Ji Chang-wook is a South Korean actor and singer. He rose to fame playing the leading role of Dong-hae in daily drama series Smile Again, and has since had roles in Warrior Baek Dong-soo and Empress Ki. Chang-wook has headlined the popular television series Healer, The K2 and Suspicious Partner, as well as crime-action film Fabricated City, Romantic Comedy “Melting Me Softly” with Won Jin-ah and will appear in the upcoming drama Backstreet Rookie along with Kim Yoo-jung.
Career
2006–2009: Beginnings
Ji began his career in musical theatre. He made his onscreen debut in the 2006 film Days... and had a minor role in the 2008 television dramaYou Stole My Heart. He only officially debuted in the 2008 film Sleeping Beauty. In 2009, he appeared in My Too Perfect Sons, playing the timid, sissy youngest brother who ends up raising his best friend's daughter while just turning 20 years old. The weekend family drama received 40% ratings. He then had a supporting role in the action-comedy Hero.
2010–2012: Rising popularity
In 2010, Ji was cast in his first starring role in the 159-episode daily drama Smile Again. Playing the role of a Korean-American short track speed skater, Ji trained four to five hours daily at the ice rink. Smile Again topped the ratings chart for 15 consecutive weeks, and he was awarded "Best Actor in a Daily Drama" at the KBS Drama Awards. He then played the titular character in 2011 action historical drama Warrior Baek Dong-soo. Adapted from Lee Jae-heon's manhwaHonorable Baek Dong-soo, it is an origin story about Joseon-era swordsman Baek Dong-soo, showing his growing years until political intrigue creates a rivalry with his childhood best friend-turned-enemy. The series was number one in its timeslot for 13 weeks, and Ji received a "New Star Award" at the SBS Drama Awards. Later that year, he played the lead role in cable drama Bachelor's Vegetable Store, based on the true success story of Lee Young-seok, a young man who turned a tiny 350-square-feet vegetable store in 1998 into a nationwide franchise with 33 stores. In his first villain role, Ji played a pianist who envies his older brother's natural gift for music in 2012 melodrama Five Fingers. Ji returned to the musical theater in 2013 with The Days, playing a presidential bodyguard who went missing 20 years ago along with a mysterious female companion. The Days was a jukebox musical using the folk rock songs of Kim Kwang-seok.
2013–present: Breakthrough and overseas ventures
Ji's breakthrough came when he played Toghon Temür, the 16th emperor of the Yuan Dynasty, in the historical drama Empress Ki. The drama drew solid viewership ratings nationwide throughout its run with an average rating of 35.12%. Ji's portrayal of the young king left a strong impression on both critics and the audience, earning him critical acclaim and increased recognition. Ji then starred as the title character in Song Ji-na-penned action thrillerHealer from December 2014 to February 2015. He took martial arts lessons for his role as a mysterious errand guy in the series. After the drama aired, Ji became popular in China and other parts of Asia. He then took on roles in Mandarin-language dramas like The Whirlwind Girl 2 and Mr. Right. In 2016, Ji starred in tvN's action thriller The K2 as the title role, a bodyguard who gets betrayed by his fellow countrymen and falls in love with a girl with PTSD and apparent sociophobia. The drama received favorable reviews, topping cable channel viewership ratings throughout its 8-week broadcast. In November 2016, he co-starred in the promotional web drama titled First Seven Kisses for Lotte Duty Free. In 2017, Ji starred in the action filmFabricated City, playing the role of a jobless game addict who becomes a framed murderer. The same year he was cast in SBS's romantic comedy/thriller Suspicious Partner as a prosecutor, which premiered in May. In 2019, following his discharge from military, Ji was cast in the romantic comedy drama Melting Me Softly where he plays a television producer who finds himself waking up 20 years following a human freezing project. In 2020, Ji was cast in the romantic comedy drama Backstreet Rookie alongside Kim Yoo-jung, based on the webtoon of the same name. He plays a young former public relations director who ends up managing a convenience store. He is featured as the first Korean actor to be named in Calvin Klein's 2020 global campaign.
Personal life
Ji began his mandatory military service on 14 August 2017. He first underwent basic training at the Army's 3rd Infantry Division at Cheorwon, Gangwon Province. Upon completion, he was awarded a prize for high performance. Ji has been assigned to the Army's 5th Artillery Brigade at Cheorwon, Gangwon Province to complete the remainder of his military service. He has been appointed as a Platoon Leader and got promoted to a Corporal. He was further promoted as a Sergeant. Ji was discharged on 27 April 2019.
