Jo Jung-suk

Jo Jung-suk (; born December 26, 1980) is a South Korean actor. He began his career in theater, starring in '' Spring Awakening'', ''Hedwig and the Angry Inch'', '' Grease'' and stage adaptation of '' The Harmonium in My Memory'', among many other musicals and plays.

After nearly a decade on the stage, Jo made his film debut as a comedic supporting actor in the 2012 box office hit ''Architecture 101'', which became his breakout role. His versatility was further showcased by the television series ''The King 2 Hearts'' (2012), ''You Are the Best!'' (2013), '' Oh My Ghost'' (2015), ''Don't Dare to Dream'' (2016), ''Hospital Playlist'' (2020–2021), as well as films ''The Face Reader'' (2013), '' My Love, My Bride'' (2014), ''My Annoying Brother'' (2016), ''Exit (2019)''.

With his film ''Pilot'' (2024), he won the Baeksang Arts Award for Best Actor.

Career

2004–2010: Early career, becoming ''a musical star''

Jo Jung-suk had always wanted to be on stage. He was admitted into the Theater department of Seoul Institute of the Arts on student loan, but after his father died in 2000, Jo's widowed mother became fully dependent on him. He was granted an exemption from military service due to family circumstances, and he quit school before graduating so he could start earning money by doing musicals. He made his professional acting debut in ''The Nutcracker'' in 2004.

Jo then became active and well known in musical theatre, acting in a total of 25 musicals during the first nine years of his career, including ''Organ in My Heart'' (musical adaptation of '' The Harmonium in My Memory''), ''Janggeum the Great'' (musical adaptation of ''Jewel in the Palace''), and Korean productions of ''Hedwig and the Angry Inch'', '' Grease'', '' The Island'', and '' Spring Awakening''.

Jo Jeong-suk said this in an interview with the past media,

"To be honest, I don't really like the word musical actor. I just want to be an actor. A really good actor."
Financial News article on May 3, 2007

2011–2018: ''Introduction to Architecture'', breakout roles and success

In 2011, he landed his first television role on cable series ''What's Up'' as an awkward but talented music student. But 2012 would be his breakout year, starring in two high-profile projects. In his big screen debut, he played a supporting role in box office hit ''Architecture 101''. As the young hero's best friend Nab-ddeuk, Jo's performance brimmed with personality and comic timing, and he won Best New Actor at the Blue Dragon Film Awards, as well as received nominations from the Grand Bell Awards and Buil Film Awards. He was once again a scene stealer in his third onscreen role as earnest soldier Eun Shi-kyung in the drama series ''The King 2 Hearts''. Jo's display of versatility and screen presence in those projects caused a surge in mainstream popularity for the actor, resulting in close to twenty offers for films and TV series, not to mention commercials.

He next starred in big-screen comedy ''Almost Che'', loosely based on a real-life incident from 1985, in which student activists forcibly occupied the US Cultural Center in Seoul and had a standoff with the police.

In 2013, Jo Jung-suk starred in his first historical film, ''The Face Reader,'' alongside Song Kang-ho. Jo played the role of Paeng Heon, a character who holds the key to an important plot reversal in the film. He wanders around the eight provinces in the story. Jo received favorable reviews from critics for his excellent performance and established himself as an actor by winning the Best Supporting Actor award at both the Grand Bell Awards and the Korean Association of Film Critics Awards. Song Kang-ho praised Jo's performance, saying:

"Jo Jung-suk is a talented actor. He was imprinted on the public through 'Introduction to Architecture', but in fact, he expressed various emotions in ''The Face Reader.'' He seems to be an excellent performer, capable of acting with emotional depth rather than a comedic appearance."
Sports Chosun, September 2, 2013.

Then Jo returned to television in his first onscreen leading role in the 2013 family drama ''You Are the Best!''.

Jo appeared in two films in 2014: the period thriller ''The Fatal Encounter'', where he played an assassin targeting King Jeongjo, and the romantic comedy '' My Love, My Bride'', a remake of the same-titled 1990 hit in which he and Shin Min-ah played a newly married couple.

In 2015, Jo played an arrogant star chef who falls for his kitchen assistant who's been possessed by a virgin ghost in '' Oh My Ghost'', which was a commercial and critical hit. He also headlined '' The Exclusive: Beat the Devil's Tattoo'', in which he played a TV news reporter who gets a scoop, followed by the time-hopping thriller ''Time Renegades''.

In 2016, Jo played an announcer in SBS's romantic comedy ''Don't Dare to Dream'' who falls for a weather announcer (played by Gong Hyo-jin). The series was a hit and led to increased popularity for Jo, who then became one of the most in-demand actors in the industry. He then headlined the comedy-drama film ''My Annoying Brother'' alongside Park Shin-hye and Doh Kyung-soo of Exo. The film topped box office charts and earned positive reviews for Jo, who was praised for his comedic timing and chemistry with co-star Do.

In 2017, Jo was cast in the gangster thriller ''The Drug King'', directed by Woo Min-ho. The same year, he made his small-screen comeback in MBC's fantasy comedy drama ''Two Cops''.

In 2018, Jo was cast in the action thriller film ''Hit-and-Run Squad'' in which he took a role as an antagonist.

2019–present: Commercial success and musical career

After the contract with Cultural Depot was terminated in February 2018, Jo Jung-suk worked as a free agent for a while. In March 2019, he signed an exclusive contract with Jam Entertainment, a new agency. Later, he took on the role of Baek Yi-gang, the eldest son of the notorious stranger Baekga in the historical drama ''Nokdu Flower''.

In 2019, Jo starred alongside Im Yoon-ah in disaster action comedy film written and directed by Lee Sang-geun, ''Exit''. The film follows the story of Yongnam, a young unemployed man, who attempts to reconnect with an old crush, but following a chain of events, they end up trying to escape from a mysterious white gas that threatens to engulf the entire Seoul district. Exit first premiered in South Korea on July 31, 2019. It was considered a box office success earning over US$69.5 million worldwide, becoming South Korea's third highest-grossing domestic film for 2019. Jo established himself as a box office actor with his acting skills and ticket power combined. He was nominated for the Best Actor Award at the Blue Dragon Film Awards.

In 2020, Jo starred as an assistant professor of general surgery, Lee Ik-jun, in the medical drama ''Hospital Playlist''. The television series was created by director Shin Won-ho and writer Lee Woo-jung of the ''Reply'' series. It recorded an audience rating of 14.1% in the final episode, and received positive reviews throughout its run. In 2021, Jo reprised the role in the second season. Jo hosted the ''Jo Jung-suk Show'' at Mastercard Hall in Blue Square, Seoul, for two days on September 3 to 4, 2022.

In 2024, Jo starred in the period drama ''Captivating the King'', which aired on tvN from January 21 to March 3, 2024. Jo portrays Yi In, a king caught up in political power struggles that falls in love with the spy Kang Hee-soo, played by Shin Se-kyung, who seeks revenge. In that same year, Jo made a comeback in the musical ''Hedwig'', appearing after an eight-year hiatus. The musical ran from March until June at the Charlotte Theater, Seoul. Its opening performance received positive reviews, with praise for Jo's performance.

Jo debuted as a singer in 2024, marking Jo's 20th year in the entertainment industry. The project is headed by his best friend, CEO Jeong Sang-hoon, with assistance from comedian Moon Sang-hoon. Starring Gong Hyo-jin and Kim Dae-myung, the music video for his debut single was directed by Yang Jung-woo, marking their first collaboration since '' Youth Over Flowers Iceland'' (2016). The project was chronicled in a reality television series called ' Playlist to A-list' (referencing his role on 'Hospital Playlist'), documenting Jo's journey in writing songs, being judged by a singing-show type panel, and collaborating with multiple artists. Several celebrity guest stars appear, such as IU, Dynamic Duo, and Jo's wife, the singer Gummy. This is the first television collaboration between Jo and Gummy. The series culminates with a showcase on March 27, 2024, at Blue Square, Seoul, where he presented the songs and the album's concept.

Other ventures

Endorsements

After the success of ''Architecture 101'' and the drama ''The King 2 Hearts'' in 2012, Jo started receiving numerous advertising offers. His first TV commercial was for LG U+. Following the success of the film ''My Annoying Brother'', Jo's popularity continued to rise. He became the brand ambassador for an online English learning platform in 2016, and his promotional video for the platform went viral on social media. Another popular commercial featuring Jo was his tuna commercial with Son Na-eun.

In 2021, Jo Jung-seok has been the face of 12 different brands, promoting products such as mobile communications, credit cards, drinks, ramen, reading platforms, masks, and more. He ranked 4th in a CF revenue chart in 2021.

Philanthropy

In 2019, newlywed Jo Jeong-seok and Gummy, donated 30 million won to the National Disaster Relief Association.

Personal life

Jo has been in a relationship with singer Gummy since 2013. In June 2018, it was announced that Jo would marry Gummy in fall. On October 8, 2018, news broke that the couple got married privately. On January 6, 2020, Gummy's agency confirmed that she was 7 weeks pregnant with the couple's first child. On August 6, 2020, Jo and wife Gummy welcomed their first daughter.

Filmography

Film

Television series

Television shows

Web show

Stage

Concerts

Musical

Theater

Discography

Soundtrack appearances

Compilation appearances

Awards and nominations

State honors

Listicles

Notes

References

External links

* at JAM Entertainment
*
*
*

{{DEFAULTSORT:Jo, Jung-suk
1980 births
Living people
21st-century South Korean male actors
Male actors from Seoul
People from Gangseo District, Seoul
South Korean male stage actors
South Korean male musical theatre actors
South Korean male film actors
South Korean male television actors
South Korean television personalities
Seoul Institute of the Arts alumni