Cha Tae Hyun
   HOME

TheInfoList



OR:

Cha Tae-hyun (; born March 25, 1976) is a South Korean actor, singer, television personality, radio DJ and
director Director may refer to: Literature * ''Director'' (magazine), a British magazine * ''The Director'' (novel), a 1971 novel by Henry Denker * ''The Director'' (play), a 2000 play by Nancy Hasty Music * Director (band), an Irish rock band * ''Di ...
. He is best known for his lead roles in the box-office hit comedies ''
My Sassy Girl ''My Sassy Girl'' ( ko, 엽기적인 그녀, Yeopgijeogin Geunyeo, That Bizarre Girl) is a 2001 South Korean romantic comedy film directed by Kwak Jae-yong, starring Jun Ji-hyun and Cha Tae-hyun. The film is based on a true story told in a series ...
'' (2001), ''
Scandal Makers ''Scandal Makers'' () is a 2008 South Korean film written and directed by Kang Hyeong-cheol and starring Cha Tae-hyun, Park Bo-young and Wang Seok-hyeon. This was director Kang's first film and the highest grossing Korean film of the year. The ...
'' (2008), ''
Hello Ghost ''Hello Ghost'' () is a 2010 South Korean comedy film about a man's multiple suicide attempts. After the most recent one, he discovers he can see a group of ghosts. The ghosts agree to leave him alone under the condition that he fulfill their req ...
'' (2010) and fantasy drama action hit '' Along with the Gods: The Two Worlds'' (2017) as well as the television series '' Jeon Woo-chi'' (2012), '' The Producers'' (2015) and '' Police University'' (2021). He made his directorial debut with the variety-drama '' Hit the Top'' (2017), in which he also starred. From 2012 to 2019, he was a cast member of the variety show ''
2 Days & 1 Night ''2 Days & 1 Night'' (; also known as ''1 Night 2 Days''; abbreviated as ''1N2D'') is a South Korean reality-variety show that airs every Sunday at 6:25pm KST on KBS2 beginning August 5, 2007. ''1 Night 2 Days'' used to be one of the two segm ...
''. He is a co-founder of the talent management agency
Blossom Entertainment Blossom Entertainment () is a talent management agency based in Seoul, South Korea. Founded in 2012, its roster includes actors Cha Tae-hyun, Yang Se-jong, and Lim Ju-hwan. Foundation Blossom Entertainment was co-founded by actor Cha Tae-hyun and ...
.


Career


1995–2000: Beginnings

Cha Tae-hyun started his career as a silver medalist in a 1995 KBS Talent Contest. Over the next several years he would star in a large number of TV dramas such as ''Sunflower'' and '' Happy Together'', while also appearing in numerous TV commercials. He was the
radio DJ A disc jockey, more commonly abbreviated as DJ, is a person who plays recorded music for an audience. Types of DJs include radio DJs (who host programs on music radio stations), club DJs (who work at a nightclub or music festival), mobile D ...
for KBS Cool FM's ''FM Popular Music with Cha Tae-hyun'' from 1999–2000, and made a minor film debut in the comedy ''Hallelujah''.


2001–2007: ''My Sassy Girl'' and musical debut

In 2001, he rose to fame through the hugely successful romantic comedy ''
My Sassy Girl ''My Sassy Girl'' ( ko, 엽기적인 그녀, Yeopgijeogin Geunyeo, That Bizarre Girl) is a 2001 South Korean romantic comedy film directed by Kwak Jae-yong, starring Jun Ji-hyun and Cha Tae-hyun. The film is based on a true story told in a series ...
'' where he acted alongside Jun Ji-hyun. Cha's expressive acting established him as a recognized star in Korea as well as the Asian region at large, and he extended his fame by releasing his debut album ''Accident''. His next film '' Lovers' Concerto'' (2002), a tragic melodrama with actresses Son Ye-jin and Lee Eun-ju, also proved to be a popular success. From 2003, however, Cha's casting choices proved to be less inspired. He appeared in three comedies -- ''Crazy First Love'', ''
Happy Ero Christmas ''Happy Ero Christmas'' () is a 2003 South Korean romantic comedy film starring Cha Tae-hyun and Kim Sun-a. Plot Byung-ki (Cha Tae-hyun) is a taciturn village patrolman who helps out with trivial tasks like distributing promotional papers, though ...
'' and ''
Two Guys Two Guys from Harrison (later shortened to Two Guys) is a former discount store chain founded in 1946 by brothers Herbert and Sidney Hubschman in Harrison, New Jersey, originally selling major appliances such as televisions. The chain acquired ...
'' —that were widely criticized by audiences for their weak scripts and lack of creativity. He released his second album ''The Book'' later that year. His 2005 films—the relationship film ''
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.My Girl and I ''My Girl and I'' (; lit. ''A Heavy Seas Warning'') is a 2005 South Korean film directed by Jeon Yun-su. It is a remake of the Japanese film ''Crying Out Love, In the Center of the World'', adapted from the novel ''Socrates in Love'' by Kyoichi K ...
'' opposite Song Hye-kyo, the remake of Japanese hit film '' Crying Out Love in the Center of the World'' —were box office disappointments. 2007's '' Highway Star'', in which he played a masked trot singer, was a moderate success. Cha hosted KBS Cool FM's ''Mr. Radio'' from 2007–2008, and was awarded Best Radio DJ at the 2007
KBS Entertainment Awards The KBS Entertainment Awards () is an event held yearly and is sponsored by Korean Broadcasting System, KBS. The awards ceremony is approximately 140 minutes long and is shown in two parts on KBS2. The ceremony features performances by K-pop art ...
alongside
Ahn Jae-wook Ahn Jae-wook (born September 12, 1971) is a South Korean actor and singer. Career Ahn Jae-wook spent most of his childhood in his hometown, the district of Donam-dong in Seoul, before graduating from Seoul Institute of the Arts, where he major ...
. He then portrayed the town's jester who has the intelligence of a six-year-old in ''
BABO Babo may refer to: People * Babo, a nickname for Fikret Abdić (born 1939), Bosnian politician * Alberto Babo (born 1947), head coach of Porto Ferpinta, Portugal * Joseph Marius Babo (1756–1822), German dramatist * Lambert Heinrich von Babo (181 ...
'' (which means "fool" in Korean), a film adaptation of
Kang Full Kang Full (or Kang Pool, ) is the pen name of Kang Do-young (born December 7, 1974), a South Korean webtoon artist. Though he had no formal training in art or writing, Kang launched a website in 2002 to display his comics. Kang's webtoons quick ...
's popular online comic.


2008–2012: Revived popularity and ''2 Days & 1 Night''

Cha regained his top star status when his comedy flick ''
Scandal Makers ''Scandal Makers'' () is a 2008 South Korean film written and directed by Kang Hyeong-cheol and starring Cha Tae-hyun, Park Bo-young and Wang Seok-hyeon. This was director Kang's first film and the highest grossing Korean film of the year. The ...
'' became the number one film of 2008, attracting 8.2 million moviegoers and ranking among Korea's biggest hits of all time. The film centers on a radio talk show host, who was ex- idol, who must face unforeseen consequences of a love affair when he was a teen, when he discovers that he already has a daughter ( Park Bo-young) and a grandson (Wang Seok-hyun) at the age of 30. As a result of the film's success, the advertising industry named Cha as the top male celebrity endorser of 2009. He reunited with ''
BABO Babo may refer to: People * Babo, a nickname for Fikret Abdić (born 1939), Bosnian politician * Alberto Babo (born 1947), head coach of Porto Ferpinta, Portugal * Joseph Marius Babo (1756–1822), German dramatist * Lambert Heinrich von Babo (181 ...
'' director
Kim Young-tak Kim Young-tak (born 1976) is a South Korean film director and screenwriter. Kim wrote and directed the comedy film ''Hello Ghost'' (2010). The comedy was a local hit - the 9th highest grossing Korean film in 2010, and won him the Best New Dir ...
in 2010's ''
Hello Ghost ''Hello Ghost'' () is a 2010 South Korean comedy film about a man's multiple suicide attempts. After the most recent one, he discovers he can see a group of ghosts. The ghosts agree to leave him alone under the condition that he fulfill their req ...
'', a film about a man who after several suicide attempts, becomes possessed by four different ghosts. It was another box office success at 3 million tickets sold, and Cha's performance led him to be dubbed as "Korea's
Jim Carrey James Eugene Carrey (; born January 17, 1962) is a Canadian-American actor, comedian and artist. Known for his energetic slapstick performances, Carrey first gained recognition in 1990, after landing a role in the American sketch comedy te ...
." Based on a true story, his 2011 film ''
Champ Champ is the short form of champion. It may also refer to: People * Champ (nickname) * Champ (surname) * Champ Butler (1926–1992), American singer * Champ Lyons (born 1940), justice of the Supreme Court of Alabama from 1998 to 2011 * Champ Se ...
'' depicts the relationship between a recently injured racehorse named Woo-bak and the jockey who tries to tame her. Cha spent time with the horse before and during filming, luring his four-legged partner with a combination of carrots and sugar cubes. In 2012, he became a regular cast member of the second season of popular variety program ''
2 Days & 1 Night ''2 Days & 1 Night'' (; also known as ''1 Night 2 Days''; abbreviated as ''1N2D'') is a South Korean reality-variety show that airs every Sunday at 6:25pm KST on KBS2 beginning August 5, 2007. ''1 Night 2 Days'' used to be one of the two segm ...
'', and remained as a member until 2019. The show, which focuses on introducing various places in Korea to the viewers while the cast takes on different missions, has consistently scored high viewership ratings.


2013–2018: Continued success and directorial debut

Cha played his first historical role in ''
The Grand Heist ''The Grand Heist'' (; lit. "Gone With the Wind") is a 2012 South Korean historical comedy film about a gang of 11 thieves who try to steal ice blocks from the royal storage, ''Seobingo'', during the last years of the Joseon era. It was released ...
'', as the leader of a Joseon era group of thieves who band together to steal ice. The action-comedy film was produced by his brother Cha Ji-hyun. He took on another saeguk role as the titular character in TV series '' Jeon Woo-chi'', an impish Taoist wizard who becomes an unlikely hero. In 2014, he starred as an introverted man with dynamic visual acuity who works at a
CCTV Closed-circuit television (CCTV), also known as video surveillance, is the use of video cameras to transmit a signal to a specific place, on a limited set of monitors. It differs from broadcast television in that the signal is not openly t ...
control center in the comedy film ''
Slow Video ''Slow Video'' () is a 2014 South Korean comedy film written and directed by Kim Young-tak, starring Cha Tae-hyun and Nam Sang-mi. It is the second Korean film to be fully financed by American studio 20th Century Fox. Plot Yeo Jang-boo possesses ...
'', his third collaboration with director Kim Young-tak. This was followed by '' The Producers'' in 2015, in which Cha played a hot-headed but soft-hearted television producer. In 2016, Cha reprised his role in ''
My New Sassy Girl ''My New Sassy Girl'' () () is a 2016 South Korean-Chinese romantic comedy film directed by Joh Keun-shik, and starring Cha Tae-hyun and Victoria Song. This film, a sequel to ''My Sassy Girl'' (2001), was released in China on April 22, 2016 and r ...
'', a sequel to the 2001 hit film. However, the film did not live up to its predecessor and was a failure at the box office. The same year, he reunited with ''My Sassy Girl'' co-star Jun Ji-hyun in a cameo appearance in SBS's fantasy drama '' The Legend of the Blue Sea''. In 2017, Cha starred in the romantic comedy ''
Because I Love You Because may refer to: * Because, a subordinating grammatical conjunction * Causality, the process of making something happen; a relationship between events * ∵, a logical symbol meaning ''because'' * ''Because'' (film), a British film directed ...
'', playing a gifted composer who connects people in love; the film was again produced by his brother Cha Ji-hyun. He next starred in KBS2's variety-drama '' Hit the Top'', which he also directs. The same year, Cha starred in the fantasy blockbuster '' Along With the Gods: The Two Worlds'', based on the webtoon of the same name by Joo Ho-min. In 2018, Cha starred in the romance drama '' Matrimonial Chaos'', a remake of the Japanese television series of the same title.


2019–present

In March 2019, Cha was reported to have engaged in gambling, which was discovered through
Jung Joon-young Jung Joon-young (born February 21, 1989) is a South Korean former singer-songwriter, radio DJ, host, actor, television personality and convicted serial rapist. Jung first gained recognition in the 2012 season of the musical reality competitio ...
's phone's text messages during the police's investigation of the latter for illicit sex video crimes. Cha subsequently issued a formal statement of apology and withdrew from all his shows. In 2020, Cha was cast in the crime detective drama '' Team Bulldog: Off-Duty Investigation''. In 2021, Cha starred in KBS2 drama '' Police University'', playing Yoo Dong-man, a detective-turned-professor at the National Police University.


Personal life

Cha's father, Cha Jae-wan, was an assistant director for special effects at KBS, and his mother Choi Su-min, now retired, was a voice-over artist. His brother is film producer Cha Ji-hyeon. On June 1, 2006, Cha married his high school sweetheart, pop lyricist Choi Suk-eun. They dated for 13 years; she was his first and only girlfriend. They have three children, a son (Cha Soo-chan) and two daughters (Cha Tae-eun, Cha Su-jin). In 2011, Cha revealed on SBS talk show '' Healing Camp, Aren't You Happy'' that he has a panic disorder.


Filmography


Film


Television series


Web series


Variety show


Radio program


Discography


Studio albums


OST


Singles


Awards and nominations


Listicles


References


External links

* * * {{DEFAULTSORT:Cha, Tae-hyun K-pop singers IHQ (company) artists South Korean pop singers South Korean male film actors South Korean male television actors South Korean television presenters South Korean radio presenters Male actors from Seoul Singers from Seoul 1976 births Living people 20th-century South Korean male actors 21st-century South Korean male actors South Korean television directors 21st-century South Korean male singers Seoul Institute of the Arts alumni Chung-Ang University alumni Kyonggi University alumni Best New Actor Paeksang Arts Award (television) winners