Kwak was born on 19 March 1997 in Daejeon, South Korea, the younger of two siblings.[3]
At 13, he permanently moved to Seoul by himself to pursue his dream to be an artist. He has been studying music at FNC Academy since 2010, and also took acting lessons. In February 2013, he graduated from Munrae Junior High School and graduated from School of Performing Arts Seoul in February 2016.[4]
Career
2012–2015: Beginnings
Kwak was originally a lead guitarist and vocalist of Kokoma Band (literally, "Little Kids' Band"), a trainee band managed by FNC Entertainment, along with N.Flying's Seo Dongsung, KNK's Oh Heejun and Omega X's Lee Hwichan.[5][6]
He made his acting debut in 2012, appearing in the KBS television series My Husband Got a Family.[7] The drama reached a peak audience rating of 49.6%,[8] thereby earning the "national drama" status.[9] The series ranked number one overall on the 2012 yearly TV ratings chart.[10] For his performance, Kwak won the Best Young Actor Award at the 2012 Korea Drama Awards.[11]
In 2013, he featured as young Prince Dong-pyung in the SBS historical drama Jang Ok-jung, Living by Love.[12]
He then starred in the KBS Drama Special Puberty Medley, a coming-of-age drama based on the webtoon of the same name.[13][14][15][16]
The same year, Kwak featured in the KBS period drama Inspiring Generation playing the younger version of Kim Hyun-joong's character.[17] His portrayal of a boy who struggled as the head of the family from an early age to fill the father's vacancy, garnered him a nomination at the 16th Seoul International Youth Film Festival for the Best Young Actor Award.[18][19]
In March 2014, he took on the lead role in KBS Drama SpecialMiddle School Girl A where he portrayed a smart transfer student who got bullied in his new school.[20][21][22] He then starred in SBS weekend drama Modern Farmer, playing a drummer of a rock band who later moved to a village to be a farmer.[23][24] In December 2014, Kwak's performances in the drama Inspiring Generation and the drama special Middle School Student A won him the Best Young Actor Award in the 2014 KBS Drama Awards.[25]
In 2015, Kwak starred alongside Sistar's Bora in the web series The Flatterer, based on a webtoon of the same name. He portrayed Park Gun, an underdog high school student struggling to survive among the strong in a realistic and comical way.[26] He also starred in a KBS2 Drama Special Avici, playing the role of a model student from an elite high school, but lacks the ability to empathize with others' pain, who tried his best to cover up his mom's murder.[27]
In July 2017, Kwak was cast as Michael, the main protagonist in the Korean adaptation of The Elephant Song play, which ran from 6 September to 26 November at the former Suhyeonjae Theater in Seoul.[35][36]
In 2017, Kwak starred as the main protagonist in a KBS2 drama special Slow. His portrayal of a frustrated baseball player "who fell into a slump, and was anxious about an uncertain future", garnered him a nomination for the Best Actor in a One-Act/Special/Short Drama Award at the 2017 KBS Drama Awards.[37][38]
In 2018, he joined the cast of KBS romance drama Radio Romance, playing the role of a psychiatrist who is Ji Soo-ho (Yoon Doo-joon)'s high school classmate and personal doctor.[41][42][43] He also starred in JTBC's romantic comedy series Gangnam Beauty,[44] which was a hit and gained renewed recognition for Kwak.[45] He then starred in SBS's romantic comedy drama My Strange Hero, which is Kwak's first villain role following his debut.[46][47] The role earned him a nomination for the Excellence Award, Actor in a Miniseries at the 2019 SBS Drama Awards.[46][47][48]
In December 2018, he won the Actor Award at the 2019 Korea First Brand Awards.[49]
In 2019, Kwak made a special appearance in SBS drama Doctor Detective, portraying Jung Ha-rang, a screen door service engineer from a vocational high school, who was destroyed by an industrial accident.[50][51] Later in the same year, Kwak starred in the family drama Never Twice.[52] He acted as the lead male role there with actress Park Se-wan.[53] He played the role of Na Hae-jun, the heir of a five-star hotel. The performance earned him a nomination for the Excellence Award, Actor in a Weekend Drama at the 2019 MBC Drama Awards, and for the Excellent Award, Actor in Serial Drama at the 7th APAN Star Awards.[54][55][56]
Kwak in November 2019
In October 2019, Kwak reprised his role in The Elephant Song, from 22 November 2019 to 16 February 2020.[57][58]
In 2020, he appeared in sports film Baseball Girl.[59] He also made a special appearance in the tvN drama It's Okay to Not Be Okay. Kwak takes on the role of a manic patient with exhibitionism in the drama.[60][61] In June 2020, it was announced that Kwak would be a part of the cast in the Korean adaptation of the musical comedy Something Rotten!. He played the role of Nigel Bottom, a genius playwright who is also pure and passionate. The performance earned him a nomination for the Rookie of the Year Award, Male category at the 5th Korea Musical Awards. The play ran from 7 August to 18 October at the Chungmu Art Center Grand Theater.[62][63][64] In August 2020, Kwak signed with new agency H& Entertainment after leaving FNC Entertainment.[65]
In February 2021, Kwak starred in tvN television series Vincenzo. He played the role of Jang Han-seo, the half-brother of Jang Jun-woo portrayed by Taecyeon, who publicly acts as chairman in his brother's place.[66][67] In May 2021, Kwak joined SBS variety show Delicious Rendezvous along with Choi Won-young and Choi Ye-bin.[68]
In 2022, Kwak appeared in the movie 6/45 as an observer in the South Korean front force[69] and in the MBC drama Big Mouth as a convicted scammer called Jerry.[70]
In 2024, Kwak appeared in the Queen of Tears as a third-generation chaebol of Queens Group.
Personal life
On 26 February 2014, not long after Kwak finished his Inspiring Generation drama promotion, his mother died of an illness.[71]
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^Jung Woo-young (4 June 2021). '맛남의 광장' 김희철·유병재·김동준 하차..최원영·곽동연·최예빈 합류 [Kim Hee-chul, Yoo Byung-jae, and Kim Dong-jun get off from 'Delicious Rendezvous'.. Choi Won-young, Kwak Dong-yeon, Choi Ye-bin join]. Osen. Archived from the original on 4 June 2021. Retrieved 4 June 2021.
^Yoo Da-yeon (1 July 2022). "언론재벌 양경원·사기 3범 곽동연...'빅마우스'" [Media tycoon Yang Kyung-won and 3rd offender Kwak Dong-yeon... 'Big Mouse'] (in Korean). Newsis. Archived from the original on 11 July 2022. Retrieved 11 July 2022 – via Naver.
^Kang Min-kyung (28 April 2022). "[공식] 곽경택 감독 오디오 무비 '극동', 김강우X유재명X곽동연 캐스팅" [[Official] Kwak Kyung-taek's audio movie 'Far East' casts Kim Kang-woo X Yoo Jae-myung X Kwak Dong-yeon] (in Korean). Ten Asia. Archived from the original on 28 April 2022. Retrieved 28 April 2022 – via Naver.
^Kim Na-yeon (8 October 2024). "'대도시의 사랑법' 이상이→곽동연, 김고은의 남자들" ['Lovestruck in the City' Lee Sang → Kwak Dong-yeon, Kim Go-eun's men] (in Korean). daum. Archived from the original on 6 December 2024. Retrieved 8 October 2024.
^Lee Jong-hwan (14 December 2021). "그 해 우리는' 최우식, 곽동연 표절 시비→드로잉쇼 참석에 "날 망치는 건 늘 김다미"[★밤TView]" ['That year we were' Choi Woo-shik, Kwak Dong-yeon's plagiarism argument → Attending a drawing show "It's always Kim Da-mi who ruins me"[★ Night TV]] (in Korean). Star News. Archived from the original on 14 December 2021. Retrieved 14 December 2021 – via Naver.
^Yeon Hwi-seon (16 May 2022). "곽동연·고성희·배현성·강민아, '가우스전자' 드라마 출연 확정 [공식]" [Kwak Dong-yeon, Ko Seong-hee, Bae Hyun-seong, and Kang Min-ah confirmed to appear in the drama 'Gauss Electronics' [Official]] (in Korean). Osen. Archived from the original on 16 May 2022. Retrieved 16 May 2022 – via Naver.
^Jeon Hyo-jin (23 February 2023). "[단독] 곽동연, 박지은 작가 '눈물의 여왕' 출연...김지원과 호흡" [[Exclusive] Appearance in 'Queen of Tears' by Kwak Dong-yeon and Park Ji-eun... Breathing with Kim Ji-won] (in Korean). Sports Donga. Archived from the original on 4 April 2023. Retrieved 4 April 2023 – via Naver.
^Ahn Tae-hyun (12 January 2024). '눈물의 여왕' 김수현·김지원·박성훈·곽동연·이주빈, 출연 라인업 완성 ['Queen of Tears' Kim Soo-hyun, Kim Ji-won, Park Seong-hoon, Kwak Dong-yeon, and Lee Joo-bin complete the cast lineup] (in Korean). News1. Archived from the original on 12 January 2024. Retrieved 12 January 2024 – via Naver.
^Kim Seong-hyeon (9 August 2021). "구교환·신현빈·곽동연, '부산행' 연상호 작가 신작 '괴이' 출연 확정(공식)" [Koo Gyo-hwa, Shin Hyun-bin, and Kwak Dong-yeon confirmed to appear in 'Train to Busan' writer Yeon Sang-ho's new work 'Ghost' (official)]. YTN (in Korean). Naver. Archived from the original on 9 August 2021. Retrieved 9 August 2021.
^Naver Series., Let's Go! Real Trip: Three Delicious Man. "Naver". Archived from the original on 16 May 2021. Retrieved 17 June 2021.
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^Yang Yu-jin (17 October 2022). "곽동연 "나이 논란 꼬리표처럼 있었다"...류경수 '동병상련' ('두데')" [Kwak Dong-yeon "I was like a tag in the age controversy"... Ryu Kyung-soo's 'Community' ('Dude')] (in Korean). My Daily. Archived from the original on 20 October 2022. Retrieved 17 October 2022 – via Naver.
^Seul-gi, Lee (7 November 2022). "남경읍 안석환 서현철→정휘 홍승안 곽동연...음악극 '올드위키드송' 컴백" [Namgyeong-eup Ahn Seok-hwan Seo Hyun-cheol → Jeong Hwi Hong Seung-an Kwak Dong-yeon... Music play 'Old Wicked Song' comeback]. Newsen (in Korean). Retrieved 7 November 2022 – via Naver.
^Seung-hyun, Park (15 July 2024). "곽동연, '고도를 기다리며를 기다리며' 국내 초연 무대 오른다" [Kwak Dong-yeon, 'Waiting for Godot' to be performed for the first time in Korea]. @style (in Korean). Archived from the original on 8 September 2024. Retrieved 15 July 2024 – via Naver.
^"대한민국 퍼스트브랜드 – 역대 수상브랜드" [Korea First Brand – Past award-winning brands]. Korea Consumer Brand Committee. Click on 2019 tab. Archived(JPG) from the original on 23 December 2020. Retrieved 16 August 2021 – via Korea First Brand.
^Park Soo-in (3 May 2023). "곽동연 '신스틸러 페스티벌' 신스틸러 본상 수상 "좋은 상 주셔 감사"" [Kwak Dong-yeon won the 'Scene Stealer Festival' Main Prize for Scene Stealer "Thank you for the good award"] (in Korean). Newsen. Archived from the original on 3 May 2023. Retrieved 3 May 2023 – via Naver.