Ryu Si-won (Korean: 류시원; Hanja: 柳時元; born 6 October 1972) is a South Korean actor and singer. After he made his debut in the KBS drama Feeling in 1994, Ryu pursued a singing career.
Early life
Ryu was born in Andong, North Gyeongsang Province, South Korea. He is from the Pungsan Ryu clan and is the 13th-generation descendant of Joseon Dynasty prime minister Yu Seong-ryong.[2][3]
Career
Ryu's acting career began in 1994 with a supporting role in the TV series Feelings [ko], as a friend of one of the main characters. Kim Hyeong-seok, who was in charge of the show’s music, recommended Ryu to the show’s producer, Yoon Seok-ho. Yoon cast Ryu right away after seeing him audition.[4] The same year, he was cast as a leading role in the series Blue Sky [ko],[5] which aired in 1995.[6] He gained further popularity with his roles in the daily drama Until We Can Love [ko] and the miniseries Propose [ko], Forever Yours [ko], and Purity [ko]. During this period, he also debuted as a musician, and hosted programs such as SBS’s TV Gayo 20 (the predecessor to Inkigayo) and KBS’s Music Bank.[7][8]
Subsequent to the 2004 broadcast of his drama Beautiful Days in Japan, he started activities there both as an actor and a singer. He was the first Korean artist to hold two live concerts at the Tokyo Dome, in December 2008. Then in November 2011, he held his 100th solo concert in Japan as part of his 16 concert tour in eight cities, including Yokohama, Nigata, Osaka, Sendai, Nagoya, and Fukuoka; with the final concert on 21 December at Saitama Super Arena.[9]
On 21 December 2011, Ryu was signed on by Japanese travel agency HIS, for one-year to promotion Korean tourism in Japan. Where he was featured in two 15-second commercials in the themes of "Let's go to Korea" and "You are the character of your drama" for Japanese television in January 2012.[10]
On 6 October 2010, Ryu announced his marriage to a non-celebrity on his fan club's website.[12][13] He officially married on October 26, with celebrities such as Eugene, Kang Ho-dong, and Kim Won-jun attending.[14] Their first child was born on 28 January 2011, 3 months after their marriage.[15] Ryu's wife filed for divorce on 22 March 2012.[16][17] Ryu's wife filed another suit on blackmail charges in February 2013, as well as accusing Ryu of threatening her.[18][19] In May 2013, Ryu was indicted for secretly tracking his wife with a GPS device and using violence on her when she found out.[20][21] The court ordered him to pay 7 million won for the charges in September, but he appealed the decision.[22] The appeal was rejected,[23] and in 2014, the Supreme Court maintained its original ruling, in accord with a lesser court's decision.[24][25] Ryu counter-sued his wife for perjury, and she was fined in 2015.[26][27] The divorce lawsuit officially ended in January 2015.[28]
Ryu remarried on 15 February 2020 to a non-celebrity.[29]
^전, 형화 (22 March 2007). "류성룡 13대손 류시원, 경북홍보대사 위촉". entertain.naver.com (in Korean). Archived from the original on 17 November 2022. Retrieved 17 November 2022.
^ゴールド等認定作品一覧 2005年10月 [Works Receiving Certifications List (Gold, etc) (October 2005)]. RIAJ (in Japanese). 10 November 2005. Archived from the original on 29 November 2010. Retrieved 7 August 2011.
^ゴールド等認定作品一覧 2006年8月 [Works Receiving Certifications List (Gold, etc) (August 2006)]. RIAJ (in Japanese). 10 September 2006. Archived from the original on 23 June 2011. Retrieved 7 August 2011.
