Jung Woo-sung (born March 20, 1973) is a South Korean actor and the first Korean

UNHCR The United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) is a United Nations agency mandated to aid and protect refugees, forcibly displaced communities, and stateless people, and to assist in their voluntary repatriation, local integrati ...

Goodwill Ambassador Goodwill ambassador is a post-nominal honorific title, a professional occupation and/or authoritative designation that is assigned to a person who advocates for a specific cause or global issue on the basis of their notability such as a public ...

. Jung started his career as a fashion model, rising to stardom and teenage cult status with the gangster movie ''

Beat Beat, beats or beating may refer to: Common uses * Patrol, or beat, a group of personnel assigned to monitor a specific area ** Beat (police), the territory that a police officer patrols ** Gay beat, an area frequented by gay men * Battery (c ...

'' (1997), for which he won Best New Actor at the 17th

Korean Association of Film Critics Awards The Korean Association of Film Critics Awards (), also known as the Critics Choice Awards (), is an annual awards ceremony for excellence in film in South Korea. It was established in 1980 by the Korean Association of Film Critics (KAFC). The c ...

. Jung is also widely popular in other Asian countries, notably in

Japan Japan ( ja, 日本, or , and formally , ''Nihonkoku'') is an island country in East Asia. It is situated in the northwest Pacific Ocean, and is bordered on the west by the Sea of Japan, while extending from the Sea of Okhotsk in the north ...

. He is a versatile actor known for playing leading roles in a wide spectrum of genres including high-grossing box office hits: '' Steel Rain'' (2017), '' The King'' (2017), '' Asura: The City of Madness'' (2016), ''

The Divine Move ''The Divine Move'' () is a 2014 South Korean action film directed by Jo Bum-gu. It stars Jung Woo-sung as a former baduk player, and revolves around his quest for revenge. The title refers to a particularly brilliant move, considered to be a "o ...

'' (2014), ''

Cold Eyes ''Cold Eyes'' (; lit. "Stakeout" or "Surveillance") is a 2013 South Korean action thriller film starring Sol Kyung-gu, Jung Woo-sung, and Han Hyo-joo. A remake of the 2007 Hong Kong film '' Eye in the Sky'', ''Cold Eyes'' is about detectives fr ...

'' (2013); martial arts pic: ''

Reign of Assassins ''Reign of Assassins'' is a 2010 ''wuxia'' film directed by Su Chao-pin and co-directed by John Woo. The film is shot in China and set during the Ming Dynasty. The film stars Michelle Yeoh, who plays an assassin who tries to return to a normal li ...

'' (2010), fantasy: '' The Restless'' (2006); dramas; '' Don't Forget Me'' (2016), ''

City of the Rising Sun ''City of the Rising Sun'' () is a 1998 South Korean film about two friends, Hong-ki and Do-chul in their mid twenties, struggling on life in the late 1990s Korean scenario. The film stars Jung Woo-sung as Do-chul and Lee Jung-jae as Hong-ki. Sto ...

'' (1998), erotic thriller '' Scarlet Innocence'' (2014); romantic movies: '' A Good Rain Knows'' (2009), '' Daisy'' (2006), ''

A Moment to Remember ''A Moment to Remember'' (; lit. "Eraser in My Head") is a 2004 South Korean film based on the 2001 Japanese television drama ''Pure Soul''. It stars Son Ye-jin and Jung Woo-sung and follows the theme of discovery in a relationship and the burden ...

'' (2004) and historical epic ''

Musa Musa may refer to: Places * Mūša, a river in Lithuania and Latvia * Musa, Azerbaijan, a village in Yardymli Rayon * Musa, Iran, a village in Ilam Province * Musa, Chaharmahal and Bakhtiari, Iran *Musa, Kerman, Iran * Musa, Bukan, West Azerbaija ...

'' (2001). His critically acclaimed film ''

Innocent Witness ''Innocent Witness'' () is a 2019 South Korean drama film directed by Lee Han, starring Jung Woo-sung and Kim Hyang-gi. The film was released in South Korea on February 13, 2019. Synopsis The story follows the relationship between a lawyer and a ...

'' (2019) won him Best Actor at the 40th Blue Dragon Film Awards and the Daesang (Grand Prize) for Film at the

55th Baeksang Arts Awards The 55th Baeksang Arts Awards () ceremony, organised by ''Ilgan Sports'' and JTBC Plus, took place on May 1, 2019, at Hall D, COEX, Seoul, beginning at 9:00 p.m. KST. It was hosted by Shin Dong-yup, Bae Suzy and Park Bo-gum for the second cons ...

. He is also an accomplished television actor. For his first major TV drama part in ''

Asphalt Man ''Asphalt Man'' () is a 1995 South Korean television series starring Lee Byung-hun, Choi Jin-sil, Jung Woo-sung, and Lee Young-ae. Based on the 1991 comic of the same title by manhwa artist Huh Young-man, it aired on SBS from May 17 to July 6, 19 ...

'' (1995) he won Best New Actor at

SBS Drama Awards The SBS Drama Awards (), also known as SBS Awards Festival, is an awards ceremony presented annually by Seoul Broadcasting System (SBS) for outstanding achievements in Korean dramas aired on its network. It is held annually on December 31. The hi ...

and at the 32nd

Baeksang Arts Awards The Baeksang Arts Awards (), also known as the Paeksang Arts Awards, are awards for excellence in film, television and theatre in South Korea. The awards were first introduced in 1965 by Chang Key-young, the founder of the Hankook Ilbo newspap ...

(TV). His other prominent roles were in high-budget espionage TV series '' Athena: Goddess of War'' (2010) and the romantic drama ''

Padam Padam ''Padam Padam'' () is a 2011 South Korean television series starring Jung Woo-sung, Han Ji-min, and Kim Bum. The romance / fantasy series was written by Noh Hee-kyung, and the title is a reference to a 1951 French song by Edith Piaf, an onom ...

'' (2011).

Early life

Jung grew up in

Sadang-dong Sadang-dong is a '' dong'' (neighborhood) of Dongjak-gu in Seoul, South Korea. In a survey conducted in 2011 by the Ministry of Land, Transport and Maritime Affairs on 92 Administrative divisions across the country, it reported that the bus stops ...

, then one of the poorest towns in

Seoul Seoul (; ; ), officially known as the Seoul Special City, is the capital and largest metropolis of South Korea.Before 1972, Seoul was the ''de jure'' capital of the Democratic People's Republic of Korea (North Korea) as stated iArticle 103 ...

. He gave up studying, dropping out of high school after one year, to work and thus support the family budget. He never hid this fact or regretted doing so. He was tall in elementary school, his height causing him to constantly hunch. When trying to break into the film industry, he was told he was too tall to become an actor, so he first worked as a model.

Career

Film

Jung Woo-sung made his film debut with a leading role in 1994's ''

The Fox with Nine Tails ''The Fox with Nine Tails'' () is a 1994 South Korean film. It was the first feature film by the director Park Heon-su. It was also the film debut of the leading actors Ko So-young and Jung Woo-sung, who later starred together in '' Beat'' (1997 ...

'', one of the first Korean fantasy movies and the first to use

computer-generated imagery Computer-generated imagery (CGI) is the use of computer graphics to create or contribute to images in art, printed media, video games, simulators, and visual effects in films, television programs, shorts, commercials, and videos. The images may ...

. He debuted together with actress

Ko So-young Ko So-young (; born October 6, 1972) is a South Korean actress and model. Early life Ko was born in Seoul, South Korea. She attended an all-female high school before gaining early admission to Chung-Ang University, where she studied computer sci ...

, who later co-starred with him twice including in his breakthrough 1997 film ''

''."Actors and Actresses of Korean Cinema: Jung Woo-sung"
''Koreanfilm.org.'' Retrieved 2012-08-13. Directed by Kim Sung-su, ''

'' is a story of a high school student forced into gang life. The movie brought Jung widespread fame and started his rise to Korea's

A-list An A-list actor is a major movie star, or one of the most bankable actors in a film industry. The A-list is part of a larger guide called ''The Hot List'', which ranks the bankability of 1,400 movie actors worldwide, and has become an industry ...

actor and one of the most sought-after commercial models. In 1999, he starred in director ''

'', playing an unsuccessful boxer who forms a friendship with an unlucky swindler. His co-lead in the movie, actor

Lee Jung-jae Lee Jung-jae (; born December 15, 1972) is a South Korean actor and filmmaker. Considered one of the most successful actors in South Korea, he has received various accolades, including a Primetime Emmy Award, a Screen Actors Guild Award, a Cr ...

, became his lifelong friend. Jung later played a naval lieutenant in ''Phantom: The Submarine'' and a marathoner in ''Love''. 2001's ''

'' marked his third collaboration with director Kim Sung-su. In the epic blockbuster, Jung played opposite Chinese star

Zhang Ziyi Zhang Ziyi (; ; born 9 February 1979) is a Chinese actress and model. She is regarded as one of the Four Dan Actresses of China. Her first major role was in '' The Road Home'' (1999). She later gained international recognition for her role in ...

and received wide exposure abroad as well as in Korea. After spending time in 2002 directing a series of music videos and appearing in a large number of commercials, Jung took on the eccentric lead role in '' Mutt Boy'', the fifth film by director

Kwak Kyung-taek Kwak Kyung-taek (; born 23 May 1966) is a South Korean film director best known for his 2001 record-breaking film ''Friend (2001 film), Friend''. Career ''Friend'', a drama where conflicting criminal alliances turn old friends into enemies, ...

. Jung's next roles were in highly romantic roles that used his established screen image. In the box office hit ''

'' he played an architect whose wife (played by

Son Ye-jin Son Ye-jin (born Son Eon-jin on January 11, 1982) is a South Korean actress. She rose to fame in 2003 for '' The Classic'' and '' Summer Scent'', which were followed by the commercially successful ''A Moment to Remember'' (2004) and ''April Snow ...

) is diagnosed with early-onset

Alzheimer's disease Alzheimer's disease (AD) is a neurodegeneration, neurodegenerative disease that usually starts slowly and progressively worsens. It is the cause of 60–70% of cases of dementia. The most common early symptom is difficulty in short-term me ...

and in the

Netherlands ) , anthem = ( en, "William of Nassau") , image_map = , map_caption = , subdivision_type = Sovereign state , subdivision_name = Kingdom of the Netherlands , established_title = Before independence , established_date = Spanish Netherl ...

-set '' Daisy'', he played a hired assassin who falls in love with a street artist played by

Jun Ji-hyun Jun Ji-hyun (born Wang Ji-hyun on 30 October 1981), also known by her English name Gianna Jun, is a South Korean actress and model. She has received multiple awards, including two Grand Bell Awards for Best Actress and a Daesang (Grand Prize) f ...

. He portrayed a happily committed fireman in ''

Sad Movie ''Sad Movie'' is a 2005 South Korean romantic melodrama film with an ensemble cast. The film was released in South Korean theaters on October 20, 2005, and had a total of 1,066,765 admissions nationwide.The Restless''. Jung Woo-sung Sydney 2008

Kim Jee-woon Kim Jee-woon (; born July 6, 1964) is a South Korean film director and screenwriter. Career Kim started out directing theater but has worked with increasing levels of success in cinema, showing accomplished acting and a detailed stylization in ...

's "kimchi western" ''

The Good, the Bad, the Weird ''The Good, the Bad, the Weird'' () is a 2008 South Korean Western action film directed by Kim Jee-woon and starring Song Kang-ho, Lee Byung-hun, and Jung Woo-sung.' The film is inspired by the 1966 Italian Spaghetti Western ''The Good, the Bad and ...

'' inspired by Sergio Leone's work, would become one of Jung's most iconic roles. He used his physicality to great effect as the

Clint Eastwood Clinton Eastwood Jr. (born May 31, 1930) is an American actor and film director. After achieving success in the Western TV series '' Rawhide'', he rose to international fame with his role as the "Man with No Name" in Sergio Leone's "''Doll ...

counterpart in ''

The Good, the Bad and the Ugly ''The Good, the Bad and the Ugly'' ( it, Il buono, il brutto, il cattivo, literally "The good, the ugly, the bad") is a 1966 Italian epic spaghetti Western film directed by Sergio Leone and starring Clint Eastwood as "the Good", Lee Van Clee ...

''. The film was screened out of competition at the 2008 Cannes Film Festival which also marked its world premiere. Jung attended the festival together with his co-stars. He won Best Supporting Actor at the 3rd Asian Film Awards and Outstanding Achievement in Acting at the 2008

Hawaii International Film Festival The Hawai'i International Film Festival (HIFF) is an annual film festival held in the United States state of Hawaii. HIFF has a focus on Asian-Pacific cinema, education, and the work of new and emerging filmmakers. HIFF’s primary festival is h ...

for his performance. Shortly afterwards, Jung worked again with

on a

short film A short film is any motion picture that is short enough in running time not to be considered a feature film. The Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences defines a short film as "an original motion picture that has a running time of 40 minutes ...

for W Korea. Jung then starred alongside Chinese actress

Gao Yuanyuan Gao Yuanyuan (, born 5 October 1979) is a Chinese actress and model. She ranked 64th on ''Forbes'' China Celebrity 100 list in 2013, 40th in 2014, 76th in 2015, and 86th in 2017. Career Gao Yuanyuan was born in Beijing and graduated from China In ...

Hur Jin-ho Heo Jin-ho (; born August 8, 1963) is a South Korean film director and screenwriter. Career Heo Jin-ho graduated from Yonsei University with a degree in philosophy and went on to study filmmaking at the Korean Academy of Film Arts. His first st ...

's romance film ''

A Season of Good Rain ''Season of Good Rain'' (), also known as ''A Good Rain Knows'', is a 2009 film by Hur Jin-ho. It stars South Korean actor Jung Woo-sung and Chinese actress Gao Yuanyuan. The film was released to South Korean theaters on October 8 and had a total o ...

'', and Su Chao-pin's martial arts film ''

'' with

Michelle Yeoh Michelle Yeoh Choo Kheng, ( ; born 6 August 1962) is a Malaysian actress. Credited as Michelle Khan in her early Hong Kong films, she rose to fame in the 1990s after starring in a series of Hong Kong action films where she performed her own ...

. In 2011, Jung was cast in the English-language 3D remake of

John Woo John Woo Yu-Sen SBS (; born September 22, 1946) is a Hong Kong filmmaker, known as a highly-influential figure in the action film genre. He was a pioneer of heroic bloodshed films (a crime action film genre involving Chinese triads) and the gun fu ...

's '' The Killer''. The film was to be shot in Los Angeles, and reunite him with ''A Moment to Remember'' director John H. Lee and ''Reign of Assassins'' director

acting also as producer. The project has been put on hold while John Woo works on another film. The project has yet to take off, however. Jung Woo-sung at BIFF 2013 01

Jung drew praise in his first villain role in ''

'', an action thriller that became a box office hit in 2013. He portrayed the ruthless head of a criminal organization specializing in bank robbery, eluding the detectives chasing him with uncanny dexterity. Jung next played a baduk player seeking revenge in ''

'', followed by an adulterous university professor gradually losing his eyesight in '' Scarlet Innocence''. ''Scarlet Innocence'' had its world premiere at the

2014 Toronto International Film Festival The 39th annual Toronto International Film Festival, the 39th event in the Toronto International Film Festival series, was held in Canada from 4–14 September 2014. David Dobkin's film '' The Judge'', starring Robert Downey Jr. and Robert Duv ...

, meeting with positive reviews from critics. He then took a leading role in the melodrama indie feature '' Don't Forget Me'', also known as ''Remember You'', a remake of the 2010 short film ''Remember O Goddess'', both directed by Lee Yoon-jung. Jung had also co-produced this movie, explaining that he wanted to protect the director's original ideas that other producers wanted to modify. In 2016, he starred in the noir crime thriller '' Asura: The City of Madness'', his fourth collaboration with director Kim Sung-su. Jung played a crooked detective who attempts to save his terminally ill wife while arresting a corrupt town mayor. ''Asura'' premiered globally at the 41st

Toronto Film Festival Toronto ( ; or ) is the capital city of the Canadian province of Ontario. With a recorded population of 2,794,356 in 2021, it is the most populous city in Canada and the fourth most populous city in North America. The city is the anchor ...

in September, 2016, where it was shown in the Special Presentations section. The actor's second movie shot in 2016 and released in 2017 was

Han Jae-rim Han Jae-rim (born July 14, 1975) is a South Korean film director. He directed '' Rules of Dating'' (2005), ''The Show Must Go On'' (2007), '' The Face Reader'' (2013), '' The King'' (2017), and '' Emergency Declaration'' (2021). Career Born in ...

's political drama '' The King'', whose plot revolves around a senior prosecutor being manipulated by an overambitious younger colleague connected to the mafia. In 2017, Jung stars in '' Steel Rain'', playing a former agent from North Korea's intelligence bureau. In 2018 he played an officer of the elite police unit in the science fiction action thriller '' Illang: The Wolf Brigade''. The film, based on the Japanese

anime is Traditional animation, hand-drawn and computer animation, computer-generated animation originating from Japan. Outside of Japan and in English, ''anime'' refers specifically to animation produced in Japan. However, in Japan and in Japane ...

'' Jin-Roh: The Wolf Brigade'', was his second collaboration with director

. In 2019, he is set to star in drama film ''

'' as a lawyer. His performance earned him the Grand Prize in film at the

. The same year he starred in the thriller ''Beasts that Cling to the Straw''. In 2020, Jung starred in the sequel of '' Steel Rain'', titled '' Steel Rain 2: Summit''. Jung starred alongside Lee Jung-jae in Lee's directorial debut, spy action film ''

Hunt Hunting is the human practice of seeking, pursuing, capturing, or killing wildlife or feral animals. The most common reasons for humans to hunt are to harvest food (i.e. meat) and useful animal products (fur/ hide, bone/tusks, horn/antler, e ...

'' which premiered at

2022 Cannes Film Festival The 75th annual Cannes Film Festival is an upcoming film festival scheduled to take place from 17 to 28 May 2022. The festival will see a tribute to actor Tom Cruise, whose film '' Top Gun: Maverick'' is due to premiere at the festival. The off ...

Television

In 1995 Jung appeared in his first major television role in SBS drama series

, playing an aspiring race driver who leaves to United States to realize his dream. The part not only expanded his popularity but also brought him critical acclaim with Best New Actor award at 32nd

and

. In 2010 Jung returned to the small screen after 15 years' absence in the big-budget spy series '' Athena: Goddess of War'', playing an NTS (National Anti-Terror Service) agent. ''Athena'' was a spin-off to the 2009 highly successful

KBS2 The Korean Broadcasting System (KBS) () is the national broadcaster of South Korea. Founded in February 1927, it is one of the leading South Korean television and radio broadcasters. KBS operates seven radio networks, ten television channels, a ...

drama ''

IRIS Iris most often refers to: *Iris (anatomy), part of the eye *Iris (mythology), a Greek goddess * ''Iris'' (plant), a genus of flowering plants * Iris (color), an ambiguous color term Iris or IRIS may also refer to: Arts and media Fictional ent ...

''. With a budget of (), the series was shot on location in Italy, New Zealand, Japan and the United States. The aired in SBS channel, and its pilot episodes gathered 22.8% of the audience share. Jung and another actor were injured during filming in January 2011, causing a week's postponement of one of ''Athena's'' episodes. The series was also edited into a two-hour movie version, and released in 2011 as ''Athena: The Movie''. He made his Japanese drama debut with a

guest appearance In show business, a guest appearance is the participation of an outsider performer (such as a musician or actor) in an event such as a music record or concert, show, etc., when the performer does not belong to the regular band, cast, or other p ...

in episodes 6 and 7 of ''Good Life ~Arigatou, Papa. Sayonara~''. Jung followed that with another TV series ''

'' which marked the establishment of new cable broadcasting station

JTBC JTBC (shortened from ''Joongang Tongyang Broadcasting Company'' (; stylized as jtbc) is a South Korean nationwide pay television network. Its primary shareholder is JoongAng Holdings, with a 25% stake. It was launched on 1 December 2011. JTBC ...

. Jung said he "decided on this drama because (he) was drawn to the way

Noh Hee-kyung Noh Hee-kyung (born March 21, 1966) is a South Korean television screenwriter and essayist. Career Noh Hee-kyung has become renowned in South Korea for her realistic, cerebral and in-depth portrayals of the lives and relationships of ordinary ...

writes 'family drama.' Whether mother-son or father-son, the love and pain experienced by families is something (he)'d like to try portraying in a realistic way." He played a man who has recently been released from jail after serving a 16-year sentence for a crime he didn't commit. The series premiered on December 5, 2011. In December 2020, he replaced

Bae Seung-woo Bae Seong-woo (born November 21, 1972) is a South Korean actor. He starred in film such as '' Confession of Murder'' (2012), '' My Love, My Bride'' (2014), ''Office An office is a space where an organization's employees perform adminis ...

for SBS television series ''

Delayed Justice ''Delayed Justice'' () is a South Korean television series starring Kwon Sang-woo, Bae Seong-woo (replaced by Jung Woo-sung midway through the drama), Kim Ju-hyeon and Jung Woong-in. It aired on SBS TV from October 30, 2020 to January 23, 202 ...

'' as leading role. Jung served as an executive producer for Netflix series ''

The Silent Sea ''The Silent Sea'' is the seventh novel of Clive Cussler's Oregon Files series. The hardcover edition was released March 9, 2010. Other editions were released on other dates. Like the rest of the series, this book details the exploits of the ...

'' in 2021. and in 2022 he will star remake of Japanese drama ''Say Me to Love Me''

Directorial work

In 2000 Jung had started to try his hand at directing. His first works were music videos for one of the top South Korean pop music group

G.o.d. Groove Over Dose, known by the acronym g.o.d (), is a South Korean boy band formed by SidusHQ. Debuting in 1999, the group became one of the most popular boy bands of the early 2000s in South Korea. The members had gone on to solo careers in th ...

In 2012, he directed and starred in the promotional commercial for cable channel XTM. And a year later, Jung was among four celebrities who directed a

using

smartphone A smartphone is a portable computer device that combines mobile telephone and computing functions into one unit. They are distinguished from feature phones by their stronger hardware capabilities and extensive mobile operating systems, whic ...

Samsung Galaxy S4 The Samsung Galaxy S4 is an Android smartphone produced by Samsung Electronics as the fourth smartphone of the Samsung Galaxy S series and was first shown publicly on March 14, 2013, at Samsung Mobile Unpacked in New York City. It is the succes ...

with the theme "Meet a Life Companion." His short ''Love'' explored the feelings of first love, and recorded 1.8 million views on

YouTube YouTube is a global online video platform, online video sharing and social media, social media platform headquartered in San Bruno, California. It was launched on February 14, 2005, by Steve Chen, Chad Hurley, and Jawed Karim. It is owned by ...

. He then directed another short film for Samsung Galaxy S4, this time for the project "Story of Me and S4." In Jung's short ''Beginning of a Dream'',

Choi Jin-hyuk Choi Jin-hyuk (, born Kim Tae-ho, February 9, 1986) is a South Korean actor. He gained attention for his supporting roles in ''Gu Family Book'' and ''The Heirs'', and then went on to star in lead roles in '' Emergency Couple'', ''Pride and Prej ...

starred as an ordinary office worker who dreams of leaving his mundane existence and entering a world of fantasy; he is approached by a blue fish, rides a sports car at

supersonic speed Supersonic speed is the speed of an object that exceeds the speed of sound ( Mach 1). For objects traveling in dry air of a temperature of 20 °C (68 °F) at sea level, this speed is approximately . Speeds greater than five times ...

, sees a boy floating past holding a balloon, hangs out with a hippie band in their van, and meets himself as a young boy at a bus stop. In 2014, Jung along with actors

Francis Ng Francis Ng Chun-yu (; born 21 December 1961) is a Hong Kong actor and director. He is known for his roles in the TVB series ''Triumph in the Skies'' and in films such as ''Young and Dangerous'', '' Once Upon a Time in Triad Society'', '' A ...

and

Chang Chen Chang Chen (born 14 October 1976) is a Taiwanese actor. He was born in Taipei, Taiwan. His father Chang Kuo-chu and his brother Hans Chang are also actors. Career Chang started his film career at a very young age. He was then selected by a Ta ...

, directed three short films for '' Three Charmed Lives'', an omnibus commissioned by the

Hong Kong International Film Festival The Hong Kong International Film Festival (HKIFF), is one of Asia’s oldest international film festivals. Founded in 1976, the festival features different movies, filmmakers from different countries in Hong Kong. HKIFF screens around 230 films ...

. Critics praised Jung's short ''The Killer Behind the Old Man'' as the strongest and most stylish entry. In it, a son hires an ultra-methodical hitman (played by Andy Choi) to assassinate his own father, but the killer however finds himself transfixed by the man's slow-moving and ordered life, and thus hesitates to carry through with his mission. Jung was invited to present ''The Killer Behind the Old Man'' at the 9th London Korean Film Festival in November 2014. His feature directorial debut ''

A Man of Reason ''A Man of Reason'' () is a 2022 South Korean action drama film directed by Jung Woo-sung, in his feature directorial debut. The film will star Jung, Kim Nam-gil, Park Sung-woong, Kim Jun-han and Park Yoo-na. It had its world premiere at the ...

'', starring himself,

Kim Nam-gil Kim Nam-gil () is a South Korean actor, producer, director, singer and philanthropist. He is best known from leading roles in disaster blockbuster '' Pandora'' (2016); crime thriller ''Memoir of a Murderer '' (2017); adventure film '' The Pirate ...

Park Sung-woong Park Sung-woong (born January 9, 1973) is a South Korean actor. Following his acting debut in '' No. 3'' in 1997, Park has starred in several movies and television series, notably as a gangster in ''New World'' (2013) and a serial killer in '' T ...

, and

Kim Jun-han Kim Jun-han (born March 29, 1983) is a South Korean actor, film director and screenwriter A screenplay writer (also called screenwriter, scriptwriter, scribe or scenarist) is a writer who practices the craft of screenwriting, writing sc ...

was invited to the Special Presentations section at 2022 Toronto International Film Festival where it had its world premiere in September 2022.

UNHCR engagement

In May 2014,

Korea appointed Jung Woo-sung as its first celebrity supporter. He was officially nominated UNHCR National Goodwill Ambassador on June 17, 2015. He went on his first UNHCR mission to Nepal in 2014. He then donated () to help victims of the April 25th earthquake. In 2015 he visited South Sudan and in the beginning of March 2016 he met with Syrian refugees in Lebanon. In June 2017 he went to

Kurdistan Kurdistan ( ku, کوردستان ,Kurdistan ; lit. "land of the Kurds") or Greater Kurdistan is a roughly defined geo-cultural territory in Western Asia wherein the Kurds form a prominent majority population and the Kurdish culture, Kurdish la ...

Region of Iraq and visited Qushtapa camp for Syrian refugees and Hasansham U3 camp housing mainly Iraqis displaced from

Mosul Mosul ( ar, الموصل, al-Mawṣil, ku, مووسڵ, translit=Mûsil, Turkish: ''Musul'', syr, ܡܘܨܠ, Māwṣil) is a major city in northern Iraq, serving as the capital of Nineveh Governorate. The city is considered the second large ...

region.

Talent management firms

In October 2012 Jung left ''Taurus Films'', his agent since 2009, and established new talent agency ''Red Brick House'' appointing his manager of 10 years as CEO. In May 2016, Jung and actor Lee Jung-jae co-founded and became CEOs of the talent management agency
Artist Company
Apart from the owners the company represents other artists, among which are:

Lee Si-a Lee Si-a (born Lee Ji-a on July 10, 1990) is a South Korean actress and singer. She made her entertainment debut in 2011 as a member of the K-pop girl group . When Chi Chi disbanded in 2013, Lee turned to acting, and has appeared in television ...

Go Ara Go Ara (; born February 11, 1990) is a South Korean actress and model. She is best known for starring in the television series ''Sharp'' (2003), ''Heading to the Ground'' (2009), ''Reply 1994'' (2013), ''You're All Surrounded'' (2014), '' Hwara ...

Ha Jung-woo Kim Sung-hoon (born March 11, 1978), better known as Ha Jung-woo (), is a South Korean actor, film director, screenwriter and film producer. One of the highest grossing actors in South Korea, Ha's starring films have accumulated more than 100 mil ...

Esom Lee So-young (January 30, 1990), known by her stage name Esom, is a South Korean actress and model. Career She gained recognition for her leading role in the 2014 film '' Scarlet Innocence'', for which she was nominated for Best New Actress i ...

Nam Ji-hyun Nam Ji-hyun (; born September 17, 1995) is a South Korean actress who successfully transitioned from being one of the industry's premiere child artists to an acclaimed lead, well-loved for her roles in ''Queen Seondeok'', ''Suspicious Partner' ...

and

Yum Jung-ah Yum Jung-ah (born July 28, 1972) is a South Korean actress. Her notable films include '' A Tale of Two Sisters'' (2003), ''The Big Swindle'' (2004), ''The Old Garden'' (2007), and ''Cart'' (2014), as well as the television series ''Royal Family ...

Film festival jury member

Jung has attended various international film festivals, not only as an actor or director, but has served on the following festivals' juries: * 2012: 17th

Busan International Film Festival The Busan International Film Festival (BIFF, previously Pusan International Film Festival, PIFF), held annually in Haeundae-gu, Busan (''also'' Pusan), South Korea, is one of the most significant film festivals in Asia. The first festi ...

, South Korea * 2013: 14th

Jeonju International Film Festival Jeonju International Film Festival (JIFF, Korean: 전주국제영화제, Hanja: 全州國際映畵祭) is an Asian film festival. It was launched in 2000 as a non-competitive film festival with partial competition. It introduces independent a ...

, South Korea * 2014: 20th Gwangju Biennale, South Korea * 2015: SSFF & Asia (Short Shorts Film Festival & Asia), Japan * 2016: International Film Festival and Awards, Macao

Personal life

He is best friends with fellow actor Lee Jung-jae, whom he met while filming ''

''. They are co-owners and co-investors of several businesses, including management agency ''Artist Company''. The actor is notoriously private about his romantic involvements. The only one that he publicly acknowledged so far was his short-lived relationship with ''Athena'' co-star

Lee Ji-ah Kim Sang-eun (; born August 6, 1978), known professionally as Lee Ji-ah, is a South Korean actress. She rose to fame with her role in the television drama'' The Legend'' (2007), and has since further participated in ''Beethoven Virus'' (2008), ...

. After they were photographed on a date in

Paris Paris () is the capital and most populous city of France, with an estimated population of 2,165,423 residents in 2019 in an area of more than 105 km² (41 sq mi), making it the 30th most densely populated city in the world in 2020. S ...

, Jung confirmed in March 2011 they were dating. But after Lee's married and divorced past with top Korean singer-songwriter

Seo Taiji Jeong Hyeon-cheol (Korean: 정현철; born February 21, 1972), better known as Seo Taiji or Seo Tae-ji (서태지), is a South Korean singer, musician, songwriter and record producer. After dropping out of high school to pursue a music career, ...

became exposed to the public the following month, the Korean press reported in June that Jung and Lee had broken up. Despite this and contrary to some other

South Korea South Korea, officially the Republic of Korea (ROK), is a country in East Asia, constituting the southern part of the Korea, Korean Peninsula and sharing a Korean Demilitarized Zone, land border with North Korea. Its western border is formed ...

n mega stars Jung's life remains untouched by any scandals and he is often praised by fellow filmmakers for his cooperativeness and willingness to help junior colleagues on the set. He is known for picking up the tab when eating with his co-workers or ordering meals for the entire crew.

Philanthropy

On March 8, 2022, Jung donated million won to the Hope Bridge Disaster Relief Association along with Lee Jung-jae to help the victims of the massive wildfire that started in Uljin, Gyeongbuk and has spread to Samcheok, Gangwon. On August 3, 2022, Hope Bridge Disaster Relief Association announced that Jung along with Lee Jung-jae joined the Hope Bridge Honors Club, a group of major donors with more than million donations.

Filmography

Film

Television series

Television shows

As director

As producer

As executive producer

Awards and nominations

State honors

Listicles

Notes

References

External links

* {{DEFAULTSORT:Jung, Woo-sung South Korean male film actors South Korean male television actors South Korean male models 1973 births Living people IHQ (company) artists Male actors from Seoul 20th-century South Korean male actors 21st-century South Korean male actors United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees Goodwill Ambassadors Best Supporting Actor Asian Film Award winners category:Grand Prize Paeksang Arts Award (Film) winners Best New Actor Paeksang Arts Award (television) winners