POW:// Ji Chang Wook

Birthdate: 1987 July 05

Birthplace: Anyang, South Korea

Height: 182cm

Weight: 65kg

Ji Chang Wook wanted to go into architecture or engineering when he was in high school. He ended up applying to Dankook University's department of Theater and Film because he thought that acting would be fun and easy. It turned out to be fun and difficult but he enjoys it, and we enjoy watching him!

In 2007, Ji Chang Wook performed in Fire and Ice, a production comprising of three short plays.

2008

After landing a minor role in KBS2's You Are Very Good, a 156 episode daily romantic drama, Ji Chang Wook made his official debut in a film directed by his college sunbae, Lee Hana.

Sleeping Beauty is a melodramatic omnibus with incestual themes. Ji Chang Wook plays Jin Seo, a student who suffers beatings by his grandfather. He provides the sole source of comfort for Su Jin (Lee Na Ri), who was smuggled into the country and adopted by his grandfather who regularly rapes her. Jin Seo reaches his boiling point as he strives to protect a very pregnant Su Jin.

Ji Chang Wook starred in the music video for Are You Ready by Lena Park & Dynamic Duo for MTV Korea/The Body Shop's Anti-AIDS Campaign.

In an interview, Ji Chang Wook revealed that he felt comfortable while shooting the commercial for SK Telecom T-Cash because there was a flow to it. He had fun and gave the money he earned from it to his mother. It's short, but ends in a really cute way!

2009

Ji Chang Wook's next commercial was for Lotte Chilsung Tropicana.

In Younha's music video for Today I Broke Up with You, Ji Chang Wook plays her love interest and portrays a range of emotions.

Ji Chang Wook plays the youngest of four brothers in KBS2's 54 episode romantic family drama, Sons of Sol Pharmacy (My Too Perfect Sons). To prepare for the role of the sensitive student, Song Mi Pung, he learned how to knit and cross stitch. After graduating from high school, Mi Pung fails to get into college and promises to give up his handicrafts in favor of studying. However, his friend who has just become a single father has to leave for the army and needs someone to take care of his daughter. The soft-hearted Mi Pung takes a beating from all sides, and Ji Chang Wook demonstrates a mastery of facial expressions and postures to express his character authentically.

In MBC's 16 episode comedy, Hero, Ji Chang Wook plays the supporting role of Park Joon Hyung. He's one of the reporters for the tabloid, Monday Seoul, used to resorting to wild antics to get a story. He's young, brash and funny, just whetting our appetite for him to play a lead role.

2010

In Young Gun's music video for I Have to Let You Go, Ji Chang Wook is romantic and expressive.

Ji Chang Wook went back to his roots in musical theater, playing homosexual murderer, Richard in Thrill Me. The production is based on the true story of Nathan Leopold and Richard Loeb, two wealthy law students who considered themselves supermen and therefore above the law. Disappointed that their escalating crimes were ignored by the media, they premeditated the sensational murder of Robert Franks.

Death Bell 2: Bloody Camp is more of a cheap slasher than a suspenseful horror film. Ji Chang Wook plays the supporting role of Soo Il, a student trapped in the school during an overnight seminar along with other top students and two teachers. He manages to inject a sense of vulnerability into a rather unsavory character.

Speaking of unsavory characters, Ji Chang Wook is quite offensive in his role in Confession, an entry in the 2010 Seoul International Extreme Short Image and Film Festival. To his credit, he shows a side here not seen in any of his other performances.

On the other end of the spectrum, Ji Chang Wook plays the lovable Carl Laker/Dong Hae in Smile Dong Hae (Smile Again), KBS1's 159 episode family drama. Dong Hae is the son of an American adoptee mother who is mentally challenged. He returns to Korea as part of the American short track speed skating team. After suffering an injury, he decides to become a chef and look for his Korean father who had left his mother without knowing she was pregnant. Of course the betrayal, complications and budding romance requisite in any daily drama are all present in force. Smile Dong Hae had an average nationwide viewership of 29.29%, but consistently placed first after episode 49 and impressively reached into the 40 percentiles.

Ji Chang Wook won the Excellence Award for an Actor in a Daily Drama at the KBS Drama Awards for his performance.

2011

Success brought Ji Chang Wook endorsements with Googims...

... and Nong Shim Chapagetti Chajang Noodles.

Warrior Baek Dong Soo is a 29 episode historical action drama based on Lee Jae Heon's manhwa, Honorable Baek Dong Soo. It tells the story of the Joseon historial figure, Baek Dong Soo, and follows his path to becoming a folk hero as he works for King Jeongjo and helps to create the Comprehensive Illustrated Manual of Martial Arts.

Ji Chang Wook plays the title role and shares a bromance with Yoo Seung Ho. They portray childhood friends who eventually find themselves on opposites sides of political intrigue, and drawn to the same woman.

The drama enjoyed a national average rating of 16.7%, and Ji Chang Wook won a New Actor Award at the 2011 SBS Drama Awards. He also contributed to the soundtrack with Meet Again.

Next, Ji Chang Wook appeared in Channel A's 24 episode Bachelor's Vegetable Store, based on the true story of Lee Young Seok, who turned a small vegetable store into a nationwide franchise. Although the writing was less than satisfying, Ji Chang Wook was delightful in the drama.

2012

The secret to Ji Chang Wook's gorgeous skin is BB cream! Well, maybe not, but he did seem to be glowing in his commercial for CF Lab Series for Men.

The World Association of Chefs Societies appointed Ji Chang Wook promotional ambassador of WACS 2012 Daejeon Congress.

Ji Chang Wook completely transforms into a baddie for T-Ara's Cry Cry music video. His postures and expressions create a menacing atmosphere that speak to his impressive range.

In T-Ara's music video, Lovey Dovey, Ji Chang Wook reprises his thuggish role to complete the second half of the story which culminates in a showdown with Cha Seung Won.

Ji Chang Wook and Sistar's Bora share a lot of affectionate scenes in K. Will's music video for I Need You. Speculations on whether or not they were dating sprung up when a netizen posted photos of them standing together on the street. The rumors died out after it was revealed that the photos were taken on the day they were filming together.

In SBS' 30 episode melodrama, Five Fingers, Ji Chang Wook plays Yoo In Ha, a man who was emotionally scarred in childhood by his father, but coddled by his mother. A pianist born to riches and poised to succeed his father's legacy, he is faced with his half brother, a piano prodigy. They are both tortured by his mother's actions (albeit in different ways) and his deceased father's sadistic influence. It doesn't help that he and the half brother he hates are attracted to the same woman. Ji Chang Wook does justice to this complicated character, expressing his twisted psyche and evoking both derision and sympathy. He also sang Fill Up for the official soundtrack.

2013

In the movie, How to Use Guys with Secret Tips, Ji Chang Wook is given credit for a cameo appearance, though his scene was not included in the worldwide release. CherKell of jichangwookkitchen.com posted the above photo of Ji Chang Wook standing behind a cameraman on the Soompi forum.

Ji Chang Wook played Kang Mu Yeong in the musical, The Days, from April to September. The production portrays bodyguards at the Blue House in 1992. When the president's daughter goes missing with Mu Yeong, the head of the security service must solve the mystery of where they went.

In the musical, Jack the Ripper, Ji Chang Wook plays Daniel, a physician from America who claims to know the serial murderer who is plaguing 1888 London.

Brothers Were Brave is a musical about two brothers who meet after three years at their father's funeral. They end up fighting over a winning lottery ticket and a mysterious beautiful woman. Ji Chang Wook plays younger brother, Lee Joo Bong, who studied law at Seoul National University, but has yet to pass the bar exam. He feels like a victim because his older brother, who gambled away the family fortune, received the advantages of being the first-born son. Ji Chang Wook and Kim Do Hyun share a kiss in the performance, and when asked about it by fans, Kim Do Hyun revealed that Chang Wook's lips are soft like a woman's.

Ji Chang Wook portrays a student in 1980 who displays his cool side and fighting prowess, making an enemy and falling in love with his sister, in SPEED & Davichi's music video for That's My Fault. However, it is set in a tumultuous time. Jeon Doo Hwan had become the de factor leader in December of 1979 by leading a military coup on the previous government. The music video portrays the tension created by soldiers harassing the citizens in the city of Gwangju.

In SPEED's music video It's Over, the second half of the story reveals Ji Chang Wook's love interest being held by soldiers and him forming a truce with her brother to rescue her. However, the soldiers open fire, killing the brother and several other students. Historically the movement which occurred from May 18 to 27 is called the Democratization Movement or 518 Movement. After soldiers opened fire on a peaceful student protest, citizens took up arms. The uprising was defeated and over 200 people were killed in all. Ji Chang Wook leads the uprising and perishes in the name of civil rights. Chang Wook exudes charm as a student trying to live a normal life, which makes his anguish and despair even more heartbreaking.

In KARA's music video for Runaway, Ji Chang Wook appears in scenes from the omnibus drama, KARA: Secret Love that was released June 13 - July 11, 2014

Ji Chang Wook also appeared in the teaser for Yoo Joon Sang's music video, The Moment I Come Closer to You.

In MBC's 51 episode epic historical, Empress Ki, Ji Chang Wook plays Ta Hwan who becomes Emperor Huizong of Yuan. The story is a fictionalized version of events surrounding the Goryeo born woman who became a concubine to the emperor of Yuan, and eventually assumed the title of empress. Ji Chang Wook masterfully portrayed the many sides of Ta Hwan, from the frightened, spineless puppet of El Temür, to the unhinged emperor, to the decisive man who lead a nation.

Ji Chang Wook contributed to the official soundtrack with To the Butterfly. He also won the Excellence Award for an Actor in a Special Project Drama at the MBC Drama Awards. 

2014

See Ji Chang Wook party in his commerical for Cass Fresh Beer!

NorthCape Outerwear looks good on Chang Wook!

Ji Chang Wook models AD HOC's fall/winter collection. The company also provided sponsorship to his drama, Healer.

Secret Love is a five episode omnibus drama, each starring a member of KARA. Ji Chang Wook plays Guardian Angel No. 2013 in episode five (Have You Had Coffee with an Angel?) opposite Park Kyu Ri whose acting has not improved since the fiasco of Nail Shop Paris. She plays a pitiful woman who moves to work in Jeju, following a man who keeps rejecting her. After she makes a sincere wish for love, her guardian angel is sent to help out. The episode suffered from poor writing, and Kyu Ri's unskillful acting, but Ji Chang Wook still shined and managed to conjure up chemistry on his own.

From October 2014 to January 2015, Ji Chang Wook reprised his role of Kang Mu Yeong in the musical, The Days.

In KBS2's 20 episode Healer, Ji Chang Wook plays Seo Jung Hoo, a courier who obtains and delivers information for anonymous clients. That changes when he is framed for murder, and gets drawn into a twisted family dynamic that involves a cute and goofy internet reporter, a famous television reporter, and his powerful brother. Ji Chang Wook channels his inner secret agent, utilizing disguises, doing parkour stunts and showing off his martial arts skills. He starts off emotionally distant, but tenderly melts before the power of wacky Chae Young Shin played by Park Min Young. 

Healer is an intriguing story, well written and multi-layered. It delivers as an action thriller and romantic comedy. At the 2014 KBS Drama Awards, Ji Chang Wook won the Popularity Award for an Actor, and the Best Couple Award with Park Min Young.