Oh Man-seok

Oh Man-seok (born December 19, 1974) is a South Korean actor. Best known for playing the titular transgender singer in rock musical Hedwig and the Angry Inch, Oh's acting career spans theater, television and film.

Oh Man-seok
Born (1974-12-19) December 19, 1974
South Korea
Alma materKorea National University of Arts - BFA in Acting (2002)
OccupationActor, Theatre director
Years active1999–present
AgentNice Person Company (좋은사람컴퍼니)
Spouse(s)
Jo Sang-gyeong
(m. 2001; div. 2007)
unnamed (m 2018)
Korean name
Hangul
Hanja
Revised RomanizationO Man-seok
McCune–ReischauerO Mansŏk
Websitewww.ohmanseok.com

Career

Theater beginnings

Oh Man-seok graduated from the School of Drama at Korea National University of Arts with a BFA in Acting.[1] He made his stage debut in Faust in 1999. One of his early notable roles was as the androgynous court jester Gong-gil who becomes the object of obsession of the tyrant King Yeonsan in Yi, which would later be adapted into the hit 2005 film King and the Clown. Highly acclaimed for his portrayal of Gong-gil, Oh was awarded Best New Actor by the National Theater Association of Korea for the play's first run in 2000, and he reprised the role four more times in 2001, 2003, 2006, and 2010.[2][3]

More roles followed in The Rocky Horror Show (2001),[4] Return to the Forbidden Planet (2002), Grease (2003), Singin' in the Rain (2004), The Seagull (2004), Woyzeck (2004), and Assassins (2005).

Hedwig and the Angry Inch

But Oh became a bonafide musical theatre superstar in 2005, when he was cast as the titular East German transgender singer in the first Korean staging of the rock musical Hedwig and the Angry Inch. As the first "Korean Hedwig," Oh received sensational reviews for his performance and he won Best Actor at the Korea Musical Awards.[5] After its run, a sold-out concert featured four of the actors alternating in the lead role, namely Oh, Cho Seung-woo, Kim Da-hyun and Song Yong-jin.[6]

In succeeding years, the rock musical's popularity remained enduring in Korea, attracting other actors to the role in later runs, such as Um Ki-joon, Jo Jung-suk, Song Chang-eui, Yoon Do-hyun, Kim Dong-wan and Park Gun-hyung. When John Cameron Mitchell, who wrote, directed and played the original Hedwig in the 1998 musical and the 2001 film, went to Korea in 2007 to hold a concert, Oh was one of his guest performers, along with other Korean Hedwig actors. Oh was also able to talk to Mitchell one-on-one, without an interpreter, for one and a half hours. Both agreed that the role was emotionally and physically consuming, and Oh added that he used to sit absentmindedly with a cigarette for 20 minutes after finishing his performance.[7] A year later in 2008, Mitchell returned to Korea, and he and Oh headlined a concert to commemorate Hedwig's 10th anniversary.[8]

In 2012, seven years after the role made him famous, Oh reprised Hedwig for the rock musical's seventh run in Korea. At a press conference, he jokingly talked about shaving his legs again and being banned from his favorite activities like eating meat, working out, and drinking alcohol, but said that the role was "certainly worth the ordeal." Oh said, "This musical tells us that to love someone is to accept him exactly the way he is. It also tells us that everyone deserves to be loved, and every individual is meaningful and important. I think that's the essential message of this piece."[5]

From stage to screen

Besides portraying Hedwig, 2005 was also significant in Oh's career because of his appearance in the critically acclaimed period drama Shin Don set in Goryeo. He had played minor roles in film and TV before, but the Buddhist monk Wonhyeon was his first major supporting role. (Oh later made a cameo in the 2010 Korean War drama Road No. 1 as a favor to Shin Don director Kim Jin-min.)

In 2006, Oh achieved mainstream fame with the television series The Vineyard Man (also known as The Man of the Vineyard), in his first onscreen leading role as a country guy in charge of a vineyard, who gradually falls for a hapless city girl determined to work there in order to inherit it.[9] The romantic comedy initially had low ratings, but it later surprisingly held its own against ratings juggernaut Jumong, unlike other Korean dramas in the same timeslot. Oh won Best New Actor and the Popularity Award at the 2006 KBS Drama Awards, and he and costar Yoon Eun-hye were voted as the Best Couple among the network's dramas.

Later that year, Oh took on a very different role in Hyena, a risque cable drama about the love lives of a group of four male friends.[9] Oh played a successful, urbane man with such high standards for "the perfect woman," that he's overly fastidious and critical to his dates.

In 2007, he was cast in his first big-screen leading role as a crime fiction novelist in the thriller Our Town. This was followed by the historical drama The King and I, which centered on the tragic love between King Seongjong, his royal concubine and a self-sacrificing eunuch (played by Oh, for which he won Best Actor in a Serial Drama at the SBS Drama Awards).[10]

From 2009 to 2010, Oh starred in the daily drama Jolly Widows, and he received another Best Actor award from the KBS Drama Awards.

Theatre director

He continued to be popular in musicals, appearing in the next several years in Finding Kim Jong-wook (he later made a cameo in its 2010 film adaptation Finding Mr. Destiny), A Day, and Dreamgirls.[11]

Inspired by the 2007 Lee Joon-ik film, Oh made his debut as a theatre director with The Happy Life, which ran from 2008 to 2009. He was also the musical's lyricist and polished the script. The title is ironic, since the story centers on two characters, a high school music teacher (played by Yoo Jun-sang and Im Choon-gil) and a younger man who's recently been orphaned (played by Ryan and Kim Mu-yeol), who live dull, depressing lives, but the only thing that makes them feel alive and gives them joy is music. Calling it a musical that's "both cheerful and emotionally weighty," Oh said directing made him feel a huge sense of responsibility, fear, and nerves, but he did his best with the actors "to create something.""[12][13]

For his second directorial project, Oh chose The Organ in My Heart. A stage adaptation of the 1999 film The Harmonium in My Memory set in the 1960s about a 17-year-old sixth grader who develops a crush on a 21-year-old male teacher newly assigned to her village school, Oh had previously starred in the musical's original run in 2008.[14] For the musical's run in 2011, Oh cast Tim and Kim Seung-dae in the lead role.[15][16]

He then directed The Toxic Avenger (called Toxic Hero in Korean) in 2011. Oh had headlined the comedy musical in 2010, playing a nerd who is reborn as a giant green mutant with superpowers, who fights against corruption and environmental pollution.[17] Oh was praised for successfully transforming into a grotesque, comical character, shedding the gentle image he frequently portrayed in previous musicals and television dramas.[18][19]

Afterwards, he starred in True West (2010) and 200 Pounds Beauty (2011). The latter is a musical adaptation of the same-titled 2006 romantic comedy film, about an overweight ghost singer who undergoes extensive cosmetic surgery to become a pop star; Oh played her love interest, a music producer.[20][21]

Back to television

Oh played a professor in What's Up, Song Ji-na's drama about college students in a musical theatre department,[22] which aired on cable in 2011. He also held a series of mini-concerts in 16 cities in Japan that year.[23]

About his supporting turn as a talented but sidelined baseball player in Wild Romance (2012), Oh said, "It's not easy to depict subtle changes in the character's mind. I wanted to portray how unsuccessful people in their 30s and 40s are living in this generation."[24]

Oh described appearing in the short drama format (such as MBC's Best Theater and KBS's Drama City) as a "meaningful experience" for him. He starred in the single-episode That Man's Jealous (2006), Transformation (2007), and Spy Trader Kim Chul-soo's Recent Condition (2010), as well as the four-episode series Special Task Force MSS (2011),[25] and The True Colors of Gang and Cheol (2012).

2013-present

He returned to theater in early 2013. Based on the novel of the same name by Daphne du Maurier and the 1940 film by Alfred Hitchcock, the gothic musical Rebecca takes place in Manderley, a stately mansion owned by aristocratic widower Maxim DeWinter (played by Oh), whose memory of Rebecca, his beautiful dead wife who drowned in a boating accident, keeps haunting him and his new bride.[26][27]

Jukebox musical Those Days (also known as The Days) featured folk-rock singer Kim Kwang-seok's music, in a story about the president's daughter who goes missing along with her bodyguard, on the day of the 20th anniversary of Korea-China diplomatic relations. Oh played the head of the presidential security service who slowly unravels the mystery of where they've gone.[28]

On television, Oh played the slacker husband of the second eldest daughter in weekend drama Wang's Family.

He then starred as drag queen Lola in the 2014 Korean staging of Kinky Boots, the first international adaptation of the musical since its Broadway premiere in 2013.[29][30]

In 2018, he starred in the last few episodes of the MBC drama Partners for Justice as Do Ji-han, an experienced Prosecutor. He later reprised his role in the sequel Partners for Justice 2, this time as a major character.[31]

In 2019, he played the character of Cho Cheol-gang in the tvN series Crash Landing on You.

Other activities

Oh is also the vocalist of a band called Little Wing. He owns the OD Musical Entertainment Company, which produced several of the musicals he's starred in.

Personal life

Oh met Jo Sang-gyeong when both were students at the Korea National University of Arts.[1] After dating for a year and half, they married in 2001. Jo went on to a successful career as a costume designer, for films such as Oldboy, Tazza: The High Rollers, The Host and Modern Boy.[32] The couple divorced in May 2007 but remain friends.[33] They have a daughter named Oh Young-joo.[34]

Oh dated Jolly Widows costar Jo An for nearly two years, before breaking up in late 2011.[19][35][36][37]

In 2017 it had been reported that Oh Man Suk was in a relationship with a non celebrity, the couple tied the knot in early 2018 and the news was revealed later by his agency on June of 2018.

Filmography

Television series

Year Title Role Network
2003Age of WarriorsYangpyoKBS1
2005Shin DonWonhyeonMBC
2006MBC Best Theater "That Man's Jealous"Korean language teacherMBC
The Vineyard ManJang Taek-giKBS2
HyenaChoi Jin-beomtvN
2007Surgeon Bong Dal-heeOh Jung-min
(guest, episodes 13-14)
SBS
Drama City "Transformation"MonkKBS2
The King and IKim Cheo-seonSBS
2008Chil-woo the MightyKang Chil-woo's father
(cameo, episode 1)
KBS2
2009Jolly WidowsHan Jin-wooKBS1
2010Road No. 1North Korean soldier
(guest, episodes 16-17)
MBC
Drama Special "Spy Trader Kim Chul-soo's Recent Condition"Kim Chul-sooKBS2
2011Drama Special "Special Task Force MSS"Noh Chul-giKBS2
Warrior Baek Dong-sooCrown Prince SadoSBS
What's UpSunwoo YoungMBN
2012Wild RomanceJin Dong-sooKBS2
Drama Special "The True Colors of Gang and Cheol"Noh Chul-giKBS2
2013Wang's FamilyHeo Se-dalKBS2
2014Prime Minister & Igangster
(cameo, episode 12)
KBS2
Pluto Secret SocietyChoi Ki-chan's colleague
(cameo, episode 4)
EBS
2016Another Oh Hae-youngfilm director Oh Man-seok (cameo, episode 18)tvN
Squad 38Park Deok-bae (cameo)OCN
2019 Beautiful World[38]Oh Jin-pyoJTBC
Partners for Justice 2Do Ji-HanMBC
2019-2020Crash Landing on You[39]Cho Cheol-gangtvN
2020Hello DraculaJong-suJTBC
2021Youth of MayHwang Ki-nam[40]KBS2

Film

Year Title Role Notes
2000To My Loveshort film
2004LiarAlex
2006A Cruel AttendanceSponge (cameo)
Fly Upnarrationdocumentary
2007SooJeom Park-yi
Our TownKyung-ju
2010Finding Mr. DestinyKim Jong-mook (cameo)
2011CountdownSwy
2016Chasing340 bus driver
DetourEun-dong
2017The BrosRepresentative OhCameo
2018True FictionLee Kyong-Seok
2020Honest CandidateJang Deok-joonCameo

Variety show appearances

Date Episode # Title Role Network
2008-06-02 ~ 06-04EBS Prime Documentary
"한중일 궁중생활사"
narrationEBS
200910th Jeonju International Film Festival
Closing Ceremony
host
2009-05-17SBS Prime Documentary
"The Truth About Jajangmyeon"
narrationSBS
20093rd The Musical Awardshost
20104th The Musical Awards
20115th The Musical Awards
20126th The Musical Awards
2012-03-18 ~ 06-10Sunday Night - Exploration of Gendersregular castMBC
2013-03-30
6
SNL Korea - Season 4hosttvN
2014-06-24 ~ 2017-11-01Taxi

Theater

Musical

Year Title Role Reprised
2001A Serenade of Sorrow
(Korean: 애수의 소야곡)
Chang-ho
The Rocky Horror ShowRocky
2002Oh! Happy DayEros
Return to the Forbidden PlanetBosun
2003Indangsu Love Song
(Korean: 인당수사랑가)
1인 다역
2003-2004GreaseDanny Zuko, Doody, Eugene Florczyk
2004Dalgona
(Korean: 달고나)
1인 다역
Geum River Opera
(Korean: 가극 금강)
Ha-nui2005
2004-2005Singin' in the RainDon Lockwood
2005Hedwig and the Angry InchHedwig2012, 2017
AssassinsSamuel Byck
Winter Traveler
(Korean: 겨울나그네)
Min-woo
2006Finding Kim Jong-wook
(Korean: 김종욱찾기)
2007A Day
(Korean: 하루)
Kang Young-won
2008The Organ in My Heart
(Korean: 내 마음의 풍금)
Kang Dong-soo
2009DreamgirlsCurtis Taylor Jr.
2010The Toxic AvengerMelvin Ferd the Third, Toxie
2011-2012200 Pounds Beauty
(Korean: 미녀는 괴로워 일본 공연)
Han Sang-jun
2013RebeccaMaxim DeWinter2014
Those Days
(Korean: 그날들)
Jeong-hak2016-2017
2014-2015Kinky BootsLola
2015-2016Okepi (Orchestra Pit)Conductor
2018Man of La ManchaCervantes/Don Quixote

Play

Year Title Role Reprised
1999FaustWagner
2000Tae (Korean: )Danjong
Ot Goot-Sal (Korean: 옷굿-살)Chorus
Yi (Korean: ; Hanja: )Gong-gil2001, 2003, 2006, 2010
2004The SeagullKonstantin Gavrilovich Treplyov
WoyzeckKarl
2010-2011True WestLee2016
2018Nassim2018

As theatre director

Year Title
2008-2009The Happy Life (Korean: 즐거운 인생)
2010-2011The Organ in My Heart (Korean: 내 마음의 풍금)
2011The Toxic Avenger
2015True West
2016True West
2017Three Days of Rain

Discography

Year Song title From the Album
2001"The Sword of Damocles"The Rocky Horror Show cast recording
2002"Great Balls of Fire"
"The Young Ones"
"Born to Be Wild"
Return to the Forbidden Planet cast recording
2003"Those Magic Changes"
"Beauty School Dropout"
Grease cast recording
2005"The Origin of Love"
"Wicked Little Town"
"Angry Inch"
Hedwig and the Angry Inch cast recording
2006"종욱과 나라의 Love Theme"
"한양서 김서방 찾기"
"이젠 정말 만나야 할 때"
"좋은 사람"
"나라와 만석의 Love Theme"
Finding Kim Jong-wook cast recording
2008"봄이다. 그치?"
"커피향, 웃는 이유"
"소풍, 때려쳐?!"
"홍연이 안 왔어요"
"나비의 꿈"
"나의 사랑 수정"
"Springtime"
"내 마음의 풍금(Springtime/나비 Reprise)"
The Organ in My Heart cast recording
2009"Steppin' to the Bad Side"
"You Are My Dream"
"Family"
Dreamgirls cast recording
2011"별 (Star)"
"누가 나를 알까?"
200 Pounds Beauty cast recording
2012"어떻게 변해요 (How Can I Change)"Wild Romance OST
"Tear Me Down"
"The Origin of Love"
"Sugar Daddy"
"Angry Inch"
"Wig in a Box"
"Wicked Little Town"
"The Long Grift"
"Hedwig's Lament"
"Exquisite Corpse"
"Wicked Little Town (Reprise)"
"Midnight Radio"
Hedwig and the Angry Inch cast recording
"Springtime"What's Up OST
2013"At the abyss"
"Help me through the night"
"God, why?"
"Never was a smile that cold"
"Manderley in Flames"
Rebecca cast recording

Concerts

Year Title
2005Hedwig and the Angry Inch Concert
2005, 2006Passion of the Rain
2007Hedwig Concert Together with John Cameron Mitchell
2008HEDWIG 10th Anniversary! Hedwig Concert with John Cameron Mitchell and Oh Man-seok

Awards and nominations

YearAwardCategoryNominated workResult
2000The National Theater Association of KoreaBest New ActorYiWon
200410th Korea Musical AwardsBest Supporting ActorGreaseNominated
200511th Korea Musical AwardsMost Popular StarHedwig and the Angry InchWon
Best ActorWon
MBC Drama AwardsBest New ActorShin DonNominated
200612th Korea Musical AwardsMost Popular StarFinding Kim Jong-wookWon
KBS Drama AwardsBest Couple Award with Yoon Eun-hyeThe Vineyard ManWon
Popularity AwardWon
Best New ActorWon
Excellence Award, ActorNominated
200743rd Baeksang Arts AwardsBest New Actor (TV)Nominated
2nd Golden Ticket Awards1st Ticket Power in a MusicalFinding Kim Jong-wookWon
1st The Musical AwardsMost Popular ActorA DayWon
13th Korea Musical AwardsMost Popular StarWon
SBS Drama AwardsExcellence Award, Actor in a Serial DramaThe King and IWon
200845th Grand Bell AwardsBest New ActorOur TownNominated
14th Korea Musical AwardsBest ActorThe Organ in My HeartNominated
20093rd The Musical AwardsBest ActorNominated
KBS Drama AwardsExcellence Award, Actor in a Daily DramaJolly WidowsWon
2010KBS Drama AwardsBest Actor in a One-Act Drama/SpecialSpy Trader Kim Chul-soo's Recent ConditionNominated
2013KBS Drama AwardsExcellence Award, Actor in a Serial DramaWang's FamilyNominated
20148th Daegu International Musical Festival AwardsStar AwardThose DaysWon
2019MBC Drama AwardsExcellence Award, Actor in a Monday-Tuesday MiniseriesPartners for Justice 2Won

References

  1. "School of Drama - Outstanding Alumni". Korea National University of Arts. Archived from the original on 2014-05-08. Retrieved 2013-07-31.
  2. Joo, Sung-won (23 September 2003). "Joseon Dynasty Version of Gag Concert". The Dong-a Ilbo. Retrieved 2013-07-31.
  3. Chung, Ah-young (17 January 2010). "Yi to Mark 10th Anniversary". The Korea Times. Retrieved 2013-07-31.
  4. Chung, Ah-young (20 July 2010). "Rocky Horror Show to offer unique fun". The Korea Times. Retrieved 2013-07-31.
  5. Lee, Claire (16 August 2012). "First Korean Hedwig returns". The Korea Herald. Retrieved 2013-07-31.
  6. Kang, Sue-jean (12 April 2005). "The Musical Hedwig With Four Different Colors". The Dong-a Ilbo. Retrieved 2013-07-31.
  7. "Hedwig". The Dong-a Ilbo. 24 May 2007. Retrieved 2013-07-31.
  8. Chung, Ah-young (13 May 2008). "Hedwig Stars Mitchell, Oh to Perform Together". The Korea Times. Retrieved 2013-07-31.
  9. Hong, Soo-hyun (9 October 2006). "The Vineyard Man learns he can also break hearts". Korea JoongAng Daily. Retrieved 2013-09-05.
  10. Lee, Hyo-won (18 September 2007). "TV Falls in Love with Epic Dramas". The Korea Times. Retrieved 2013-07-31.
  11. Chung, Ah-young (2 March 2009). "Musical Dreamgirls Is a Showstopper". The Korea Times. Retrieved 2013-07-31.
  12. "Oh Man-seok directs The Happy Life". Dramabeans. 11 November 2008. Retrieved 2013-07-31.
  13. 오만석 연출·유준상 김무열 라이언 열연‥뮤지컬 '즐거운 인생'. Newsis (in Korean). 11 November 2008. Retrieved 2013-07-31.
  14. Chung, Ah-young (8 July 2008). "90s Film Reborn as Musical Rendition". The Korea Times. Retrieved 2013-07-31.
  15. Kwon, Mee-yoo (7 July 2011). "Summer musical treats". The Korea Times. Retrieved 2013-07-31.
  16. Park, Min-young (11 July 2011). "Musical fans get star-studded bonanza". The Korea Herald. Retrieved 2013-07-31.
  17. Chung, Ah-young (14 July 2013). "Toxic Avenger to go on stage in August". The Korea Times. Retrieved 2013-07-31.
  18. Chung, Ah-young (23 August 2010). "Comical saga: from geek to superhero". The Korea Times. Retrieved 2013-07-31.
  19. "Actor Begs for Privacy Over Romance with Fellow Actress". The Chosun Ilbo. 28 July 2010. Retrieved 2013-07-31.
  20. "Cast and opening date set for musical 200 Pounds Beauty". 10Asia. 27 July 2011. Retrieved 2013-07-31.
  21. Kwon, Mee-yoo (8 November 2011). "Queens of musical are coming". The Korea Times. Retrieved 2013-07-31.
  22. Oh, Jean (29 November 2010). "Music dramas take on high school, college". The Korea Herald. Retrieved 2013-07-31.
  23. Kim, Heidi (18 February 2011). "Actor Oh Man-seok to hold concerts in 16 cities in Japan". 10Asia. Retrieved 2013-07-31.
  24. Lee, Jin-ho (3 January 2012). "Oh Man Seok Talks about his Ideal Woman and Wild Romance". enewsWorld. Retrieved 2013-07-31.
  25. Kwon, Mee-yoo (11 January 2011). "Trouble-making investigators gather at MSS drama". The Korea Times. Retrieved 2013-07-31.
  26. Lee, Claire (20 January 2013). "The Making of Rebecca". The Korea Herald. Retrieved 2013-07-31.
  27. Yim, Seung-hye (28 January 2013). "Musicals entice with a touch of mystery". Korea JoongAng Daily. Retrieved 2013-07-31.
  28. Kwon, Mee-yoo (21 February 2013). "Emptying nostalgia's vault". The Korea Times. Retrieved 2013-07-31.
  29. Yim, Seung-hye (16 December 2014). "Kick up your heels with the musical Kinky Boots". Korea JoongAng Daily. Retrieved 2015-01-09.
  30. Lee, Sun-young (10 December 2014). "Kinky Boots, if your spirit needs lifting". The Korea Herald. Retrieved 2015-01-09.
  31. https://www.hankyung.com/entertainment/article/2019061024474
  32. "Jo Sang-gyeong". Korean Movie Database. Retrieved 2013-07-31.
  33. Radio Star. Episode 460. January 6, 2016. MBC.
  34. Choi, April (23 July 2007). "Top Actor Oh Man-seok Divorces". The Korea Times. Retrieved 2013-07-31.
  35. Ko, Kyoung-seok (19 July 2010). "Oh Man-seok admits to dating Jo An". 10Asia. Retrieved 2013-07-31.
  36. Sunwoo, Carla (3 January 2012). "Actors Oh Man-seok and Jo Ahn announce their break-up after two years together". Korea JoongAng Daily. Retrieved 2013-07-31.
  37. Hwang, Hyo-jin (3 January 2012). "Oh Man-seok and Jo An break up". 10Asia. Retrieved 2013-07-31.
  38. [공식] 박희순·추자현·오만석·조여정, '아름다운 세상' 캐스팅 확정. Naver (in Korean). Seoul Economy Daily. Retrieved January 7, 2019.
  39. "Oh Man-seok and Kim Young-min Join "Emergency Love Landing"". HanCinema. OSEN. Retrieved August 14, 2019.
  40. Cho Hye-jin (January 12, 2021). "'오월의 청춘' 오만석→심이영, 이도현‧고민시 부모 라인업 완성". xportsnews (in Korean). Retrieved January 12, 2021.
This article is issued from Wikipedia. The text is licensed under Creative Commons - Attribution - Sharealike. Additional terms may apply for the media files.