Yoo Seung-jun

Steve Sueng Jun Yoo (born Yoo Seung-jun on December 15, 1976), He was subsequently banned from entering South Korea, becoming the only person in history to be banned from the country for acquiring another citizenship. He is best known for his roles as Jin Wuzhu in 2013 historical TV series The Patriot Yue Fei and Prince Wen in 2010 film Little Big Soldier.

Early life Yoo was born on December 15, 1976, in Seoul, South Korea. He and his family immigrated to the United States when he was thirteen and settled in Buena Park, California. On September 18, 2007, he released his seventh album Rebirth of YSJ as a "special release" for his fans, with proceeds of the album donated to charity. The album was produced under the collaboration of production teams from the United States, China, and South Korea. Yoo appeared on the cover of the October 2007 issue of Men's Health China, where he was the first Korean male to be featured on the cover of the Chinese edition. In February 2010, Yoo made his film debut in Jackie Chan's Little Big Soldier as Prince Wen.

In 2015, it was announced that Yoo would appear in the film Dragon Blade.

On November 21, 2018, Yoo attempted to make a comeback in the Korean entertainment industry with a 5-track extended play album titled Another Day originally set for release on December 5, with the pre-release title song "Another Day" and accompanying music video set to release on November 22. Yoo's label deleted the teaser and canceled the album after public outrage.

In November 2025, Yoo was featured as an uncredited guest rapper on Justhis's song "Home Home." On January 12, 2026, he announced through his YouTube channel that he would be releasing his own version of the song, "Home Home (YSJ version)", and an accompanying music video.

Personal life After his banishment from South Korea in 2002, Yoo made his residence in Beijing, China. Soon after, he moved back to the U.S. to live in Los Angeles County, California. Yoo married Christine Oh in 2004, during the height of his celebrity days. He featured his skills on Korean TV shows of the time. In 2010, when he was invited as a guest on the show Asia Uncut, he stated he (at the time of filming) held a 3rd Dan black belt.

Banishment from South Korea Yoo had repeatedly stated on television that he would fulfill his mandatory military service. During his physical examination in August 2001, Yoo was given a grade 4 rank, the lowest passing rank to enter the military, due to having a surgery for a herniated disc that resulted from a music video shoot for his fifth album. In 2011, in response to an announcement by South Korean television network Seoul Broadcasting System on holding a public poll on whether South Koreans thought Yoo should be allowed to come back to South Korea, he said he had no plan to return.

On May 19, 2015, Yoo held a live stream through AfreecaTV apologizing to the Korean public and addressing his reasons for pursuing citizenship in the United States. He promised to complete his military service, but, by that time, he was 39 years old in Korean years (38 years old) and had passed the age limit for being able to serve. In 2020, Mo Jung-hwa, the chief of the Military Manpower Administration, stated that Yoo appearing on South Korean broadcasts as a figure in the entertainment industry would create a "risk of lowering the morale" of South Korean citizens performing military service and affect their "willingness" to fulfill their duties. Kim Byung-joo, a politician from the Democratic Party of Korea, proposed the Yoo Seung-jun Prevention Act, which would ban people who had given up their South Korean citizenship before fulfilling their military service from entering South Korea. Yoo responded and criticized this on his YouTube channel. Yoo then filed a lawsuit disputing the rejection in October of the same year. He submitted an appeal in October 2016. On July 11, 2019, the South Korean Supreme Court sent Yoo's previously closed case back to the Seoul High Court. On November 15, 2019, an appeals court reversed its earlier decision and ruled in favor of Yoo.

Following this, Yoo attempted to apply for a visa again, but the Consulate General of Los Angeles again rejected the application on July 2, 2019, causing him to file a second lawsuit with the Seoul Administrative Court in October 2020. On April 28, 2022, the Seoul Administrative Court ruled against Yoo, stating that the previous ruling was due to "procedural flaws." On July 13, 2023, the Seoul High Court overturned the Seoul Administrative Court ruling. On November 30, 2023, the Seoul High Court ruled in favor of Yoo, stating that there was "no just cause" to deny him a visa. However, the court ruling was separate from the South Korean government's ban, and Yoo attaining a visa did not indicate he would be allowed back into the country. In September 2024, Yoo's request for a visa was denied for a third time.

Discography

Studio albums Title Album details Peak chart positions Sales KOR West SideReleased: March 3, 1997 Label: Universal Music Formats: CD, cassette *KOR: 800,000+ For SaleReleased: April 29, 1998 Label: Best Media Formats: CD, cassette 2KOR: 796,412+ Now Or NeverReleased: April 15, 1999 Label: Baeksan Media Formats: CD, cassette1KOR: 825,569+ Over And OverReleased: December 10, 1999 Label: Warner Music Korea Formats: CD, cassette 1KOR: 530,674+ Summit RevivalReleased: November 24, 2000 Label: West Side Media Formats: CD, cassette 3KOR: 414,615+ InfinityReleased: August 31, 2001 Label: West Side Media Formats: CD, cassette 2KOR: 243,119+ Rebirth of YSJReleased: September 18, 2007 Label: Genie Music Formats: CD, digital download—*Chart positions not available prior to 1998"—" denotes album did not chart.

Extended plays Title Album details Peak chart positions Sales KOR Another DayReleased: January 18, 2019 Label: YSJ Media Group Formats: CD, digital download——

Compilations and live albums 98 Live Album (1998) New Release + English Version (1999) All That Yoo Seung Jun (1999) Gold Techno Remix (2000) Hidden Story (2001) Best & J Duet Collection (2001) Yoo Seung Jun 2002 Live (2002)

Filmography

Movies Little Big Soldier (2010) He-Man (2011) Scheme With Me (2012) Chinese Zodiac (2012) Man of Tai Chi (2013) The Wrath of Vajra (2013) Long's Story (2014) The Break-Up Artist (2014) Dragon Blade (2015) Taste of Love (2015) Crazy Fist (2017) Romantic Warrior (2017) Invictus Basketball (2017) Blade Master Li Bai (2019)

Television The Sleuth of the Ming Dynasty (2020) The Patriot Yue Fei (2013)

Awards and nominations

Golden Disc Awards Year Category Work Result 1997Bonsang (Best Artist)Yoo Seung-jun 1999 2000

Mnet Asian Music Awards Year Category Work Result 1999 Best Male Artist "Passion" 2000 Best Dance Performance "Vision" 2001 Best Dance Performance "Wow" Best Male Artist

Seoul Music Awards Year Category Work Result 2000Bonsang (Main Prize)Yoo Seung-jun 2001