Heo Sung-tae

Biography:

Heo Sung-tae, born on October 20, 1977, is a South Korean actor with over sixty appearances in film and television. He gained national recognition for his role as Ha Il-soo in the 2016 period thriller The Age of Shadows and later became internationally known for portraying Jang Deok-su in the Netflix series Squid Game.

Born in Busan, South Korea, Heo studied at Pusan National University, where he majored in Russian. Before entering the entertainment industry, he worked for LG Corporation, selling televisions in the Russian market. He later transitioned to the planning and coordination department of a shipbuilding company.

His acting career began in 2011 when he participated in SBS’s talent show Miraculous Audition. He later revealed that he had signed up for the audition while intoxicated after seeing a commercial for the program.

In The Fortress (2017), Heo took on a challenging role that required him to learn the Manchu language. His portrayal of the gangster Jang Deok-su in Squid Game (2021) further cemented his reputation as a talented and versatile actor.