According to industry insiders, Byun Yo Han's exclusive contract with his agency, Saram Entertainment (hereafter Saram Ent.), is expiring this month.

Discussions have concluded without any additional contract renewal, marking the end of their partnership. This brings to a close a journey that began in 2014 and included a contract renewal in 2021, summing up to about 10 years with Saram Ent.

News of Byun Yo-han becoming a free agent has been a topic of interest among insiders for several months. As a leading actor in his 30s, known for both his acting skills and star quality, there was significant attention on the movements of top-tier actors as their contract renewal season approached this year. After much deliberation, Byun Yo-han appears to have decided on a change.

A graduate of the Korea National University of Arts (KNUA), Byun Yo-han made his debut in the short film 'Saturday Work' in 2011. He earned a reputation as the 'Song Joong-ki of independent films' by appearing in numerous short and independent films. Transitioning to feature films, he steadily built his filmography with works like 'Cold Eyes' (2013), 'Socialphobia' (2015), and 'Will You Be There?' (2016).

He also made a name for himself on television, rising to stardom with tvN's 'Misaeng' in 2014, and then furthering his acclaim with major roles in SBS's 'Six Flying Dragons' and tvN's 'Mr. Sunshine.'

In 2021, Byun showcased his matured acting in Lee Joon-ik's 'The Book of Fish,' winning his first Best Actor award at the Busan Film Critics Awards. His role in Kim Han-min's 'Hansan: Dragon's Appearance' in 2022 as Wakisaka Yasuharu brought him multiple Best Supporting Actor awards, from the 43rd Blue Dragon Film Awards to the 59th Baeksang Arts Awards.

Byun Yo-han is set to greet viewers early next year with MBC's upcoming drama 'Blackout' and has completed shooting for the blockbuster OTT series 'Uncle Samshik.' As he embarks on a new start in a new environment in the coming year, there is much anticipation for the continued prolific career of Byun Yo-han.