Ju Ji-hoon

Ju Ji-hoon (; born May 16, 1982) is a South Korean actor and model. He first gained international recognition with his leading role in the television series Princess Hours and has achieved further prominence with the series Five Fingers (2013), Mask (2015), Kingdom (2019–2020), Hyena (2020), and The Trauma Code: Heroes on Call (2025), for which he won Best Actor at the 61st Baeksang Arts Awards. Ju has also garnered acclaim for his performances in the films Asura: The City of Madness (2016), Along with the Gods: The Two Worlds (2017) and its 2018 sequel, The Spy Gone North (2018), and Dark Figure of Crime (2018).

Early life Ju Ji-hoon was born on May 16, 1982, on Gangdong District, Seoul, South Korea. He graduated with a degree in Acting from Kyonggi University.

Career 2003–2008: Acting debut and recognition In 2003, Ju debuted as a model, in advertisements for clothing brands such as Calvin Klein, Levi's and Reebok. He had various bit parts in television dramas, but it was in 2006's romantic comedy Princess Hours, based on the manhwa Goong, that he achieved breakthrough. The drama was a hit domestically with a peak rating of 28.3%, and internationally across Asia, catapulting Ju into Korean Wave stardom. He won the Best New Actor award at the MBC Drama Awards along with his co-star Yoon Eun-hye.

In March 2007, Ju starred in KBS2's revenge drama Lucifer, opposite Uhm Tae-woong and Shin Min-a. The same month, he received the New Asian Star award at the 1st Astar TV Drama Awards for his performance in Princess Hours and Lucifer.

Ju's film debut was in Antique (2008), based on the manga Antique Bakery. The film was invited to the 59th Berlin International Film Festival. He then reunited with Lucifer co-star Shin Min-a in the romantic comedy The Naked Kitchen.

2009–2017: Military enlistment and comeback In January 2011, ahead of Ju's military discharge in November, he signed with entertainment agency KeyEast, owned by actor Bae Yong-joon.

In August 2012, Ju made his comeback in the period comedy film I Am the King. Inspired by the popular novel The Prince and the Pauper, Ju played the dual role of Grand Prince Choong-nyung and the slave Deok-chil, in a fictional period before the prince becomes King Sejong the Great. This was followed by his starring role as a pianist in the melodrama Five Fingers, broadcast from August to November 2012. Ju also starred in medical drama Medical Top Team, and romantic comedy film Marriage Blue.

Ju made his film debut in China with Love Suspicion, a romantic thriller. In 2014, Ju was paired up with Ji Sung and Lee Kwang-soo in Confession, a neo-noir film that brutally explores the aftermath of three men's friendship after the death of one's mother.

In 2015, Ju starred in the period film The Treacherous, reuniting him with the director of Antique and Naked Kitchen. He then made his small screen comeback with SBS' melodrama Mask alongside Soo Ae.

In 2016, Ju starred in the noir crime thriller Asura: The City of Madness, which premiered globally at the 41st Toronto Film Festival. He received the Popular Film Star award at the Korea Top Star Awards.

2018–present: Career resurgence

From 2017 to 2018, Ju starred in the two-part fantasy epic Along with the Gods: The Two Worlds. The film was the second highest grossing film in South Korea, and Ju became known for his role as Haewonmaek.

In 2018, Ju starred in the thriller films The Spy Gone North, and Dark Figure of Crime. Ju's performance in both films earned acclaim, and he won several Best Supporting Actor awards at film ceremonies for his performance in The Spy Gone North, and was nominated for Best Actor at the Blue Dragon Awards for Dark Figure of Crime.

In 2019, Ju made a comeback to the small screen with two television series; Netflix's zombie period drama Kingdom, and MBC's fantasy legal drama Item. In 2020, Ju reprised his role in the second season of Kingdom, and starred in the legal drama Hyena. In January 2021, Ju signed with new agency H& Entertainment.

In 2021, news outlets announced that Ju will participate in film Hunt as cameo appearance. Film was released theatrically in South Korea on August 10, 2022.

In 2022, Ju was cast as Woo Chae-woon, main protagonist of sci-fi thriller drama Blood Free. It was released worldwide on Disney+ from April 10 to May 8, 2024, every Wednesday.

Personal life Military service On February 2, 2010, Ju enlisted in the Republic of Korea Army to serve his mandatory military service for five weeks of basic training at 306th draft in Uijeongbu of Gyeonggi Province, followed by active duty with the reserve forces.

Later in August, Ju co-starred with fellow actor Lee Joon-gi in the military musical Voyage of Life. The musical, to commemorate the 60th anniversary of the Korean War, was co-produced by the Ministry of National Defense and Korea Musical Theatre Association. It ran from August 21 to 29 at the National Theater of Korea. Ju was discharged on November 21, 2011.

Legal issues On April 27, 2009, Ju was indicted without detention by Seoul Metropolitan Police along with 15 people on suspicion of using ecstasy supplied by actors Yun Seol-hee and Ye Hak-young. On June 23, 2009, he pleaded guilty in court to use of ecstasy and ketamine. Ju was sentenced to a six-month prison term suspended for one year, 120 hours of community service and ₩360,000 won in fines. On the suspended sentence, the judge explained: "The nature of the crime is by no means light. However, he has no prior criminal record, has reflected deeply on the crime, and has not taken any drugs since the time a year and two months ago. Also, many fans from within the country and from overseas have appealed for an appropriate handling of the matter and sent petitions." Ju's lawyer also stated, "Of course he must accept the price of his crime, but wrong information kept coming out and exaggerated him as a habitual user, and some of it was unfair."

Filmography

Film + Year Title Role Notes 2008 Antique Kim Jin-hyeok 2009 The Naked Kitchen Park Du-re 2012 I Am the King Yi Do / Deok-chil 2013 Marriage Blue Kyung-soo 2014 Love Suspicion Kang-han Chinese film Confession Jung In-chul 2015 The Treacherous Im Soong-jae 2016 Asura: The City of Madness Moon Sun-mo 2017 Along with the Gods: The Two Worlds Hae Won-maek 2018 Along with the Gods: The Last 49 Days Hae Won-maek The Spy Gone North Manager Jung Dark Figure of Crime Kang Tae-oh 2022 Hunt Hyun Soo-jung Cameo appearance Gentleman Ji Hyeon-soo 2023 Ransomed Kim Pan-su 2024 Project Silence Joe Park

Television series + Year Title Role Notes 2002 Nonstop 3 Man on the street Cameo 2004 Apgujeong's Family House Kindergarten teacher Ep. 204 2005 One Span Drama - Old Love Man #2 2006 Princess Hours Crown Prince Lee Shin 2007 Lucifer Oh Seung-ha 2012 Five Fingers Yoo Ji-ho 2013 Medical Top Team Han Seung-jae 2015 Mask Choi Min-woo 2019 Item Kang Gon 2019–2020 Kingdom Crown Prince Lee Chang Season 1–2 2020 Hyena Yoon Hee-jae 2021 Jirisan Kang Hyun-jo 2024 Blood Free Woo Chae-woon Love Your Enemy Seok Ji-won Light Shop Jung Won-young 2025 The Trauma Code: Heroes on Call Baek Kang-hyeok The Witch Baek-suCameo (episode 1) 2026 Mad Concrete Dreams Cameo Climax Bang Tae-seop Sovieshu

Television show + Year Title Role Notes 2021 Kiss the Universe Narrator One of the three documentaries

Web shows + Year Title Role Notes 2023 Bros on Foot Cast Member with Ha Jung-woo, Choi Min-ho, and Yeo Jin-goo

Music video appearances + Year Song title Artist 2012 "처연" 2014 "Fxxk U" Gain

Accolades Awards and nominations

State honors + Name of country, year given, and name of honor Country Award ceremony Year Honor or Award South Korea Korean Popular Culture and Arts Awards 2025 Prime Minister's Commendation

Listicles + Name of publisher, year listed, name of listicle, and placement Publisher Year Listicle Placement Forbes 2019 Korea Power Celebrity 2020 2021 Korean Film Council 2021 Korean Actors 200 The Screen 2019 2009–2019 Top Box Office Powerhouse Actors in Korean Movies