Dylan Kuo (Chinese: 郭品超; pinyin: Guō Pǐnchāo; Pe̍h-ōe-jī: Koeh Phín-chhiau; born 8 June 1977) is a Taiwanese actor, singer and model. He rose to fame in 2004 after playing the lead role in the television series The Outsiders.[1] He is also known as Irons Kwok, his earlier western name, and Kwok Bun-chiu,[2] his name pronounced in Cantonese.

Dylan Kuo
Born (1977-06-08) 8 June 1977 (age 47)
Occupation(s)Actor, singer, model
Years active2003–present
Chinese name
Chinese郭品超
Transcriptions
Standard Mandarin
Hanyu PinyinGuō Pǐnchāo
Yue: Cantonese
JyutpingGwok3 Ban2-ciu1
Southern Min
Hokkien POJKoeh Phín-chhiau
Musical career
Also known asKuo Pin-chao
Guo Pinchao
Irons Kwok
GenresMandopop
InstrumentVocals
LabelsEmperor Entertainment Group (EEG) (2008–2010)
HIM International Music (2010–2016)

Early life

edit

Dylan Kuo was born in Taipei, Taiwan, on 8 June 1977, the youngest of a two-child family. He has a brother older than him by 4 years. He has been described by family members and teachers as a shy, quiet and reserved child. His parents divorced when he was very young. He grew up in a single-parent home living with his mother and older brother. His mother worked 2 jobs in order to raise him and his brother, working as a kindergarten teacher by day and at night as a YMCA instructor teaching hairdressing courses. His mother died from breast cancer when he was 14 years old, which Kuo has said was the most unforgettable yet saddest moment in his life.

He then went to live with his father while his older brother moved out on his own. He graduated from Taipei College of Maritime Technology. Originally wanting to be an architect like his older brother, he decided it wasn't the career path he wanted after spending one year in the field.[3]

Career

edit

Acting

edit

In 2003, he made his acting debut in small roles, his most notable one for the idol series The Rose, playing one of Cecilia Yip's character Han Li's younger boyfriends. He had originally auditioned for the role "Han Jin" which Jerry Huang was eventually cast in. The director was impressed with his audition and decided to bring him back for a cameo role. After being offered more acting roles, Kuo was then signed under Duo Man Ni Productions to manage all his acting activities while Catwalk Production House still managed his advertisement and modeling activities.

In 2004, he got his big break playing the lead role in the television series The Outsiders, a drama about triad gangs in Taipei. After the success of The Outsiders and its sequel The Outsiders II, Kuo was invited by Hong Kong Director Joe Ma to play the lead in the 2005 Hong Kong film Embrace Your Shadow opposite Hong Kong singer-actress Fiona Sit.

For his film debut in Embrace Your Shadow, he plays a small-time cat burglar from Taiwan living in Hong Kong who has to deal with love and triads issues. His character "Juchin" was to originally only speak Mandarin, since director Joe Ma was aware that Kuo did not speak any Cantonese, but wanting to look believable as a person living in Hong Kong, Kuo decided to speak his lines as much as possible in Cantonese. In the behind-the-scenes footage of the film, Kuo can be seen asking the director and production crew on how to pronounce his lines in Cantonese. The film was well-received and he was invited to film another Hong Kong movie, the horror film Black Night.

In 2008, he signed with Hong Kong entertainment management company Emperor Entertainment Group to handle all his activities for the Hong Kong market due to his growing popularity in Hong Kong. After previously playing romantic, tough, cool and reserved characters, Kuo made his first foray into comedy, playing the dorky, nerdy and immature character "Ning Huan Yu" in CTS's 2008 romantic comedy Prince + Princess 2.

In 2009, Kuo made his debut in the Mainland China drama market and since then has mainly concentrated his career there. In 2010, he signed to Taiwanese music and entertainment company HIM International Music, where the company will manage his music, advertisements, modelling and acting activities.[4]

Music

edit

In 2007, he started his music career signing under record label Warner Music Taiwan. His first album released was Not Anymore. Kuo also occasionally performs the theme songs of the dramas he has acted in.

Personal life

edit

Kuo was previously in a long-term public relationship with a woman simply known as Amy to the public. He and Amy started dating during his early modeling career. It was a long-distance relationship because Amy left Taiwan during the second year of their relationship to study in the United States. Kuo confirmed in 2008 that he and Amy had ended their relationship some time in 2007.[5]

Kuo has a mild case of obsessive–compulsive disorder. He revealed in an interview that he carries a tooth brush, tooth paste and dental floss with him everywhere, and he must brush his teeth after every meal. Also showering three times a day to make sure he doesn't have any body odor and putting on cologne whenever he heads outside his home, even if it is a few minute errand to the local market or bank.[6]

Kuo is best friends with actor Peter Ho. The two met while collaborating on the 2007 drama Men and Legends. The two share an interest in body building and a passion for video gaming. Kuo served as best man at Ho's 2016 wedding.

Filmography

edit

Television series

edit
Year Network English title Original title Role Notes
2003 TTV The Rose 薔薇之戀 Kevin, Han Li's lover Cameo, episode 10
CTV Six Lines Of Desire 欲望六人行 Cameo
CTV Spicy College Students 麻辣高校生 Yin Junxi Cameo
CTS Spicy Teacher 麻辣鮮師 Yin Junxi Cameo
ETTV Diary Of Sex and The City 熟女欲望日記 Zhou Zhiwei Cameo
FTV Step of Dance 眉飛色舞 Soccer Captain Cameo
2004 GTV The Outsiders 鬥魚 Yu Hao
GTV The Outsiders II 鬥魚2 Yu Hao
2005 FTV Coming Lies 偷天換日 Cash
2006 CTS White Robe of Love 白袍之戀 Tang Qixiu
2007 CTV The Teen Age 18禁不禁 PE teacher Lin Menglun Guest star
Men and Legends 精武飛鴻 Yan Yingyuan
2008 CTS Prince + Princess 2 王子看見二公主 Ning Huanyu
2009 CTS Knock Knock Loving You 敲敲愛上你 Cheng Xuege
CNTV Beauty is Not Bad 美女不壞 William Chen
2010 Hunan TV Single Princesses and Blind Dates 單身公主相親記 Fang Yan
2011 JSTV The Legend of Chinese Zodiac 十二生肖傳奇 Xing Hu
2012 CTV Ia Ia, I Do 愛啊哎呀,我願意 Ji Xiangen
2013 CTV Borrow Your Love 借用一下你的愛 Ye Chen
CCTV Legend of Mulan 花木蘭傳奇 Prince Duo Lun
2014 TVBS The Way We Were 16個夏天 Jiang Dawei Cameo
2015 ViuTV Slacker's Food Diary 懶人美食日記 Li Ruifan
2016 iQiyi Stardom 明星志願 Li Hua Webseries
2018 Hunan TV Negotiator 谈判官 Qin Tianyu [7]
Jiangsu TV Snow Queen 北国英雄 Gu Zhaolong [8]
Youku Swords of Legends 2 古剑奇谭2 Tong [9]
Tencent Ever Night 将夜 Jun Bai [10]
2020 Eternal Love of Dream 三生三世枕上书 Su Moye [11]
TBA The Legend of Ba Qing 贏天下 Ba Zimuo [12]
Love Is Brave 一场奋不顾身的爱情 Li Sihan
Follow Me My Queen 王小笛驯夫记 Yang Jialei

Film

edit
Year English title Original title Role Notes
2005 Embrace Your Shadow 摯愛 Juchin
2006 Black Night 黑夜 Joe Segment "Next Door"
2007 The Longest Night in Shanghai 夜上海 Tong Tong
2007 Shamo 軍雞 Ryuichi Yamazaki
2008 Sasori 蠍子 Hei Tai
2012 Hyperspace Rescue 超時空救兵 Shi Kejin
2012 Bear It 熊熊愛上你 Peter
2012 Westgate Tango 西門町 Jin
2013 Love Is Beautiful 愛,很美 Ray Zheng-yu
2013 Before We Dissolve 緣來是愛 Short film
2014 Are You Ready to Marry Me 我想結婚的時候你在哪 Gao Yi-an
2015 Where Are All The Time 時間都去哪了
2016 Skiptrace 絕地逃亡 Esmond
2017 The Choice 選擇遊戲 Lin Zijun
2019 Magic Circle

Music video appearances

edit
Year Song title Details Video
2003 Mr. Right
(對的人)
  • Singer(s): Ailing Tai 戴愛玲
  • Album: Do Stupid Things For Love (為愛做的傻事)
Video on YouTube
2004 Only Because of You
(都只因為你)
Video on YouTube
2009 Insomnia
(失眠)
  • Singer(s): Evonne Hsu
  • Album: Love*Over (愛*極限)
Video on YouTube
2015 This is it!
(風蕭蕭兮)
  • Singer(s): Shin
  • Album: Whatever, I Just Believe In (反正我信了)
Video on YouTube

Discography

edit

Studio albums

edit
# English Title Original title Release Date Label
1st Not Anymore 我不像我 10 August 2004 Warner Music Taiwan[13]
2nd Together 同行 19 January 2007[14]

Soundtrack singles

edit
Year English title Original title Television series
2004 "Give Up" 放棄 The Outsiders
"Promise" 答應 The Outsiders II
2005 "Steal Another Day" 偷天換日 Coming Lies
2013 "Borrow Loved Ones" 借用愛的人 Borrow Your Love

References

edit
  1. ^ "Dylan Kuo". chinesemov.com. Archived from the original on 8 October 2010. Retrieved 4 March 2010.
  2. ^ "Shadow walker". Archived from the original on 2 December 2015. Retrieved 26 November 2015.
  3. ^ "郭品超14歲前與媽媽相依為命 喪母一夜長大 | 蘋果新聞網 | 蘋果日報". 22 October 2010. Archived from the original on 31 December 2013. Retrieved 31 December 2013.
  4. ^ (in Chinese) The Longest Night in Shanghai Archived 27 August 2009 at the Wayback Machine Dylan Kuo sina.com news
  5. ^ (in Chinese)[1] Archived 3 October 2010 at the Wayback Machine Dylan Kuo libertytimes.com Retrieved 14 February 2014
  6. ^ http://www.crunchyroll.com/forumtopic-357377/latest-asian-newsbuzz?pg=295 Archived 27 February 2014 at the Wayback Machine Dylan Kuo cleanliness news
  7. ^ 《谈判官》曝人物海报 郭品超帅气饰商海精英. Tencent (in Chinese). 27 July 2017. Archived from the original on 21 June 2018. Retrieved 20 June 2018.
  8. ^ 郭品超携抗战新剧来宁 (in Chinese). Sina Corp. 26 May 2018. Archived from the original on 20 June 2018. Retrieved 20 June 2018.
  9. ^ 郭品超《古剑奇谭二》人物海报曝光 网友"帅炸天". ifeng (in Chinese). 6 January 2017. Archived from the original on 21 June 2018. Retrieved 20 June 2018.
  10. ^ 《将夜》二师兄"出山"郭品超出演君陌. Netease (in Chinese). 8 December 2017. Archived from the original on 20 June 2018. Retrieved 20 June 2018.
  11. ^ "《三生三世枕上书》官宣演员阵容". Xinhua News Agency. 26 July 2018. Archived from the original on 30 July 2018.
  12. ^ 郭品超《赢天下》角色海报曝光 与范冰冰虐恋 (in Chinese). Sina Corp. 27 March 2017. Archived from the original on 20 June 2018. Retrieved 20 June 2018.
  13. ^ http://www.yesasia.com/global/%E6%88%91%E4%B8%8D%E5%83%8F%E6%88%91-%E5%88%9D%E5%9B%9E%E9%99%90%E5%AE%9A%E7%B2%BE%E8%A3%9D%E7%89%88-cd-vcd/1004503299-0-0-0-zh_TW/info.html Archived 13 August 2016 at the Wayback Machine. 我不像我 CD. Retrieved 11 July 2016
  14. ^ http://www.yesasia.com/us/together-cd-dvd/1004614360-0-0-0-en/info.html Archived 4 September 2023 at the Wayback Machine Dylan Kuo album info. Retrieved 17 February 2014
edit