Kwon Sang-woo is a South Korean actor best known for his roles in the blockbuster TV show “Stairway to Heaven” and the film “My Tutor Friend.” Kwon, who is considered one of Korea’s sexiest men, began his career as a fashion model before moving into acting with the small-screen drama ‘Delicious Proposal.’ Other modest parts of television followed. His debut film was ‘Volcano High,’ after which he received his first leading part in ‘Make It Big.’ His big break came in 2003 with the South Korean blockbuster hit ‘My Tutor Friend,’ which catapulted him to prominence. Fans dubbed him “Mr. Tears” for his superb tear-jerking performance in the TV series “Stairway to Heaven,” which not only brought him prominence across Asia but also won him the moniker “Mr. Tears.” Moving on to further domestic projects, Kwon stretched his acting career outside South Korea’s borders, appearing in Chinese films such as ‘CZ12,’ in which he co-starred alongside Jackie Chan. ‘Daemul’ and ‘Temptation,’ as well as the films ’71: Into the Fire’ and ‘Once Upon a Time in High School,’ are among his other significant works. He has also tried his hand at entrepreneurship with the cosmetics company ‘Natural Tears’ and the cafe ‘Tea’Us.’
Childhood and Adolescence
Kwon Sang-woo was born in Daejeon, South Korea, on August 5, 1976. When he was eight months old, he lost his father. After playing a seminarian in the 2004 South Korean romantic comedy film ‘Love, So Divine,’ he followed in his mother’s footsteps and converted to Catholicism. Francisco is Kwon’s confirmation name.
He graduated from ‘Hannam University with a B.A. in Education. Meanwhile, in 1998, he was drafted into the South Korean Army for military training after completing six months of his first year at university. In 2001, he completed his mandatory training.
The Career of kwon
Kwon landed in the world of glitz, glamour, and entertainment in the late 1990s as a fashion model, and is considered a superb example of the mom-zzang (combination of the Korean words for ‘best’ and ‘body’) movement.
In 2001, he made his acting debut in the South Korean romance comedy-drama TV series ‘Delicious Proposal,’ in which he played Choon-shik, a motorcycle delivery worker. In the same year, he released his first picture, ‘Volcano High,’ a martial arts action comedy from South Korea.
At the 2002 SBS Drama Awards, he won the New Star Award for his role as Yoon Ho-Jae in the romantic comedy TV series ‘We Are Dating Now’ (2002).
In the 2002 South Korean comedy film ‘Make It Big,’ he co-starred alongside Song Seung-Heon and Kim Young-jun in his first main role.
He had his big break the following year, playing opposite Kim Ha-neul in the South Korean romantic comedy film ‘My Tutor Friend,’ which was released on February 7, 2003. The picture was the third best-selling Korean film of that year, having topped the box office for five weeks in a row. It catapulted Kwon to fame.
In 2003, he won Best New Actor (Film) at the 39th Baeksang Arts Awards and Best New Actor at the 40th Grand Bell Awards for his outstanding performance as Kim Ji-hoon in ‘My Tutor Friend.’
His extraordinary tear-jerking performance as Cha Song-Joo in the very renowned South Korean romance melodrama TV series Stairway to Heaven’ solidified his status in the world of acting. During its run, the sitcom received high ratings.
‘Stairway to Heaven’ not only earned him accolades and recognition as a regional star, gaining him the moniker “Mr. Tears” from fans for his tear-jerking performance, but it also earned him two SBS Drama Awards in 2003, further boosting his reputation.
His next film was ‘Once Upon a Time in High School,’ in which he co-starred alongside Han Ga-in and Lee Jung-jin 2004. This picture was also a commercial success, which helped him advance his acting career. It earned him several awards, including the Most Popular Actor (Film) title at the 40th Baeksang Arts Awards in 2004.
In the years that followed, he appeared in a number of additional films and television series, although none of them were as successful as his earlier work. His otherwise successful career took a hit as a result of these setbacks.
‘Love, So Divine (2004), ‘Running Wild’ (2006), ‘Almost Love’ (2006), ‘Fate’ (2008), and ‘More Than Blue’ (2009) were among his films, as were TV series ‘Sad Love Story’ (2005), ‘Bad Love’ (2007), and ‘Cinderella Man’ (2009). (2009).
Kwon founded the cosmetics company ‘Natural Tears’ in 2009 while continuing his performing career. He is the company’s owner and CEO.
He re-entered the spotlight as Ku Kap-Jo in the financially successful South Korean military drama film ’71: Into the Fire,’ which was released on June 16, 2010. It received 3,358,960 admissions and grossed $20,967,660 at the box office, making it the fifth highest-grossing film of the year.
His fame soared after he starred in the hit South Korean romance political drama ‘Daemul,’ in which he played Ha Do-ya alongside Go Hyun-Jung, who played Korea’s first female president.
‘Daemul’ had a strong audience during its SBS run, which lasted from October 6 to December 23, 2010, and was number one in its timeslot for 11 weeks in a row. At the SBS Drama Awards in 2010, it received Kwon the Top Excellence Award, Actor in a Drama Special, and Top 10 Stars award.
In 2012, he ventured beyond domestic productions and secured the role of Kwon Jung-hoon in the Chinese romantic comedy film Shadows of Love,’ alongside Cecilia Cheung, a well-known Hong Kong actress, and cantopop singer. In the same year, he had the opportunity to work in the Chinese action film ‘CZ12’ alongside world-renowned Hong Kong martial artist, actor, and filmmaker Jackie Chan.
Kwon’s other international projects include a DVD release in Japan in 2010, a main role in the Chinese TV series ‘Wind Flower Snow Moon’ (2015), and a role opposite Zhang Yuqi in the Chinese romantic film ‘Honey Enemy’ (2015).
Other significant South Korean projects include the TV series ‘Queen of Ambition’ (2013), ‘Medical Top Team’ (2013), ‘Temptation’ (2014), and ‘Queen of Mystery’ (2017), as well as the action-comedy film ‘The Accidental Detective’, which was released on September 24, 2015. In the upcoming sequel ‘The Accidental Detective 2,’ he will reprise his role as Kang Dae-man from the first film.
He owns the majority of the Ocean Blue Hotel Bali and also owns the Tea’Us cafe in Myeong-dong.
Personal History and Legacy
He married Son Tae-young, a South Korean actress and former Miss Korea, on September 28, 2008. They have a boy, who was born on February 6, 2009, and a daughter, who was born on January 10, 2015.
Estimated Net worth
Kwon Sang-woo is a South Korean actor with a $10 million net worth. Kwon Sang-woo was born in Daejeon, South Korea, on August 5, 1976.
In 2003, he starred in the romantic comedy film My Tutor Friend and the melodrama series Stairway to Heaven, which helped him gain renown.