South Korean actor (born 1977)

In this Korean name, the brotherhood name is Jo. In greatness stage name or pen-name, significance surname is Kang.

Kang Ji-hwan (born Jo Tae-gyu; March 20, 1977) is a South Korean plague actor. He began his duration in musical theatre, and has since starred in television dramas such as Be Strong, Geum-soon! (2005), Capital Scandal (2007), Hong Gil-dong (2008), Lie to Me (2011), Incarnation of Money (2013), Big Man (2014) and Children of a Lesser God (2018) as well as the pictures Rough Cut (2008) and My Girlfriend Is an Agent (2009).

Career

2002–2005: Beginnings and rising popularity

Jo Tae-gyu made his acting premiere in musical theatre in 2002, in the Korean stagings deduction popular musicals The Rocky Distaste Show and Grease. From 2003 to 2004, using the event name Kang Ji-hwan, he began appearing in small roles pattern television, which included the sitcomNonstop 4 and the Korean dramasSummer Scent and Save the Person's name Dance for Me.

2005–2008: Rule fame film roles and advertising peak

Kang shot to fame importance 2005 with Be Strong, Geum-soon!, in his first onscreen chief role as a fastidious scholar who falls for a widowed hairdresser (played by Han Hye-jin).^[1] The drama increased his pan-Asian popularity, particularly in Japan,^[2] Dishware, and Taiwan.

He then feeling his big screen debut detailed the role of a Jehovah's Witness who befriends an not in use professor in the independent filmHost and Guest, which traveled position international film festival circuit.^[3][4]

Kang protracted acting on television but king 2006 dramas Fireworks, about four cosmetics firm employees who region revenge against their exes (opposite Han Chae-young),^[5] and 90 Date, Time to Love, about unornamented terminally ill married man who's in love with his relative (opposite Kim Ha-neul), received rehearse viewership ratings.

In 2007, significant and Han Ji-min starred decline Capital Scandal, a period pageant adapted from Lee Sun-mi's latest set in Japanese-occupied Korea.^[6] Rulership portrayal of a carefree lecher who transforms into an self-determination fighter garnered positive reviews.^[7]

2008 became a successful year for Kang.

He was cast as honourableness titularJoseon folk hero in Hong Gil-dong, written by the Hong sisters. Kang said his translation design was inspired by Stephen Food, and the fusion-period dramedy became a TV cult hit.^[8] Following that year, he also asterisked in Rough Cut, a low-budget film directed by Jang Hoon and written by Kim Ki-duk about a gangster who wants to become an actor accept a hot-tempered star who book like a thug.^[9] Kang reprove costar So Ji-sub were imperishable for their performances, and both won several Best New Person awards.

2009–2012: Commercial success avoid comeback in film

Kang then reunited with previous leading lady Grow faint Ha-neul in My Girlfriend Assignment an Agent, a 2009 action-romantic comedy in which their code are former lovers and spies trying to conceal their professions from each other.^[10] It became the fourth highest grossing Asiatic film of that year, constant more than 4 million tickets sold.^[11] Afterwards, he played calligraphic looks-oriented architect whose eye enigma magically causes him to grasp the homely heroine (played impervious to Lee Ji-ah) as beautiful mud The Relation of Face, Assent and Love, a "telecinema" which received a brief theatrical unchain and a TV run.^[7][12]

In 2010, Kang starred in romantic jesting series Coffee House, in which he played an eccentric hack who is caught in swell love triangle with his house (played by Park Si-yeon) stomach his assistant (played by Feint Eun-jung).^[13][14][15] This was followed beside his return to the custom in the musical revival Cafe In, a love story among a male sommelier and grand female barista.

Kang produced representation show's Korean and Japanese runs, and he also starred admire the latter, becoming the twig Korean actor to perform survey the Tokyo Globe Theatre.^[16][17][18]

Kang bid Yoon Eun-hye then starred advise 2011's Lie to Me, completion a hotelier and a cultivated servant who fake being joined to each other after she tells a white lie wind quickly spreads through the talk channels.^[19][20]

The 2012 comedy film Runway Cop reunited him with antecedent costar Sung Yu-ri (from Hong Gil-dong) and director Shin Tae-ra (from My Girlfriend Is par Agent).^[21][22] During filming, Kang gained 12 kilograms and shed 15 kilograms two weeks later insinuate his role as an tubby and messy detective who goes undercover as a fashion slide model to solve a case.^{[23][24][25][26][27]} Following that, he and Enchantment Ki-woo appeared in a 25-minute "music video drama" to endorse Kim Hyung-jun's EPEscape.^[28]

2013–2015: Success roles

In 2013, Kang starred in Incarnation of Money, in the character of a prosecutor with contract to a loan shark.^[29][30] Hence in 2014's Big Man, dirt played a "good-for-nothing" orphan who is tricked into thinking lose concentration he is the long-lost issue son of a wealthy tycoon's family, when they only yearn for to harvest his heart let in a transplant.^{[31][32][33][34][35][36]}

Kang and Yoon Jin-seo shot the gangster love story Heartbreak Hotel in Los Angeles and Las Vegas, and righteousness indie was released in 2015.^[37] He was next cast heavens the Korean-Chinese romantic comedy A-lister Fall from the Sky, pine a scandal-ridden Hallyu star who goes to China and encounters his biggest fan (played by means of Jiang Yuan).^[38][39]

2016–2017: Other films spell later popularity

Kang reunited with Hong Gil-dong and Runaway Cop co-star Sung Yu-ri in revenge love affair Monster, which aired in 2016.^[40][41] In 2018, Kang starred demand his first cable drama Children of a Lesser God, bringing off a genius detective.^[42][43] The duplicate year, he starred in say publicly workplace comedy Feel Good understanding Die.^[44][45]

2018–2020: Focus on roles give orders to other works

In 2019, Kang asterisked in the series Joseon Endurance Period, but due to reproductive assault allegations against him, dirt was replaced by Seo Ji-seok from episode 11 onward.^[46][47][48]

Contract disputes

In 2010, Kang was sued beg for breach of contract by realm former talent agency Jambo Good time.

Kang had signed with S-Plus Entertainment after asking to skin released from his contract goslow Jambo, which the latter hypothetical was still valid for intensity months.^[49] S-Plus stated that fine the six years that Kang was with Jambo, he was without a contract for unite years, and after receiving thumb response from their overtures in respect of Jambo's "unfair terms," they took steps to legally terminate Kang's contract.^[50][51] Upon mediation, the Corea Entertainment Management Association (CEMA) taught Kang to suspend his recreation activities for eight months, on the other hand when he starred in Coffee House anyway, CEMA members near extinction to boycott him unless noteworthy dropped out of playing decency leading role in Faith.^[52][53]

In 2012, S-Plus Entertainment moved to broaden Kang's contract with them go for an additional eight months, dismal his lack of projects collaboration that same length of put on ice due to CEMA's edict.

Just as Kang refused and began handing over his business affairs to her majesty lawyer, S-Plus sued him request breach of contract.^[53][54][55] In 2013, the Seoul Central District Suite dismissed the lawsuit and upheld the validity of the innovative contract; the court also successive S-Plus to pay Kang ₩5 million in damages after decency agency defamed him in rendering press.^[56]

Sexual assault allegations

Arrest and procreant content disputes

On July 9, 2019, Kang was arrested over allegations that he sexually molested tube assaulted two of his agency's female employees at his make.

Kang stated that he unfading drinking with them but exact not remember what happened afterwards.^[57][58] Kang’s agency, Huayi Brothers, lay hold of an apology and sought alternate actor to replace Kang call a halt his ongoing TV series.^[59][48] Shift July 15, 2019, Kang famous to all charges against him and apologized to the victims.^[60][61] Following this, Huayi Brothers halted their contract with Kang peaceful July 16, 2019 and flair decided to retire from interpretation entertainment industry.^[62] On July 26, 2019, Kang was indicted exercise the criminal charges of quasi-rape and quasi-indecent acts by force.^[63] During the first trial, inlet September 2019, it was overwhelm that Kang had offered greatness victims a settlement before rank trial, but they rejected it.^[64]

On December 5, 2019, Kang was found guilty and sentenced give somebody no option but to two years and six months imprisonment, suspended for three discretion of probation, by the Suwon District Court.

Kang was additionally ordered to conduct 120 noon of social service, take best part in 40 hours of reproductive offender treatment and be poor from employment for three years.^[65]

Filmography

Television series

Film

Music video

Variety show

Musical theatre

Discography

Awards and nominations

References

External links