’ve also been listening to new songs performed by different idols. Classic music is an area I want to keep learning more about.”
When it comes to his own career, Hyo Seop has a lot to say — and for a good reason. The actor left his initial agency Starhaus Entertainment this year and established his own entertainment company, The Present Company, with his team and longtime manager Kim Min Ji, who has been with him since his pre-debut days. While he emphasises that he wants to enjoy himself and have a good time with everyone he works with, it’s clear that Hyo Seop has ambitious goals. When asked how he achieves work-life balance, he replies, “I often hear other people say they’re looking to take a break because life is hard. But I think if you’re doing what you love, isn’t that a source of rest and reinvigoration in itself? The best way to use time is to not think about it. For example, when I do sports, I let go and enjoy myself by immersing myself in every present moment of my life.”
Aside from starring in Dr. Romantic 3 at the end of this year, Ahn Hyo Seop is also working on A Time Called You, a highly anticipated series based on the Taiwanese TV series Someday Or One Day. The actor says that he is not worried about his audience comparing the two versions, “Filming is in full swing now, and I’ll be hard at work shooting the rest of it. I hope it can be released next year. I haven’t seen the original, but I know it’s loved by many hence the high anticipation. I know people will be eagerly waiting to see it, so I’ll do the best I can to make sure they aren’t disappointed.” As the Hallyu wave takes the world by storm, Ahn Hyo Seop hopes to promote the diversity of Korean culture, and his enthusiasm shines through as he continues to share, “As a face of K-culture, I feel confident and proud of my work. Even now, many people across different fields are working hard to promote Korean culture. As an actor, I will do my best to fulfill my duty.”
The actor shows a mature side to him as he shares his definition of success. “Doesn’t everyone live to be happy?”, he explains, “Happiness surpasses any financial or materialistic form. It can come from personal achievements, honour, or building a family. Whatever your criteria for happiness is, you are successful as long as you are happy by your own standards. I always feel that a successful person will know how to feel content with the present and search for his own happiness on that basis, and when he looks back at the past, he will think the same thing. I’ve never believed that the world is objective. On the contrary, it is full of imperfections. Therefore, when you know how to design your own life, the world will change with how you perceive it. Whilst you’re living in the moment, why not look at the world through an optimistic lens?” At the end of the day, happiness is what gives people the hope and the motivation they need to journey towards success, step by step.
With job offers coming in waves, Ahn Hyo Seop has a bright future ahead of him as he injects vigour into the entertainment industry. While the actor is also loved by many brands, he says, “I think it is good to just keep it natural, and this applies to fashion. I am not an expert in fashion, but I get great opportunities to try on a variety of clothes. I think it is important to show your personality, so I love natural styles. I am comfortable in a jacket that I can mix and match.” During his first Vogue Man Hong Kong cover shoot, he flaunts a series of looks in the suburbs of Seoul. “When I arrived at the location, everybody was doing their best in their own position, they respected each other and were willing to exchange ideas. It was a comfortable shooting process that I enjoyed. It’s as if all these good feelings were captured in the photos. I really hope that people will feel connected to the atmosphere of this space when they see them.”
After visiting Hong Kong in 2015 for various tours and promotional work, the actor has been asked time and time again by fans whether he will return to the city. “Of course, I hope to meet everyone again. It’s been a while since the I last visited Hong Kong, but I still remember everybody’s kindness and cheers. I’ve stayed in Korea for a long time now and I hope to see everyone soon. I have this strong desire to just go anywhere.” The formula to success is to seize every opportunity. For those who are waiting for their chance, Ahn Hyo Seop shows us that as long as we work hard, our blood, sweat and tears will always pay off in the end.
View this post on Instagram
Photographer: Hyea W. Kang
Fashion Director: Jacky Tam
Stylist: Yunkee Jeong, Kim Shin Hye @ INTREND
Text: Simon Au
Hair: Lim Jung Ho @ BLOW
Make-up: Kim Ji Young @ BLOW
Executive Producer: Lee Kyung Kim @ BL CREATIVE HOUSE
On set coordinator: Choi Won Ju
Translated by Kaitlyn Lai
Editor
VOGUE MAN HONG KONG
