Ji Seong

Kwak Tae-geun (, born 27 February 1977), known professionally as Ji Sung , is a South Korean actor. He is best known for his roles in the television dramas All In, Save the Last Dance for Me (2004), New Heart (2007), Protect the Boss (2011), Secret Love (2013), Kill Me, Heal Me (2015), Innocent Defendant (2017), Familiar Wife (2018), Doctor John (2019), The Devil Judge (2021), Connection (2024), The Judge Returns (2026) and the film My PS Partner (2012).

Early life Kwak Tae-geun's parents were both educators, and they expected him to also enter the teaching profession. But in his sophomore year in high school, his father bought him a VCR and the first movie he rented was Rain Man. Dustin Hoffman's acting left such an impression on him that he decided to become an actor, despite his father's objections. He later studied Theater and Film at Hanyang University.

Career 1999–2002: Beginnings Ji Sung first auditioned for the 1999 campus drama KAIST, where he met screenwriter Song Ji-na. Song took an interest in the young upstart and wrote a new character for him, leading to his acting debut. as well as the North-South romantic comedy film Whistling Princess (2002).

2003–2004: Breakthrough Ji was then cast in the 2003 gambling drama All In. Producers were having difficulty casting the second male lead because most actors were afraid to be compared to lead actor Lee Byung-hun. Ji Sung approached director Yoo Chul-yong, saying he wanted the role. Wanting to challenge himself, he next appeared in his first period drama The King's Woman, playing Gwanghaegun of Joseon.

In Save the Last Dance for Me (2004), he played a rich amnesiac businessman who falls in love with a girl running a bed and breakfast who nurses him back to health (played by Eugene). He then made a guest appearance playing Bae Jong-ok's college boyfriend in "Outing", a two-episode arc written by Lee Kyung-hee for the omnibus drama Beating Heart (2005), followed by a supporting role in Kim Dae-seung's period thriller Blood Rain (2005).

2005–2007: Enlistment Ji enlisted on 7 June 2005, for his mandatory military service. Though he initially enlisted as an ordinary soldier, the Military Manpower Administration transferred him to the military promotion ("entertainers") unit in February 2006, for which he served as "public ambassador of military affairs". He was discharged on 6 June 2007.

2008–2014: Comeback and lead roles He made his comeback in the medical drama New Heart (2007–08), playing a cardiothoracic surgery resident. During a scene where his character cries after failing to save the life of a former comfort woman, Ji said he thought of his maternal grandmother who'd recently died, remembering that she'd told him her only pleasure was watching him in reruns of All In. Contrary to his cheeky, playful character, Ji said that he's taciturn and shy in real life, but that the drama made him find a different side of himself.

He then made an extended cameo as the sophisticated right-hand man of the mob boss in action noir Fate (2008).

In 2009, Ji collaborated again with writer Choi Wan-kyu and director Yoo Chul-yong of All In in the revenge drama Swallow the Sun, adapted from the novel by Kang Chul-hwa, and shot on location in Jeju Island, Las Vegas and South Africa. Ji trained hard to play the tough, strong-willed protagonist who goes to prison for his boss and later becomes involved in the city development of Jeju.

In February 2010, he signed with a new management agency, Namoo Actors. Several months later, he played another historical character in Kim Su-ro, The Iron King, as the titular founder of Geumgwan Gaya.

In 2011, Ji starred alongside Yum Jung-ah in Royal Family, about the power plays within a chaebol family. Later that year, he was cast in the workplace romantic comedy Protect the Boss. In a departure from his usual serious roles, Ji Sung played a dorky man-child with a panic disorder, who matures and learns to run his father's business after meeting a feisty secretary (played by Choi Kang-hee).

From 2012 to 2013, Ji played a gifted seer/geomancer in The Great Seer. His fictional character becomes a "kingmaker" to Yi Seong-gye (played by Ji Jin-hee), the general who leads the overthrow of Goryeo and establishes the Joseon Dynasty, becoming its first king Taejo.

In late 2012, he starred in adult romantic comedy My PS Partner, playing an aspiring singer-songwriter trying to get over a breakup, who becomes the wrong recipient of a phone sex call from a woman (played by Kim Ah-joong) trying to seduce her boyfriend into proposing. Ji said he found the script intriguing, despite the discomfort of appearing in bed scenes. And after he saw Love & Other Drugs, he wanted to be in a movie that portrayed a romantic relationship in a realistic manner.

In 2013, Ji starred in melodrama Secret Love. He said he chose the drama because he found the script "fresh, honest, and sophisticated." He played a chaebol "bad boy" whose girlfriend is killed, then falls for the woman who went to prison for the crime. Ji next appeared in Confession, a 2014 neo-noir film that brutally explores the aftermath of three men's friendship after the death of one's mother.

2015–present: Career resurgence In 2015, he reunited with Secret Love co-star Hwang Jung-eum in Kill Me, Heal Me, in which he played a chaebol millionaire with dissociative identity disorder formerly known as Multiple Personality Disorder from DSMIV-TR who has seven different identities. The series was a hit and developed a cult following, winning Ji the "Daesang (Grand Prize)" at the MBC Drama Awards.

However, Ji's next work Entertainer, where he played a cunning and self-centered manager of an entertainment company, failed to be successful. Ji bounced back in 2017 with legal thriller Innocent Defendant, which was a hit and topped viewership ratings. Ji earned acclaim for playing the diverse emotions of the character, an amnesic prosecutor who finds himself on a death row. He received the Grand Prize award at the SBS Drama Awards. The same year he starred in the period comedy film Feng Shui.

In 2019, Ji starred television series Doctor John. It is his first medical drama in 11 years.

In 2020, Ji appeared in tvN's travel show RUN alongside Kang Ki-young, Lee Tae-sun and Hwang Hee.

In 2021, Ji starred in the mystery legal drama The Devil Judge with his previous co-star Kim Min-jung who he worked together 13 years ago in the drama New Heart. In August 2021, Namoo Actors' contract expired and Ji decided not to renew it.

In January 2022, Ji signed an exclusive contract with Surpass Entertainment. He starred in a mystery drama called Adamas, which aired from 27 July to 15 September 2022. Ji played the roles of the twin brothers who pair up to uncover the mystery of a murder that occurred 22 years ago. On 2 August 2013, the couple announced their engagement by uploading handwritten letters on their respective official fan sites. They married at Aston House, W Seoul Walkerhill Hotel on 27 September 2013. Their first child, a daughter named Kwak Ji-yoo, was born on 13 June 2015. Their second child, a son named Kwak Woo-sung, was born on 5 February 2019.

Filmography

Film Year Title RoleNotes 2002 Whistling Princess Joon-ho 2004 Phantom Master: Dark Hero from the Ruined Empire Ending narration Animated film 2005 Blood Rain Du-ho 2008 Fate Park Yeong-hwan 2012 My PS Partner Lee Hyun-seung 2014 Confession Im Hyun-tae 2015 The Vampire Lives Next Door Han Chang HoShort film 2018 Feng Shui Heungseon Daewongun

Television series

Television show Year Title Role 2020 Run Regular member 2004 Music Bank 2008 STAR N the CITY: Ji Sung in Dubai

Music video appearances Year Song title Artist 2000 "Leave Me Alone" Lee Kang-shin 2002 "Cold" Lee Ki-chan 2004 "Black and White Photos" KCM 2008 "The Practical Usage of Sadness" Kim Bum-soo 2009 "Trickling" Wheesung 2019 "We" Baek Ji-young

Discography Soundtrack appearances TitleYearAlbum "Confession" 2004 Terms of Endearment OST "Sexy Jingle Bells" 2012 My PS Partner OST "Show Me Your Panty" "Wuthering Heights" 2013 Secret Love OST "Violet" 2015 Kill Me, Heal Me OST

Accolades Awards and nominations + Name of the award ceremony, year presented, category, nominee of the award, and the result of the nomination Award ceremony Year Category Nominee / Work Result APAN Star Awards 2014 Excellence Award, Actor in a Miniseries Secret Love 2015 Top Excellence Award, Actor in a MiniseriesKill Me, Heal Me Asia Model Awards 2010 BBF Popular Star Award Ji Sung Asian TV Drama Conference 2015 Special Award, ActorKill Me, Heal Me Baeksang Arts Awards 2015 Best Actor – Television 2026 The Judge Returns DramaFever Awards 2016 Best Actor Kill Me, Heal Me Grimae Awards 2017 Innocent Defendant Han Il Culture Awards 2008 민간외교부분 수상 Ji Sung KBS Drama Awards 2013 Top Excellence Award, Actor Secret Love Excellence Award, Actor in a Miniseries Netizen Award, Actor Popularity Award, Actor Best Couple Award with Hwang Jung-eum Korea Best Dresser Swan Awards 2010 Best Dressed, Movie Actor category Ji Sung Korea Drama Awards 2015 Grand Prize (Daesang)Kill Me, Heal Me Korea PD Awards 2016 Best Performer, TV Actor category MBC Drama Awards 2001 Best New Actor The Rules of Marriage 2008 Excellence Award, Actor New Heart Golden Acting Award, Actor in a Miniseries Popularity Award, Actor Best Couple Award with Kim Min-jung 2011 Top Excellence Award, Actor in a Miniseries Royal Family Popularity Award, Actor Best Couple Award with Yum Jung-ah 2015 Grand Prize (Daesang) (Determined through viewer's votes) Kill Me, Heal Me Top Excellence Actor, Actor in a Miniseries Netizen Popularity Award Best Couple Award with Hwang Jung-eum Best Couple Award with Park Seo-joon Top 10 Stars SBS Drama Awards 2001 New Star Award Wonderful Days 2003 Excellence Award, Actor in a Drama Special All In 2004 Top Excellence Award, Actor Save the Last Dance for Me Top 10 Stars 2009 Excellence Award, Actor in a Drama Special Swallow the Sun Best Couple Award with Sung Yu-ri 2011 Top Excellence Award, Actor in a Drama Special Protect the Boss Top 10 Stars Best Couple Award with Choi Kang-hee 2012 Top Excellence Award, Actor in a Drama Special The Great Seer 2016 Top Excellence Award, Actor in a Romantic Comedy Drama Entertainer 2017 Grand Prize (Daesang) Innocent Defendant Top Excellence Award, Actor in a Monday–Tuesday Drama 2019 Top Excellence Award, Actor in a Miniseries Doctor John Producer's Award Best Couple Award with Lee Se-young Seoul International Drama Awards 2015 Best Actor Kill Me, Heal Me Style Icon Awards 2011 Style Icon Actor / Bonsang Ji Sung The Seoul Awards 2017 Best Actor (Drama) Innocent Defendant

State honors + Name of country, year given, and name of honor Country or Organization Year Honor or Award South Korea 2017 Prime Minister's Commendation