If you were one of the many people who tuned into Squid Game, then you most probably remember Cho Sang-woo, the indebted investment team head who took his chances at the do-or-die games. Behind the stoic yet conflicted character is Park Hae Soo, an actor who's been in the industry since 2007.
Now that the Netflix series has propelled his name forward, Hae Soo is quickly becoming a sought-after action star in dramas and other projects—one of which is the Korean remake of Money Heist.
To learn more about Korea's own take on Money Heist's Berlin, here are 10 facts you must know about Park Hae Soo
1. He's a Scorpio
Hailing from the Gyeonggi province of South Korea, Hae Soo was born on November 21, 1981.
2. He's married and has one child
In 2019, Hae Soo tied the knot with his non-show biz partner (whose identity he's been particularly privy of.) In attendance to their intimate ceremony were his Prison Playbook co-stars Jung Hae In, Krystal Jung, Jung Kyung Ho, Kim Seong Chol, and Jung Woong In.
Two years later in September 2021, Hae Soo officially became a father when his wife gave birth to a healthy baby boy. Aww!
3. He started out in theater
Before taking on TV and movie roles, Hae Soo started his acting career in a musical theater production of The Strongest Comedy Mr. Lobby. Among the roles he's taken on for the stage include the titular characters in Macbeth and Frankenstein.
4. He's handled by BH Entertainment
In 2012, Hae Soo was cast in his first TV show, the historical drama God of War. Ever since then, he's been under BH Entertainment, which also handles K-drama stars Kim Go Eun, Park Bo Young, Lee Byung Hun, and many more. Him and Byung Hun have even become close buddies!
5. He's a Baeksang Arts Award-nominated actor
To even just be nominated by the Baeksang Arts Awards is like a golden ticket for many Korean actors. In 2018, Hae Soo was first recognized by the award-giving body for his compelling portrayal in Prison Playbook. This was followed in 2020 when he once again received a nod for his supporting role in the dystopian action thriller Time to Hunt.
While he hasn't brought home a Baeksang trophy yet, he has been lauded as a Best New Actor at the Blue Dragon Film Awards and the Chunsa Film Art Awards for his lead performance in By Quantum Physics: A Nightlife Adventure.
6. He's been on the cover of several magazines in Korea
Post-Squid Game, each member of the cast went on to enjoy recognition within and outside Korea (Jung Ho Yeon, for example, became a Louis Vuitton girl.) Hae Soo, in particular, was tapped to front the covers of a number of magazines, such as Harper's Bazaar, W, and GQ.
7. He had to learn North Korean dialects for Money Heist
Taking on the role of Berlin in the crime series is undeniably a challenge; add to that the fact that his character on the show isNorth Korean. During the press conference for the show, Hae Soo shared that he had to pick up a whole different language to perfect the character. "We learned Pyongan or Hamgyong dialect, which are parts of North Korea. The tutors would help us out with perfecting our accents," he stated.
8. He's called himself a "Netflix employee"
ICYDK, Squid Game and Money Heist aren't the only Netflix productions Hae Soo has been in. Aside from those two and Time to Hunt, the action-packed spy film Yaksha: Ruthless Operations also premiered on the streaming site earlier this 2022. During its press conference, the actor quipped that he's virtually a "Netflix employee" now with how many projects he's been in under them. We, for one, are eager to catch him in more!
9. He's an ARMY
Hae Soo isn't shy about his admiration for the seven boys of global sensation BTS. In a game of "Most Likely To" with his Squid Game colleagues, he proudly pointed to himself as the "most likely to sing a BTS song," even stating that he probably knows about them better than anyone else. Borahae!
10. He's on Instagram
To stay updated with the actor's projects and other goings-on, hit the follow button on his Instagram account here.
Preview is now on Quento! Click here to download the app for iOS and Android and enjoy more articles and videos from Preview and your favorite websites!
Hey, Preview readers! Follow us on Facebook, Instagram, YouTube, Tiktok, and Twitter to stay up to speed on all things trendy and creative. We’ll curate the most stylish feed for you!
