Koo Kyo-hwan is on a roll, and for a good reason

Koo Kyo-hwan / Yonhap

Actor Koo Kyo-hwan’s momentum this year has been hard to ignore.

With hit drama “We Are All Trying Here” and zombie film “Colony,” Koo has moved between television and the big screen in the first half of the year, making his presence felt across genres. His rise appears to be only gaining speed.

Since making his commercial film debut with “Peninsula” in 2020, Koo has built a steady career across films and dramas, including “Escape” (2024), “Once We Were Us” (2025), Netflix’s “D.P.” series, “Parasyte: The Grey” (2024) and “Monstrous” (2022). He has four upcoming projects awaiting release, including “White Blast” and “Seeking the King.”

“Once We Were Us” was an especially meaningful addition to his filmography, both in terms of its reception and his performance. Koo has always shown a different face in each project while maintaining his distinct style, but in this film, his acting shone more brightly than ever before.

Once regarded as a leading figure in Korea’s independent film scene, Koo is now establishing himself as an actor who can balance both popular appeal and artistic credibility.

Koo first made his name not in commercial cinema, but in independent and art house films, where he built a loyal following with his unusual sensibilities and unpredictable performances. He has also worked as a director and screenwriter, gradually building a creative world of his own.

For that reason, some wondered whether his expansion into the mainstream market would work. His distinctive speech, aura and strong, individualistic characters could have made his acting range seem limited if repeated too often.

Those concerns, however, are starting to feel less relevant in light of Koo’s recent performances. So far, he has managed to maintain his own distinctive presence while bringing out different textures in each project.

He does it not by abandoning the familiar charm that makes him recognizable to the public, but by carefully adjusting it to suit each role. The balance is not easy to strike, as many actors, in trying to change their image, either give up the strengths that made them appealing in the first place or remain too safely within a familiar persona. But Koo appears to have found a middle ground.

In “We Are All Trying Here,” for instance, Koo makes his character feel less like a written role than a person who could exist in real life, shaped by close observation and interpretation. The small choices he makes, from subtle changes in expression to rhythmic line delivery and unexpected physical movements, create a character who feels alive and naturally draws the audience’s attention whenever he appears.

That is why Koo leaves a lasting impression, regardless of whether he is playing a lead or supporting role, or whether he has many scenes or only a few.

A look back at his recent projects shows that Koo’s characters have often been the most layered figures in any given story. His characters can be cheerful, anxious or strange — sometimes all at once. A clear example comes in the latter half of “Colony,” when the villainous Seo Young-chul spirals out of control before revealing a more human side.

Most promisingly for the actor, his momentum shows no sign of slowing anytime soon. Koo is set to continue taking on new challenges in upcoming projects, moving between film and drama, crossing genres and showing his ability as a creator as well. For many viewers and industry insiders, that leaves room for even greater expectations about where he may go next.

An official at a film and content production and distribution company told the Hankook Ilbo that Koo’s real strength does not lie in making his characters likable, but in making characters who are hard to like eventually understandable to audiences.

“He takes characters that audiences tend to stereotype, such as villains, annoying figures, oddballs and outsiders, and keeps them from feeling flat,” the official said. “When Koo takes on those roles, the characters come alive with presence instead of remaining as simple, functional roles.”

“It is a rare competitive edge that cannot be explained by acting ability alone, and one that feels unique to Koo.”

This article from the Hankook Ilbo, the sister publication of The Korea Times, is translated by a generative AI system and edited by The Korea Times.