The son of a former television news anchorman, Jung Il-woo studied Broadcasting at the Seoul Institute of the Arts, then later dropped out and transferred to the Theater and Film department of Hanyang University, graduating on 20 February 2014.[1]
Career
2006–2010: Beginnings and rising popularity
Jung made his acting debut in 2006 with a minor role in the thriller The World of Silence,[2] but he first rose to fame playing a rebellious teen and motorcycle fanatic with a crush on his teacher in daytime family sitcomUnstoppable High Kick.[3][4] He then joined the ensemble cast of 2007 romantic comedy film My Love.[5][6]
In 2009, Jung starred in his first leading role as a young warrior battling injustice in historical drama The Return of Iljimae.[7][8][9][10][11] This was followed by a supporting role in romantic comedy My Fair Lady, as an idealistic, upper-class lawyer.[12] He further challenged himself when he made his stage debut in 2010 as an HIV-positive gay man in the sold-out play Beautiful Sunday, written by Japanese playwright Mayumi Nakatani.[13]
2011–present: Breakout and overseas popularity
Jung in 2011
Jung's breakout role was in 2011 tearjerker 49 Days, in which he portrayed the Scheduler, a witty modern-day Grim Reaper.[14][15][16][17] His popularity increased with his leading man turn in 2011 cable romantic comedy Cool Guys, Hot Ramen, in which he played an arrogant, immature yet lovable chaebol heir.[18][19] A supporting role in hit 2012 historical drama Moon Embracing the Sun followed; Jung played a prince who becomes his half-brother's rival in love and for the throne.[20][21][22][23]
Following the success of Cool Guys, Hot Ramen and Moon Embracing the Sun, Jung was launched to stardom as a Hallyu star.[24][25][26][27] He won the Asia Male Actor award at Beijing's Huading Awards, the first non-Chinese entertainer to be nominated at the awards show since it began in 2005.[28][29]
From 2013 to 2014, he played a prosecutor who falls in love with a girl from a family of orphans in Golden Rainbow.[30][31][32][33] This was followed by a leading role as a prince turned ghost-seeing night watchman who patrols the palace after curfew and keeps the king and his citizens safe, in the supernatural period drama Diary of a Night Watchman.[34][35][36][37]
In 2015, Jung starred in the Korean-Chinese web drama High-End Crush opposite Jin Se-yeon.[38] In less than a month, the drama series recorded over 200 million views.[39] Jung then starred in the Chinese romantic comedy film Rise of a Tomboy, where he plays the CEO of an IT firm who helps a girl develop a love formula for a mobile app.[40]
Jung in 2016
In January 2016, Jung signed with a new management agency, HB Entertainment.[41] Jung made his return to Korean television in tvN's romantic comedy Cinderella with Four Knights, playing a lonely and wild-child rebel who is not yet used to being a member of a rich family, having lived most of his life as an orphan.[42]
In 2017, Jung starred in Gon Rak Game Ma Ya (also known as Love and Lies), making him the first Korean actor to land a leading role in a Thailand drama.[43] The drama emerged as a local sensation, and led to a rise of popularity for Jung in the country.[44]
In 2019, Jung starred in the historical action drama Haechi. This marks his first project after enlistment.[45][46]
In 2022, Jung joins the ENA drama Good Job, which is the second reunion with Kwon Yu-ri,[48] and returns to the big screen with the film Highway Family, which is slated for release in November.[49]
In February 2023, he attended the Milan Fashion Week 2023 FW collection Onitsuka Tiger fashion show.[50]
In August 2006, Jung sustained injuries in a serious car accident while riding in the back of a car with childhood friend and fellow actor Lee Min-ho, who was badly injured in the accident.[54] Their two friends riding in the front of the car did not survive.[55] Jung was left with partial memory loss, causing him to forget parts of his past. He notes that he remembers things, such as people's faces, but not necessarily where they met, and therefore uses photographs to help him remember.[56]
Military enlistment
In November 2016, he was diagnosed with a cerebral aneurysm. Although this would have exempted him from his mandatory military service, Jung enlisted in December 2016.[57] Jung was discharged on November 30, 2018.[58]
On February 3, 2022, it was confirmed that Jung tested positive for COVID-19, while he had finished the third dose of the vaccine.[59] Jung was contacted by a staff member after filming for SNL Korea Season 2 on January 30 to 31, 2022.[60]
^Kang Min-kyung (September 30, 2022). [공식] 정일우, 라미란에 2만원 빌리는 가장…'고속도로 가족' 11월 개봉 확정 [[Official] Jung Il-woo, the most borrowing 20,000 won from Ra Mi-ran... 'Highway Family' to be released in November] (in Korean). Ten Asia. Archived from the original on September 30, 2022. Retrieved September 30, 2022 – via Naver.
^Young Won-jung (March 7, 2023). 정일우, 밀라노 패션위크 '오니츠카타이거 23FW 컬렉션' 자태 눈길 [Jung Il-woo, Milan Fashion Week 'Onitsuka Tiger 23FW Collection' appearance] (in Korean). Singlist. Archived from the original on March 10, 2023. Retrieved March 7, 2023.
^Hwang Su-yeon (February 3, 2022). "'3차 접종' 정일우, 'SNL코리아' 촬영 후 확진 "모든 스케줄 취소" [공식입장]" ['Third vaccination' Jung Il-woo, confirmed after filming 'SNL Korea' "All schedules canceled" [Official position]]. Xports News (in Korean). Archived from the original on February 3, 2022. Retrieved February 3, 2022 – via Naver.
^Gong Mi-na (February 3, 2022). 정일우, 코로나19 돌파감염 "3차 접종 완료..특별한 증상 無"[공식] [Jung Il-woo, Corona 19 breakthrough infection "Third dose completed.. No special symptoms"]. Star News (in Korean). Archived from the original on February 3, 2022. Retrieved February 3, 2022 – via Naver.
^Lee Seung-mi (October 18, 2021). [공식]라미란·정일우·김슬기·백현진, 영화 '고속도로 가족' 캐스팅…15일 크랭크인 [[Official] Ra Mi-ran, Jung Il-woo, Kim Seul-gi, and Baek Hyun-jin cast for the movie 'Highway Family'... 15 days crank-in] (in Korean). Sports Chosun. Archived from the original on October 18, 2021. Retrieved October 18, 2021 – via Naver.
^정일우, '크크섬의 비밀' 깜짝 카메오 출연. 10Asia (in Korean). 21 July 2008. Archived from the original on 31 October 2018. Retrieved 30 October 2018.
^Jang Ah-reum (January 4, 2021). 정일우x권유리 '보쌈 운명을 훔치다' MBN 편성…애틋 로맨스 스틸 [Jung Il-woo x Kwon Yu-ri 'Stealing Bossam's fate' MBN formation... Love romance stills]. News 1 (in Korean). Archived from the original on April 23, 2021. Retrieved March 18, 2021.
^"女人花似梦》秦海璐丁一宇谱写异国恋". Sina (in Chinese). 22 October 2005. Archived from the original on 2018-10-30. Retrieved 2018-10-30.
^"《恋人的谎言》贾青和丁一宇胡宇威组新队". Sina (in Chinese). 18 July 2016. Archived from the original on 2018-10-30. Retrieved 2018-10-30.
^Han Hae-sun (November 18, 2021). 이준혁X정겨운X정일우X지상렬X주이, '마을애가게' 출연[공식] [Lee Jun-hyuk X Jung Gyu-woon X Jung Il-woo X Ji Sang-ryeol X Joo-E, appearing in 'The Village Lover' [Official]] (in Korean). Star News. Archived from the original on November 18, 2021. Retrieved November 18, 2021 – via Naver.
^Hyun Jung-min (March 6, 2022). "SNL2', 10회 연장…오나라→정일우→박재범 호스트 출격" [SNL2' extended 10 times... Na-ra Oh→Il-Woo Jeong→Jae-Beom Park Host Sortie] (in Korean). Sports World. Archived from the original on March 7, 2022. Retrieved March 6, 2022 – via Naver.
^정일우, 대형화재신 대역없이 소화. Star News (in Korean). 15 February 2007. Archived from the original on 30 October 2018. Retrieved 30 October 2018.
^Myung Hee-sook (August 19, 2022). 정일우X권유리, '2022 에이판 스타 어워즈' 메인 MC…2년 만에 대면 개최 [Jung Il-woo X Kwon Yu-ri, '2022 Apan Star Awards' main MC... Held face-to-face for the first time in two years] (in Korean). My Daily. Archived from the original on August 19, 2022. Retrieved August 19, 2022 – via Naver.
^Hwang, Hyo-yi (September 6, 2022). 강태오-박은빈'·'손석구-김지원'·'이준호-이세영' 베스트커플상은? [Best Couple Award for 'Kang Tae-oh - Park Eun-bin', 'Son Seok-gu-Kim Ji-won', 'Lee Jun-ho-Lee Se-young'?] (in Korean). Sports Kyunghyang. Archived from the original on September 6, 2022. Retrieved September 6, 2022 – via Naver.
^Nam, Yoo-jung; Lee, Woo-young (2023-08-27). 누가 받아도 될 정도로 훌륭한 후보들, 그중 최고는 누구? [Great candidates to anyone can accept, who is the best of them?]. Busan Ilbo (in Korean). Retrieved 2023-08-27 – via Naver.
^Ham, Na-yan (January 1, 2020). "[2019 SBS 연기대상] 조정석 최우수상 "'우리 아내 거미 사랑해" [[2019 SBS Drama Awards] Jo Jung-suk Grand Prize "'I love my wife Gummy'] (in Korean). Sports DongA. Archived from the original on December 14, 2022. Retrieved December 14, 2022 – via Naver.
External links
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