- Jang Dong-gun
-
Jang Dong-gun 
Born March 7, 1972
Yongsan-gu, Seoul, South KoreaHeight 1.82 m (5 ft 11 1⁄2 in) Spouse Ko So-young (2010–present) Korean name Hangul 장동건 Hanja 張東健 Revised Romanization Jang Dong-geon McCune–Reischauer Chang Tonggŏn Website jangdonggun.co.kr Jang Dong-gun (born March 7, 1972) is a top South Korean actor.
Contents
Early life
Spending his childhood in Yongsan-gu, Seoul, he later went on to the Korea National University of Arts, dropping out before obtaining a degree.
Career
Jang Dong-gun first entered the entertainment world in a talent contest in 1992. He began by acting in TV dramas such as The Last Match, co-starring Shim Eun-ha, and he eventually made his film debut in Repechage (1997) together with Kim Hee-sun.[1]
By the late 1990s he had become quite popular in Korea, but he also became one of the very first Korean stars to garner a fan following in other parts of Asia, after several of his TV dramas were screened there in the late nineties. In 1999, after acting in the critically acclaimed Nowhere to Hide as Park Joong-hoon's younger partner, Jang moved on to star in a feature that was filmed on location in Shanghai. Titled Anarchists, this tale of five young terrorists from 1930s China helped to elevate his status even further.[1]
Jang's real breakout came in early 2001 in Friend, which smashed the box office record set by Shiri to become (at the time) the biggest Korean film of all time. After playing the nice guy in almost all his previous roles, this portrayal of a tough-talking gangster from Pusan led him to local stardom. The following year he also starred in the popular action blockbuster 2009 Lost Memories set in a futuristic Great Japan.[1]
After appearing in the low-budget film The Coast Guard by controversial director Kim Ki-duk, Jang then took the lead role in Kang Je-gyu's Taegukgi, an epic film about two brothers set during the Korean War. Sure enough, this film would beat Friend's record with an astounding 11 million tickets sold. By this time, Jang's name had become known widely throughout Asia.[1]
Jang followed this up with The Promise, a $30 million pan-Asian production by Chinese director Chen Kaige in which he played opposite Hong Kong star Cecilia Cheung. Meanwhile, he was cast in Typhoon as a modern-day pirate who has been betrayed by both North and South Korea. Directed by Friend's Kwak Kyung-taek, Typhoon set a new record in 2005 for the highest production budget in Korean film history at $15 million.[1]
For the next four years, Jang kept a low profile in the Korean entertainment sphere as he worked on his Hollywood debut The Warrior's Way, also starring Kate Bosworth and Geoffrey Rush. The film encountered problems with post-production and distribution, and was only released in 2010.[2][3][4]
He returned to the silver screen in 2009 as the nation's youngest (and most eligible) head of state in Jang Jin's comedy Good Morning, President.[5][6]
He reunited with director Kang Je-gyu in My Way, set during World War II which tells the story of a Korean soldier who is drafted by the Japanese army to fight in the Battle of Normandy.[7][8] Being a large-scale, ambitious pan-Asian collaboration based on a true story, My Way is already the most expensive Korean movie to date (with an estimated budget of $28 million).[9] Also starring Joe Odagiri and Fan Bingbing, My Way will be simultaneously released in Korea and Japan in December 2011.[10]
He is set to start filming Weixian Guanxi, a Chinese adaptation of French literature classic Dangerous Liaisons set in 1930s Shanghai, to be directed by Hur Jin-ho and co-starring Zhang Ziyi and Cecilia Cheung.[11][12]
Jang is one of the highest paid actors and celebrity endorsers in Korea,[13] consistently topping surveys by industry insiders of most bankable stars.[14] He remains one of Korea's most beloved stars, not only for his projects but because of his gentle, kind image.[15]
Personal life
The famously private actor surprised the country in November 2009 when he went public with his two-year romance with Ko So-young.[16] Since co-starring together in the 1999 film Love Wind, Love Song, rumors about Jang and Ko had spread several times in the past, but both had consistently denied them. The announcement immediately sparked speculation of an impending marriage although it wasn't until March 2010 that Jang officially told his fans at a fan meeting that he would be marrying Ko in May.[17] After months of media frenzy leading up to their nuptials,[18][19][20][21] the two tied the knot on May 2, 2010 in an extravagant wedding ceremony at Seoul's Shilla Hotel which was attended by their A-list celebrity friends, swarms of reporters and fans from around the world.[22][23][24]
Their son was born on October 4, 2010.[25][26][27][28]
Movies
All movies below are from South Korea except as indicated.
Cover of KoreAm, December 2010
- Dangerous Liaisons (2012
) - My Way (2011)
- The Warrior's Way (2010
) - Good Morning, President (2009)
- The Promise (2005 )
- Typhoon (2005)
- Taegukgi: The Brotherhood of War (2004)
- The Coast Guard (2002)
- 2009 Lost Memories (2002)
- Friend (2001)
- Anarchists (2000)
- Nowhere to Hide (1999)
- Love Wind, Love Song (1999)
- First Kiss (cameo, 1998)
- Holiday In Seoul (1997)
- Repechage (1997)
Television dramas
- All About Eve (2000)
- Ghost (1999)
- Springtime (1999)
- Love (1998)
- Ready Go! (1998)
- Myth of a Hero (1997)
- Model (1997)
- Medical Brothers (1997)
- Icing (1996)
- The Last Match (1994)
- Il Ji Mae (1993)
- Our Heaven (1992)
Discography
- Dong-gun & Bon-seung (1998)
- Flying (1995)
- Friendship by Jang Dong-gun & Jun Chul (1994)
- Jang Dong-kun (Our Heaven OST) (1993)
Awards
- 2009: Andre Kim Star Awards - Best Star Award
- 2007: Korea Broadcast Advertising Festival - Best Couple Award with Soo Ae for Maxim CF
- 2007: Chunsa Film Art Awards - Korean Wave Cultural Award
- 2005: Max Movie Awards - Best Actor for Typhoon
- 2004: Blue Dragon Film Awards - Best Actor for Taegukgi
- 2001: Blue Dragon Film Awards - Popularity Award
- 2001: Asia Pacific Film Festival - Best Supporting Actor for Friend
- 2000: Blue Dragon Film Awards - Popularity Award
- 1999: Blue Dragon Film Awards - Best Supporting Actor for Nowhere to Hide
- 1999: Baeksang Arts Awards - Popularity Award
- 1997: Blue Dragon Film Awards - Best New Actor for Repechage
- 1997: MBC Drama Awards - Best Actor for Medical Brothers
- 1994: Baeksang Arts Awards - Best New Actor, TV category for The Last Match
References
- ^ a b c d e Actors and Actresses of Korean Cinema: Jang Dong-gun Koreanfilm.org
- ^ Jang's Hollywood debut to bridge East and West Korea Times. October 10, 2010.
- ^ Jang Dong-gun brings Asian vibe to Hollywood Korea Times. November 23, 2010.
- ^ Interview: Actor Jang Dong-gun 10Asia. November 25, 2010.
- ^ Jang Back to Silver Screen in 4 Years Korea Times. July 20, 2009.
- ^ Korean stars take turns playing president JoongAng Daily. September 25, 2009.
- ^ Jang Dong Gun: 'I Want to Film Movies That My Son Can Watch Later' KBS Global. May 17, 2011.
- ^ Jang Dong-gun starrer "My Way" cranks up 10Asia. July 1, 2011.
- ^ The 5 Most Anticipated Korean Movies in Second Half of 2011 Namhanman, a Korea Fan. June 27, 2011.
- ^ Jang-Odagiri film set for release in Japan Korea Times. January 20, 2011.
- ^ Jang Dong-gun set for Hur Jin-ho pic joined by Zhang Ziyi and Cecilia Cheung 10Asia. September 22, 2011.
- ^ Jang Dong Gun: 'I Am Glad to Work with Zhang Ziyi and Cecilia Cheung' KBS Global. September 28, 2011.
- ^ Interview with Jang Dong-gun CNN Talk Asia. October 24, 2007.
- ^ Jang Dong-gun Voted Korea's Most Bankable Star Chosun Ilbo. October 20, 2005.
- ^ Jang Dong-gun back on TV Dramabeans. December 14, 2008.
- ^ Guess What! They've Been Dating for 2 Years Korea Times. November 5, 2009.
- ^ Jang to Disclose Wedding Plans in March Korea Times. February 1, 2010.
- ^ Star Couple to Marry Vast Assets Chosun Ilbo. November 9, 2009.
- ^ Jang-Ko Wedding Sets Off PR War Korea Times. February 4, 2010.
- ^ Jang Dong-gun, Ko So-young Expecting Baby Korea Times. April 22, 2010.
- ^ Jang Dong-gun, Ko So-young 'Ecstatic' Over Pregnancy Chosun Ilbo. April 23, 2010.
- ^ Jang Dong-gun marries Go So-young Dramabeans. May 2, 2010.
- ^ Jang, Ko tie knot Korea Times. May 2, 2010.
- ^ Jang-Ko fever doesn’t end with the wedding JoongAng Daily. May 4, 2010.
- ^ Jang Dong-gun wife gives birth 10Asia. October 4, 2010.
- ^ Jang Dong-gun, Ko So-young Celebrate Birth of Son Chosun Ilbo. October 5, 2010.
- ^ Actors Jang, Ko become parents October 5, 2010.
- ^ Jang plays proud papa JoongAng Daily. October 14, 2010.
External links
Categories:- 1972 births
- Living people
- South Korean actors
- South Korean Buddhists
- South Korean musicians
- People from Seoul
- Dangerous Liaisons (2012
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