Ahn Hyo-seop

Ahn Hyo-seop

Ahn in February 2022

Born Ahn Hyo-seop

April 17, 1995 (age 29)

Seoul, South Korea

Other names Paul Ahn

 South Korea (1995–2002)

Citizenship
 Canada (2002–present)[1]

Education Kookmin University (Department of

International Business)

Occupations  Actor

 singer

Years active 2015–present

Agent The Present Co.

 Musical career

Genres K-pop

Instrument(s) Vocals

Years active 2015–2019

Labels Starhaus

Formerly of One O One

Korean name

Hangul 안효섭

Hanja 安孝燮

Revised An Hyo-seop

Romanization

McCune–Reischauer An Hyosŏp

Ahn Hyo-seop (Korean: 안효섭; born April 17, 1995), or Paul Ahn, is a Canadian actor
and singer based in South Korea.[2][3][4] He gained recognition for his main roles in the
Korean dramas Still 17 (2018), Abyss (2019), Dr. Romantic 2 (2020), Lovers of the Red
Sky (2021), Business Proposal (2022), Dr. Romantic 3 (2023) and A Time Called
You (2023).
Early life[edit]
Ahn was born on April 17, 1995, in Seoul, South Korea as the third of 3 siblings.[5] When
he was seven years old, his family immigrated to Toronto, Canada.[6] Ahn later moved
back to South Korea when he was 17, while his family stayed in Canada.[7] He later
attended and graduated from Kookmin University, in the Department of International
Business.[8]
Career[edit]
After moving back to South Korea, Ahn was scouted by JYP Entertainment and became
a trainee for three years, and lived in a dorm with members of the K-pop boy band Got7.
[9]
However, due to his height and lack of dancing skills, he was stressed, so he decided
to become an actor.[10]
2015–2016: Debut with One O One, acting debut and career
beginnings[edit]
On October 1, 2015, Starhaus Entertainment launched the project group One O One,
releasing their debut single "Love You". The group consisted of Ahn together with fellow
Starhaus actors Kwak Si-yang, Song Won-seok and Kwon Do-kyun.[11] However, the
group presumably disbanded due to inactivity since January 2019.
Ahn made his acting debut in the MBC drama, Splash Splash Love. He then became a
cast member of the music variety show Always Cantare. He had supporting roles
in One More Happy Ending, Happy Home and Entertainer in 2016.[12]
2017–present: Transition to lead roles[edit]

Ahn Hyo-seop as Ha Ram in Lovers of the Red

Sky during an interview for Viu in 2021
His popularity rose after his first ever lead role in Queen of the Ring in 2017. He then
transitioned to lead roles thereafter.[13]
In 2018, Ahn starred in Still 17, playing passionate high school student Yoo Chan – the
captain of the high school rowing club.[14] For his performance, he won Best New Actor
Award and was nominated for the "Character of the Year" Award at the 2018 SBS
Drama Awards alongside Jo Hyun-sik and Lee Do-hyun.[15] And later in the same year,
Ahn acted in the drama Top Management which aired on YouTube Red.[16]
In 2019, Ahn starred alongside Park Bo-young in the romantic
comedy fantasy crime drama Abyss, where he played rich yet unattractive heir to a
cosmetics empire who transforms into a handsome young man as he is revived by a
mysterious orb after his death.[17] In late 2019, Ahn became an MC at the 4th Asia Artist
Awards with Leeteuk, Lim Ji-yeon and Nancy.[18]
In 2020, Ahn starred in the second season of the hit medical drama Dr. Romantic,
playing general surgeon Seo Woo-jin with Lee Sung-kyung as his leading lady.[19] The
show was a success, with both Ahn and Lee keeping their promise of singing for the
fans as it crossed the double-digit mark for ratings.[20] His performance in the drama
earned him the Best New Actor Award in television at the 56th Baeksang Arts Awards.
[21]
He also received Excellence Award, Actor in a Miniseries Action/Genre Drama
at 2020 SBS Drama Awards.[22]
In 2021, Ahn starred in the historical-fantasy drama Lovers of the Red Sky adapted from
the novel written by Jung Eun-gwol, playing the role of Ha Ram, a blind astrologer who
reads the stars, while living a disguised life as Ilwolseong – chief of an information
organisation and whose body is possessed by Ma Wang (the Demon King) since
childhood, alongside Kim Yoo-jung as Hong Cheon-gi, a female painter.[23][24][25] For his
portrayal of multiple roles as Ha Ram, Ilwolseong and Ma Wang, he received
Excellence Award, Actor in a Miniseries Genre/Fantasy Drama and won Best Couple
Award with Kim Yoo-jung at 2021 SBS Drama Awards.[26][27]
In 2022, Ahn starred in the SBS-broadcast and Netflix-distributed romantic
comedy drama Business Proposal adapted from the webtoon with the same title,
with Kim Se-jeong.[28][29] He played the role of Kang Tae-mu, a third
generation chaebol and CEO.[30] In March 2022, he was cast in the Netflix series A Time
Called You, South Korean adaptation of the Taiwanese drama Someday Or One Day.
[31]
In May 2022, Ahn signed with The Present Co., the agency he co-founded with a
manager who worked with him before his debut.[32]
Philanthropy[edit]
On August 16, 2022, Ahn donated ₩50 million to help those affected by the 2022 South
Korean floods through the Hope Bridge Korea Disaster Relief Association.[33]
Filmography[edit]
Film[edit]

Year Title Role Ref.

Omniscient
TBA Kim Dok-ja [34]

Reader

Television series[edit]

Year Title Role Notes Ref.

Park Yeon / Che A-

2015 Splash Splash Love [35]

jik

One More Happy Ending Ahn Jung-woo [36]

2016 Happy Home Choi Chul-soo [37]

Entertainer Ji-noo [38]

[39]
2017 Three Color Fantasy – "Queen of the Ring" Park Se-gun One-act drama
 Year Title Role Notes Ref.

My Father Is Strange Park Cheol-su [40]

2018 Still 17 Yoo Chan [41]

2019 Abyss Cha Min [42]

2020–
Dr. Romantic Seo Woo-jin Season 2–3 [43]

2023

2021 Lovers of the Red Sky Ha Ram [23]

2022 Business Proposal Kang Tae-moo [28]

Web series[edit]

Year Title Role Ref.

2018 Top Management Hyun Soo-yong [16]

A Time Called
2023 Gu Yeon-jun / Nam Si-heon [44]

You

Television show[edit]

Year Title Role Notes Ref.

2015 Always Cantare – Season 2 [45]

Cast member
Celebrity Bromance – Chuseok
2016 with Jackson Wang [46]

Special
Year Title Role Notes Ref.

2021 My Little Old Boy Special host Episode 257 [47]

Hosting[edit]

Year Title Notes Ref.

2019 4th Asia Artist Awards with Leeteuk, Lim Ji-yeon and Nancy [48]

with Shin Dong-yup and Kim Se-

2022 2022 SBS Drama Awards [49]

jeong

Discography[edit]
Title Year Album Notes Ref.

"Get Myself With [50]

You"

"Gravity"
S.O.U.L as part of S.O.U.L

"Sugar Cane" 2018 [51]

"Me In"

"I Will Show You" Top [52]

with Z.Hera Management OST

Awards and nominations[edit]

Name of the award ceremony, year presented, category, nominee of the award, and the result of the
nomination

Award
Year Category Nominee / Work Result Ref.
ceremony

A-Awards 2022 A-Awards – Confidence Business Proposal Won [53]

2021 Best New Actor Dr. Romantic 2 Nominated [54]

Excellence Award, Actor in a Lovers of the Red Sky

Nominated [55]

Miniseries Business Proposal

APAN Star
Awards
2022 Popularity Star Award, Actor Lovers of the Red Sky Nominated

[56]

Business
Best Couple Award Proposal (with Kim Se- Nominated
jeong)

2017 Rookie Award My Father is Strange Won [57]

2019 Choice Award Ahn Hyo-seop Won [58]

Best Actor Award Dr. Romantic 2 Won [59]

2020
Asia Artist
Nominated [60]

Awards
Popularity Award (Actor)
2022 Nominated [61]

Ahn Hyo-seop
Best Actor Award Won [62]

2023
Hot Trend Award Won [63]
Name of the award ceremony, year presented, category, nominee of the award, and the result of the
nomination

Award
Year Category Nominee / Work Result Ref.
ceremony

Baeksang Arts
2020 Best New Actor – Television Dr. Romantic 2 Won [21]

Awards

Korea Drama
2019 Best New Actor Abyss Nominated [64]

Awards

MBC Drama
2016 Best New Actor Happy Home Nominated [65]

Awards

SBS Drama Best New Actor Won

Awards
2018 Still 17 [15]

Character of the Year Nominated

Excellence Award, Actor in a

Dr. Romantic 2 Won [22]

Miniseries Action/Genre Drama

2020

Best Couple Award Dr. Romantic 2 (with Lee Nominated [66]

Sung-kyung)

Excellence Award, Actor in a

Lovers of the Red Sky Won [26]

Miniseries Genre/Fantasy Drama

2021
Best Couple Award Lovers of the Red
Won [67][27]

Sky (with Kim Yoo-jung)

[68]
2022 Business Won
Proposal (with Kim Se-
jeong)
 Name of the award ceremony, year presented, category, nominee of the award, and the result of the
nomination

Award
Year Category Nominee / Work Result Ref.
ceremony

Top Excellence Award, Actor in

a Miniseries Romance/Comedy Business Proposal Won [69]

Drama

Top Excellence Award, Actor in

Won
a Seasonal Drama
Dr. Romantic 3 [70]

2023 Best Supporting Team Won

Best Couple Award Dr. Romantic 3 Nominated [71]

(with Lee Sung-kyung)

Listicles[edit]

Name of publisher, year listed, name of listicle, and placement

Publishe Placemen
Year Listicle Ref.
r t

2022 37th [72]

Forbes Korea Power Celebrity 40

2023 33rd [73]