Ahn Jae-hong (actor)

Ahn Jae-hong was born and raised in U-dong, Haeundae-gu, Busan, as the youngest of two sons.[1] Since childhood, Ahn liked watching movies and used to rent the latest releases. He applied to study film, but he did not know whether he wanted to pursue acting until college when he started making short films and performing in theater. In 2005, he enrolled in the acting program at Konkuk University's Department of Film Studies.[2][3] During his second year of college, Ahn was offered the leading role in the college's regular summer performance. He portrayed Jang Deok-bae in director Jang Jin's play Clumsy People. Ahn also continued directing and acting in short films while he was in college.[2]

After graduating, Ahn performed on stage at Daehangno and worked part-time at a movie theater. In his spare time, he wrote down his ideas and directed his own short films.[4] In 2011, he was cast as Sungseon in director Son Na-mook's open-run production of Boeing Boeing, an adaptation of the French play of the same name.[5][6] That same year, Ahn made his feature film debut with a minor role as a student in the drama film The Day He Arrives, which was written and directed by Hong Sang-soo.[5] In 2012, Ahn starred in The Sunshine Boys, also known as 1999, Visit, which was the first production of Gwanghwamun Cinema. For his performance, Ahn was awarded the Korean Film Directors Guild Award for Best Actor, which he shared with co-stars Kim Chang-hwan and Shim Hee-seop.[7]

In 2013, Ahn appeared in director Hong Sang-soo's Nobody's Daughter Haewon. That same year, he starred as Hong Man-seop in Gwanghwamun Cinema's independent sports comedy film The King of Jokgu, which featured the Korean sport jokgu.[8] The film premiered at the 18th Busan International Film Festival and attracted over 40,000 viewers, breaking records for an indie comedy in Korea, and was one of the most well-received indie films of the year. For his performance, Ahn earned several nominations for Best New Actor at various film festivals and won the award at the Wildflower Film Awards and Director's Cut Awards.[9][10][11][12][13] The following year, he participated as a staff member in director Hong Sang-soo's film Hill of Freedom.[5]

In 2015, Ahn was cast as Kim Jung-bong, Jung-hwan's older brother, in the television series Reply 1988. His acting received favorable reviews from viewers and Ahn was nicknamed "Bongvely", a combination of "Bong" from his character Jung-bong and "lovely", by the press.[14][15][16] In January 2016, Ahn and Reply 1988 co-stars Ryu Jun-yeol and Go Kyung-pyo were surprised by Na Yeong-seok and taken to Namibia and Zimbabwe to film the variety show Youth Over Flowers.[17] That same year, Ahn made special appearances in two films and played supporting roles in three others. At the end of 2016, Ahn returned to the stage in the opening production of director Park Geun-hyung's play Ode to Youth at the Art Forest Art Hall in Daehangno. Ahn played the role of Cheong-chun, alternating the role with Kim Dong-won and Lee Jae-gyun. The play was performed from December 8 to February 12, 2017.[18][19]

In 2017, Ahn played a supporting role in director Hong Sang-soo's On the Beach at Night Alone and starred in the television series Fight for My Way.[20] That same year, he also starred in the period comedy film The King's Case Note and in Park Kwang-hyun's action thriller film Fabricated City.[21][22][23][24] In 2018, Ahn took on the role of Han-sol, an aspiring online comic artist, in Gwanghamun Cinema's Microhabitat, starring with Esom.[25] It is the debut feature film of director Jeon Go-woon.[26] That same year, Ahn appeared in director Hong Sang-soo's Leaves of Grass. In 2019, Ahn starred in JTBC television series Be Melodramatic as the arrogant and famous director Son Beom-soo.[27] His duet with his co-star Chun Woo-hee for the series' soundtrack was released on September 21, 2019.[28] In 2021, Ahn was selected as the third 'Next Actor' of the 9th Muju Sangol Film Festival. Every year, the organizer selects a domestic actor with personality and high potential to focus on acting world.[29] On December 1, 2021, Ahn signed a contract with Management MMM.[30]

Following his rise in popularity after Reply 1988, Ahn has been chosen as the face of various brands in South Korea. In 2015, he and fellow actor Lee Dong-hwi appeared in a Kia Motors' K5 promotional video, where they played their characters from Reply 1988.[31] Ahn was also selected alongside Ryu Jun-yeol and Kim Seol as the models for Nongshim's Jjawang ramen commercial, where they portrayed their characters from Reply 1988.[32] He and Ryu Jun-seol filmed a commercial for a telecommunications company with their on-screen mothers Ra Mi-ran and Kim Sung-Kyun.[33]

In 2016, Ahn won the Best Advertising Model Award. In 2017, Ahn appeared in commercials for coffe brand Maxim Mocha Gold coffee, ice cream producer Baskin Robbins, part-time job portal Albamon, and delivery app Baedal Minjok.[34] In 2018, Ahn was chosen as the main model for a Ford Motor's commercial aired in China. The contract was for a duration of two years.[35]

In 2016, Ahn confirmed that he was dating a non-celebrity who was five years younger than him. They attended the same university and had already been together for two years when their relationship was announced. On September 18, 2019, a source from his agency confirmed that Ahn had broken up with his girlfriend.[36]

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• Ahn Jae-hong at HanCinema