5 things to know about KPop Demon Hunter's Ahn Hyo-seop

Ahn Hyo-seop, aka Paul Ahn, is a beloved Korean-Candian actor that has gained worldwide attention (again) for voicing the suave Jinu in Netflix’s latest animated hit movie - KPop Demon Hunters. Sona Fong tells you five things you might not know about him

He grew up in Toronto, Canada

Although the 30-year-old was born in Seoul's Gangnam district, he was raised in Canada. He moved to Toronto with his family when he was six, which explains why he speaks fluent English. This might not be a surprise for his fans, but it absolutely amazed viewers who encountered him in Business Proposal and KPop Demon Hunters (check out #legend's review here). Here’s a fun fact — during the filming of Dr. Romantic 2, he was asked to make his English sound more Korean.

He was a trainee at JYP Entertainment 

Some might wonder what made Ahn to move back to South Korea from Canada. Back in his high school days, he was scouted by JYP Entertainment (one of the most renowned K-pop companies behind groups like Twice, Itzy, and Stray Kids) and became a trainee there for three years. He almost debuted as a member of GOT7, a famous boy band of the company. He was in a small group called One O One in 2015. However, he decided music is better off as a hobby. So, you would often find him covering songs of the dramas he is in. After all these years, Ahn finally appears as a K-Pop boy band member — Jinu from Saja Boys. 

He is a cat lover 

One of the unexpected charms of Ahn would be the fact that his Myers-Briggs personality type is an INTP (Introverted, Intuitive, Thinking, and Perceiving). He has talked about being a big introvert who feels nervous and shy on talk shows. To be one of Ahn's very few close friends, you'd have to be a very interesting individual to get his attention! Ahn finds comfort in staying at his home to watch a TV series or read a book. But above all, he finds great comfort in playing with his cat Ba-ul. Named after his own English name, Paul, Ba-ul is the shorthair cat that Ahn calls “the cutest cat in the world”. You can see how obsessed Ahn is with Ba-ul as he is always snuggling with his kitty. 

He is as well-loved as the dramas he has starred in

K-drama fansprobably know Ahn from his performance in Business Proposal in 2022. The rom-com series is praised as a lighthearted yet enjoyable series. As the CEO Kang Tae-mu, Ahn has countless hearthrob moments that will leave many swooning. He also played a perfect couple with Lee Sung Kyung in the second and third season of Dr. Romantic. The series continues to be a #legend in the hearts of hospital K-drama enthusiasts. In 2021, Ahn further proved his acting skills by playing the complex character Ha Ram in the historical fantasy drama, Lovers of the Red Spy. 

He is going to make his big screen debut soon

As the one of the most popular web novels, Omniscient Reader's Viewpoint has plenty of fans that are looking forward to its film adaptation. The protagonist Kim Dok-ja, an ordinary office worker who find himself entering in the world of his favourite web novel, is played by none other than Ahn. Ahn's character is the only person who knows the approaching apocalypse in the story's universe and tries to to create a different ending by solving various challenges set by goblins. Apart from Ahn, the star-studded lineup of the movie includes Jisoo from Blackink and actor Lee Min-ho. The film is scheduled to be released on July 31 (July 23 for South Korea), don’t forget to see this thriller on the big screen!

Also see: #review: Stream or skip KPop Demon Hunters on Netflix?