The Second Male Lead Syndrome is Real: Get to Know Start-Up’s Kim Seon Ho
Nov 14, 2020 • Ina Louise Manto
Nov 14, 2020 • Ina Louise Manto
Just eight episodes into Start-Up and we’ve already gotten ourselves twisted around Han Ji Pyeong’s little finger. (In case you haven’t seen Start-Up yet, this is your sign to catch up with the episodes and fall in love with the cast and plot.)
Premiered on October 17, Start-Up isn’t just your typical romance drama. It shows the struggles and wins of those establishing their companies; it’s a show for people who dream big. It’s even made better with the cast starring Bae Suzy, Nam Joo Hyuk, Kang Han Na, and the guy we’re currently falling for — Kim Seon Ho. If you’re Team Han Ji Pyeong, here are some fun facts about your new favorite oppa:
Yes, you heard it right. Kim Seon Ho was born on May 8, 1986, which makes him 34 years old… and he doesn’t even look like it. He’s a Taurus; just in case you’re into astrology and want to see if the stars have aligned you with him. If he’s 34, I’m 34.
Ji Pyeong and Do San always argue about their height in Start-Up – Seon Ho stands 6 feet tall! He could easily pass as a model, like his co-star Nam Joo Hyuk. You might want to stand on your toes in case you meet him IRL!
Seon Ho has been acting on stage since 2009 and debuted in a theatrical production. He majored in theater in college! In an interview with Harper’s Bazaar, the actor shared that his friends got him into acting; he followed them in auditions and got interested.
Acting also helped him conquer his childhood trauma. When he was younger, their house was robbed and he saw his mother get stabbed as he hid under his bed. Since then, he’d feel uneasy whenever someone stood behind him and would have difficulty breathing when he’s in crowded places. After following his friends to auditions, he realized that an audience’s attention can be full of warmth and shouldn’t be something to be afraid of.
Though Seon Ho has been acting since 2009, he only started acting in dramas in 2017 when he landed a minor role in Good Manager. In the same year, he got another role in Strongest Delivery Man and Two Cops (2017-2018). He won two awards in the 2017 MBC Drama Awards for his role in Two Cops! Despite being a drama rookie, Seon Ho’s skills and talents have given him more opportunities to appear in more dramas. He’s just been on television for three years but he’s already achieved so much!
If Seon Ho didn’t pursue acting, he would either be a doctor or painter. In an episode of 2 Days & 1 Night, he shared that his childhood dream was to become a doctor. He also enjoys drawing and art; he even took lessons in oil painting! We stan a man who always wants to improve himself — even in his hobbies.
We all have different ways of getting our minds off what worries us; some distract themselves with K-dramas or games. But our cutie likes to walk it out. In an interview with Marie Claire, Seon Ho shared that his second favorite thing next to acting is walking. He likes to walk, and his walks are usually no less than two hours (OMG). He must be wearing the best kind of shoes.
The actor says he loves walking when he needs to think, and he enjoys doing it while listening to music. (Oh, if we can only do so freely in the country without the fear of getting mugged.)
If you enjoy learning about Korea’s rich history and culture through period dramas, you’d enjoy watching one of the shows Seon Ho starred in, 100 Days My Prince (2018). It’s about a Crown Prince who lost his memory and ended up in a small village in the mountains. Seon Ho was a charming magistrate and a secret advisor of the Crown Prince. If you’ve already got a bad case of Second Lead Syndrome from Start-Up, Seon Ho got a fair share of it here too. (WHY?!)
It’s also a bonus for K-Pop fans since EXO’s D.O. was the lead role in this drama! Two cuties in one – sign me up! 100 Days My Prince garnered so much love that it’s become the 8th highest-rated K-drama in cable television in South Korea. The drama was also televised in ABS-CBN in October 2019!
Apart from his talent in acting and charms, there’s one thing we can’t get enough of Seon Ho – his dimples. Aminin mo, you die every time he smiles too because SAME. Oppas with dimples are just on another level, right? Seon Ho also has other nicknames like “paper doll”, which was coined after he danced to EXO’s Growl with his 100 Days My Prince co-stars. Yes, he can dance!
The first thing you probably did when you saw Seon Ho on Start-Up was to stalk and see if he has an insta account. He does own one, and it’s got more than 1.4 million followers as of writing but he admitted that he doesn’t really use it. In an interview with Marie Claire, he shared that he only updates his SNS (insta) when he feels like it.
So if you can’t get enough of the content he posts on his personal account, you should follow @kimseonho_staff.diary. It’s a fan page run by his management and they post frequently! They’re mostly BTS videos from Start-Up filming — be prepared to see more photos of Mr. Dimples’ charming smile!
As of writing, Kim Seon Ho was just offered a lead(!!!) role in a new drama while filming Start-Up. It seems that more are falling over his talents and we can’t to see more of him in future dramas.
Are you Team Han Ji Pyeong or Team Nam Do San? Tell us below!
When she’s not writing, Ina’s busy curating playlists that will save her when words don’t work, reading, annoying her cat, or thinking of her next meal.
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