Jo In-sung

Jo In-sung (Hangul: 조인성; born July 28, 1981) is a South Korean actor. He is best known for his leading roles in the television series What Happened in Bali (2004), That Winter, the Wind Blows (2013), and It's Okay, That's Love (2014), as well as the films The Classic (2003), A Dirty Carnival (2006), A Frozen Flower (2008) and The King (2017).

Jo In-sung was born and raised in Gangdong District, Seoul, South Korea. His childhood dream was to become a Taekwondo trainer.

1998–2001: Beginnings and rise to fame

Jo made his entertainment debut in 1998 as a model for clothing brand Ziozia. In 2000, he began his acting career by starring in the teen drama School 3 and in the second season of the sitcom Nonstop.

Jo first drew notice with a supporting role in the 2001 television drama Piano, co-starring Go Soo and Kim Ha-neul. He was then cast in his first drama leading role in 2002, as an illiterate actor in Shoot for the Stars opposite Jeon Do-yeon. The same year, he made his film debut in the movie Public Toilet.

2003–2008: Mainstream popularity

In 2003, Jo starred in three romance films, most notably Kwak Jae-yong's The Classic, with Son Ye-jin and Jo Seung-woo.

In 2004, he returned to television in the melodrama What Happened in Bali, alongside Ha Ji-won and So Ji-sub. What Happened in Bali was a huge success, with its final episode reaching a peak rating of 39.7%. Jo won Best Actor awards at both the Baeksang Arts Awards and SBS Drama Awards.

In 2005, he starred opposite Go Hyun-jung in her comeback drama Spring Day, a remake of the Japanese drama Hoshi no Kinka ("Heaven's Coins").

Jo collaborated with renowned director Yoo Ha in his next two films: 2006's A Dirty Carnival, in which he played a charismatic small-time gangster who seeks a happier life; and 2008's A Frozen Flower, a Goryeo-period film where his royal bodyguard character is caught in a love triangle between the king and the queen.

In 2008, he appeared in two episodes of the MBC comedy variety show Infinite Challenge on March 15 and 22. These episodes were about wrestling training in order to encourage South Korean national team before the 2008 Beijing Olympics.

2009–2012: Enlistment

On April 7, 2009, Jo enlisted for his two-year mandatory military service; he reportedly wanted to join the Air Force to follow in the footsteps of his father, who served as a non-commissioned officer. He served 25 months in the Air Force and the Air Force military band, and was discharged on May 4, 2011.

Upon the expiry of his contract with talent agency SidusHQ, Jo joined IOK Company in March 2012.

2013–present

In 2013, he co-starred in the melodrama That Winter, the Wind Blows alongside Song Hye-kyo, a remake of the Japanese drama Ai Nante Irane Yo, Natsu ("I Don't Need Love, Summer"). The drama placed number one in its timeslot during most of its run, and Jo and Song were praised for their performances. A year later, Jo reunited with Winter's writer and director in SBS' medical melo It's Okay, That's Love opposite Gong Hyo-jin. Jo won the Daesang (Grand Prize), the highest honor for television at the APAN Star Awards.

In 2017, Jo starred in the crime thriller The King alongside Jung Woo-sung, directed by The Face Reader director Han Jae-rim. The same year, he was cast in historical film Ansi City.

Jo studied modeling and events management at Chunnam Techno University. He later enrolled as a Theater and Film major at Dongguk University, but dropped out in 2007 due to inadequate class attendance.

Jo was in a relationship with actress Kim Min-hee from 2013 to 2014.

In 2016, actor Kim Woo-bin revealed his 9-member "group" of actors which includes Kim himself, Jo In-sung, Song Joong-ki, Lim Ju-hwan, Bae Seong-woo, Cha Tae-hyun, Kim Ki-bang, Exo's D.O. and Lee Kwang-soo.

Film

Television

Music video