O Yeong-su has made history as the first actor from South Korea to win a Golden Globe. He took home the award for best supporting actor in television for his role as elderly participant Oh Il-nam in the Netflix’s hit series Squid Game, beating out tough competition from Succession’s Kieran Culkin and Ted Lasso’s Brett Goldstein.
"O Yeong-su wins Best Performance by a Supporting Actor in a Series, Limited Series, or Television Movie! While O Yeong-su is a respected stage actor in his native South Korea, his Globe nod is his first ever nomination in a major awards show," the Golden Globes organisation wrote on its website.
“After hearing the news of the award, I told myself, ‘I’m a decent guy’ for the first time in my life. Now, it’s no longer us within the world, but it’s the world within us. While embracing the scent of our culture and while embracing the love for my family deep in my heart, I give thanks to everyone in the world. I hope you all live beautiful lives. Thank you,” said O in a statement released through Netflix.
But before he was cast as Player 001 in a role that has made him known all over the world, what other roles did O take on? The actor, 77, has had a career full of longevity as he first began acting in 1967. He later became a member of the National Theatre Company of Korea in 1987 and appeared in productions such as The Tempest, A Streetcar Named Desire and King Lear.
In addition to theatre, O's also appeared in film and television, most notably taken on roles as a monk on-screen. This includes playing an old monk in Spring, Summer, Fall, Winter… and Spring (2003) and a temple master in A Little Monk (2002). Other television credits include 2012’s God of War, about real-life historical figure Kim Jun and 2009’s Queen Seondeok and The Return of Iljimae, in which he played a monk each time.
O was born in Kaepung County, Gyeonggi (known today as the North Korean border town of Kaesong) in 1944. He’s most regarded for his prolific work as a stage actor, appearing in more than 200 productions since 1963 and winning a number of awards. However, it's Netflix's Original Squid Game which has given him international recognition.
The series became the most watched show in the history of the streaming platform after its release in September, but has since been outdone by another South Korean show Hellbound.
