Born in Busan in 1977, Heo Sung-tae came late to acting after a career in international trade and quickly became one of Korean cinema's most reliable villains. He drew wide notice as the ruthless gangster Deok-su in Netflix's Squid Game (2021), which won him mass international recognition. He also worked with Park Chan-wook in The Handmaiden (2016), Park Hoon-jung on New World (2013) and led the ensemble in the crime thriller Beyond Evil (2021). Physically imposing and precise, he specializes in men who mix charm with real menace. Read more