Jung Kyung-ho

Jung Kyung-ho (; born August 31, 1983) is a South Korean actor. He first gained recognition for starring in the television series Missing Nine, Prison Playbook (2017–2018), and Life on Mars (2018) before gaining prominence with the first and second seasons of Hospital Playlist (2020–2021). Since then, he has starred in the series Crash Course in Romance (2023) and Oh My Ghost Clients (2025).

Early life and education Jung was born in Gwangmyeong, and is the son of , a veteran TV director and frequent collaborator of writer Kim Soo-hyun. Jung's father initially opposed his dream of pursuing acting, which led Jung to move out of the family home and not speak to his father for three years before finally reconciling. Jung has said that his eventual decision to become an actor was influenced by seeing Ha perform onstage. It was Ha who persuaded Jung to try out for the KBS actors' audition in 2003.

Career Early career and breakthrough Jung passed the KBS actors' audition, and was soon signed by leading talent agency SidusHQ. Along with four other newcomers from the agency, he made his acting debut in 5 Stars, a mobile drama produced by SidusHQ and broadcast over SK Telecom. A few minor roles on KBS followed.

Jung's first major break came in the 2004 melodrama series I'm Sorry, I Love You, playing the supporting role of an actor who belatedly falls for his childhood friend (Im Soo-jung) and who has an unusually close relationship with his mother. The series was a critical and commercial hit. Following the conclusion of this series, Jung was cast in two films in 2005: All for Love, and When Romance Meets Destiny.

After playing his first leading film role in Gangster High (2006), Jung returned to television in the well-received action drama Time Between Dog and Wolf (2007), in which he and Lee Joon-gi played NIS agents. His portrayal of a policeman who unknowingly becomes interested in an autistic young woman (Kang Hye-jung) in the film Herb netted him a Best New Actor award at the Chunsa Film Art Awards. Jung then played a 1980s-era college student tutoring a high school girl (Cha Soo-yeon) in surreal romance For Eternal Hearts, which was the opening film for the 2007 Puchon International Fantastic Film Festival.

Director Lee Joon-ik then cast Jung in Sunny (2008) as a double bassist in a "consolatory band" who helps the heroine (Soo Ae) find her husband during the Vietnam War. The year after, he played a fugitive who faces off against a small town detective (Kim Yoon-seok) in Running Turtle (2009).

For his first role in a historical drama, Jung played a Goguryeo prince torn between love and duty in Ja Myung Go (2009), based on the folktale Prince Hodong and the Princess of Nakrang. Although Ja Myung Go received lackluster ratings, Jung bounced back with a leading role in the popular family drama Smile, You, starring alongside Lee Min-jung. Of playing an endearing "beta male," Jung said, "I am glad to be able to play a fun character and work on a fun script."

Later in 2010, Jung appeared in a one-act Drama Special episode, The Great Gye Choon-bin, playing an art therapist who overcomes his fear of the dark through his relationship with a kindergarten teacher.

2013–2016: Post-military enlistment Following his two-year mandatory enlistment in the Korean military, Heartless City (2013) became Jung's first acting project post-army, a noir crime drama, playing a conflicted antihero to critical acclaim.

He next starred as an arrogant Hallyu star in the comedy Rollercoaster (released internationally as Fasten Your Seatbelt). It was the directorial debut of actor Ha Jung-woo, Jung's friend and fellow college alumni/agency mate in Fantagio.

In 2014, he appeared in the 1970s-set period drama Endless Love, followed by the role of a psychopathic serial killer in Manhole. He also starred in Beating Again, a romantic drama about cellular memory after a heart transplant.

In 2016, he appeared in the romantic comedy series One More Happy Ending. Jung played a single father who worked as reporter-photographer of gossip magazine "Masspunch", Song Soo-hyuk, love interest of main lead Han Mi-mo, acted by Jang Na-ra.

2017–2020: Rising popularity and breakthrough In 2017, Jung starred in disaster drama Missing Nine, followed by the critically acclaimed Shin Won-ho's black comedy series Prison Playbook. Jung acted as Lee Joon-ho, an elite prison guard. The series was a commercial hit and became one of the highest rated Korean series on cable television history.

In 2018, Jung was cast as the lead role in Korean remake of British crime drama Life on Mars. Directed by Lee Jung-hyo, the series received acclaim from viewers, and Jung was praised for his convincing portrayal of a dazed detective.

In 2019, Jung starred in the occult melodrama When the Devil Calls Your Name. Jung acted as Ha Rip (Seo Dong-cheon), a star composer who has sold his soul to a titular devil. In December, Jung made a special appearance in the popular drama Crash Landing on You as the ex-boyfriend of Yoon Se-ri (Son Ye-jin), which was facilitated by his connection with the production director, Lee Jung-hyo.

In 2020, Jung reunited with director Shin Won-ho in the critically acclaimed medical drama Hospital Playlist as Kim Jun-wan, an associate professor of cardiothoracic surgery. He reprised his role in season 2 in 2021.

On August 24, 2021, it was announced that Jung, Jo Jung-suk, Jeon Mi-do, Yoo Yeon-seok, and Kim Dae-myung were attached to start filming Na Yeong-seok's new variety show in Gangwon Province on September 6. He reprised his role as Prior Walter in The National Theater Company of Korea's premiere of Angels in America - Part Two: Perestroika. His performance gained critical recognition and earned him a nomination for Best Actor in Theater in 2022 Baeksang Arts Award.

In 2022, Jung returned to the big screen with The Great Dancer and Men of Plastic.

He then starred alongside Jeon Do-yeon in Yoo Je-won's romantic-comedy drama Crash Course in Romance which premiered on tvN in January 2023. According to Good Data Corporation, Crash Course in Romance ranked first with a topical share of 23.8% in Top 10 of TV Topicality Ranking in the drama category in four weeks in a row. Jung Kyung-ho ranked first in the performer category for five consecutive weeks.

Personal life Relationship Jung was in a relationship with singer and actress Choi Soo-young of Girls' Generation from 2012 to 2026.

Business In April 2008, he and actor Yoo Ha-jun became business partners and launched the internet shopping mall Double Bill, which sold vintage and trendy clothes for men.

Military service Jung enlisted on November 30, 2010, to serve his mandatory military service in the Korean military as an active-duty soldier with the 306th draft. He was later transferred to the military band in Yongin, then discharged on September 4, 2012, with a commendation from the Army Chief of Staff.

Filmography Film Year Title Role Notes 2005 All for Love Yoo Jung-hoon When Romance Meets Destiny Kim Il-woong 2006 Gangster High Lee Sang-ho 2007 Herb Lee Jong-beom For Eternal Hearts Soo-young 2008 Beastie Boys Cameo Sunny Yong-deuk 2009 Running Turtle Song Gi-tae 2013 Fasten Your Seatbelt Ma Joon-gyu 2014 Manhole Soo-chul 2015 Amor Tae-woo 2018 Deja Vu Choi Hyun-suk 2022 Daemuga Pil-su Men of Plastic Ji-woo 2025 Boss Kang-pyo

Television series Year Title Role Notes 2004 Sweet 18 Jung-sook's blind date You Will Know Ha Ki-ho 5 Stars I'm Sorry, I Love You Choi Yoon 2005 My Sweetheart My Darling Yoo In-chul 2007 Time Between Dog and Wolf Kang Min-ki 2009 Ja Myung Go Prince Ho-Dong Smile, You Kang Hyun-soo 2010 Road No. 1 Man who picks up garbage to sell Cameo (Ep. 5) Drama Special"The Great Gye Choon-bin" Wang Gi-nam 2013 Heartless City Jung Shi-hyun After School: Lucky or Not Doctor Cameo Drama Festival"Crow's-Eye View" Bon-woong 2014 Endless Love Han Gwang-cheol Drama Festival"House, Mate" Seok-jin Cameo 2015 Beating Again Kang Min-ho My First Time Police officer Cameo (Ep. 2) High-End Crush Entertainment news anchor Cameo (Ep. 7, 13 and 20) 2016 One More Happy Ending Song Soo-hyuk 2017 Missing 9 Seo Joon-oh Prison Playbook Lee Joon-ho 2018 Life on Mars Han Tae-joo Tale of Fairy Jeum Dol the Egg / Blue Dragon Voice cameo 2019 When the Devil Calls Your Name Ha Rip / Seo Dong-cheon Crash Landing on You Cha Sang-woo Cameo (Ep. 1, 5 and 7) 2020–2021 Hospital Playlist Kim Jun-wan Season 1-2 2023 Crash Course in Romance Choi Chi-yeol O'PENing: Shoot Me The owner of a PC room Cameo 2024 Wedding Impossible Yoon Chae-won's date Cameo (Ep. 4) 2025 Resident Playbook Kim Jun-wan Special appearance (Ep. 4) Oh My Ghost Clients Noh Moo-jin Pro Bono Kang David

Variety shows Year Title Role 2013 SNL Korea Host Life Talk Show Taxi Cast member 2021 Wise Mountain Village Life

Music video appearances Year Title Artist 2006 "Confession" 4Men 2008 "Doll + A Man's Love" Zia "Violin + Miss You" 2015 "Wind Breeze" Outsider feat. Lee Eun-mi 2025 "Doctor! Doctor!" Zerobaseone

Theater +Theater play performance Year Title Role Theater Date 2021 Angels in America Part 1 Prior Walter National Theater Myeongdong Arts Theater November 26 to December 26 2022 Angels in America Part 2 February 28 to March 27

Discography Year Title Artist Album 2004 "5 Stars" Jung Kyung-ho & .. "Precious Person" Jung Kyung-ho 2006 "Gangster High" Jung Kyung-ho, Lee Tae Sung & .. 2015 "Red Carpet" (J.star ver.) Outsider feat. Jung Kyung-ho 2019 "The Street You Left" Liver & Gallbladder (Jung Kyung-ho & Kim Hyung-Mook) "When I am In Busan"Jung Kyung-ho "Where Is the Dream" "Everyday" 2021 "Reminiscence"

Accolades Awards and nominations Year Award Category Nominated work Result 2004 KBS Drama Awards Best New Actor I'm Sorry, I Love You 2006 43rd Grand Bell Awards All for Love 2007 15th Chunsa Film Art Awards Herb 6th Korean Film Awards 29th Blue Dragon Film Awards Best Supporting Actor SBS Drama Awards Excellence Award, Actor in a Special Planning Drama Smile, You Producer's Award Smile, You, Ja Myung Go 2013 DramaFever Awards Best Bad Boy Heartless City 2014 34th Golden Cinema Festival Best New Actor Fasten Your Seatbelt SBS Drama Awards Excellence Award, Actor in a Serial Drama Endless Love 2016 2016 MBC Drama Awards Top Excellence Award, Actor in a Miniseries One More Happy Ending 2017 MBC Drama Awards Best Character Award, Comic Character Missing 9 2018 6th APAN Star Awards Top Excellence Award, Actor in a Miniseries Life on Mars 2019 12th Korea Drama Awards Top Excellence Award, Actor When the Devil Calls Your Name 2020 5th Asia Artist Awards 2020 Popularity Award (Actor) 2022 58th Baeksang Arts Awards Best Actor – Theater Angels In America 2023 59th Baeksang Arts Awards Best Actor – TelevisionCrash Course in Romance Brand Customer Loyalty Awards Best Actor – Drama 2025 2025 MBC Drama Awards Grand Prize (Daesang) Oh My Ghost Clients 2025 2025 MBC Drama Awards Best Actor Award, Actor Oh My Ghost Clients

Listicles + Name of publisher, year listed, name of listicle, and placement Publisher Year Listicle Placement Korean Film Council 2021 Korean Actors 200