His time at Yonsei coincided with what is often retrospectively dubbed the "golden era" of domestic college basketball and was referenced in the television series Reply 1994.

He and his teammates, as well as their counterparts from traditional athletic rivals Korea University, enjoyed a level of popularity similar to that of idol singers and A-list actors/actresses due to their skills and good looks.

Together with his future national teammates Yonsei counterparts Lee Sang-min, Moon Kyung-eun and Woo Ji-won and Korea University's Hyun Joo-yup, Chun Hee-chul and Shin Ki-sung among others, they were collectively dubbed "Oppa Troupe" (오빠부대) by the media.

[10] In 1994, Seo was first called-up to the South Korean senior national team and played in the 1994 FIBA world cup.

He is also a regular panelist on the talk show Same Bed, Different Dreams, and a permanent cast member of JTBC's Knowing Bros.[15] On June 23, 2009, Seo married Oh Jeong-yeon, a television announcer.