Cho Jin-woong (; born March 3, 1976), born Cho Won-jun (), is a retired South Korean actor. He gained early recognition for his supporting roles in the films Nameless Gangster: Rules of the Time (2012), The Admiral: Roaring Currents (2014), and Assassination (2015).
Cho is known for starring in the high-profile films The Handmaiden (2016), The Sheriff in Town (2017), The Spy Gone North (2018), Believer (2018), Intimate Strangers (2018), and Black Money (2019), as well as the television series Deep Rooted Tree (2011) and Signal (2016). For his role as a mysterious villain in A Hard Day (2014), Cho won Best Actor at the 51st Baeksang Arts Awards.
Early life and education Cho was born Jo Won-jun on April 2, 1976 in Busan. His father's name is Cho Jin-woong. He graduated from the Department of Theater and Film at Kyungsung University.
Career
Beginning in theater Cho began his acting career on stage, spending nine years with the Dongnyeok theater troupe. During this time, he appeared in several notable plays, including Baridegi (2001), The Parrot's Song (2002), Macbeth (2003), and Veronica Decides to Die (2003).
Screen debut and career as character actor Cho made his screen debut in 2004 with the film Once Upon a Time in High School, an opportunity he came across by chance. While strolling in Samseong-dong, he met a military senior who worked at a film company and invited him to audition. he soon found himself in the company's office meeting teen star Kwon Sang-woo, which led him to believe the opportunity was legitimate. Despite being 29 or 30 years old at the time, he was cast as a high school student. Before the film's release, he asked his father for permission to adopt his name as his stage name, a choice he said was a pledge "not to bring shame to my father's name." His father's name, Jin-woong, written in hanja as "thunder" (震) and "male" (雄).
Early in his career, Cho gained a reputation as a scene-stealer in supporting roles in films such as Hwang Dong-hyuk's film Our Brother (2004), Jung Ji-woo's film Running Wild (2006), Yu Ha's film A Dirty Carnival (2006), and Kwak Kyung-taek's film Gangster High (2006). He expanded his presence on television with key roles in dramas like My Too Perfect Sons (KBS2, 2009), The Slave Hunters (KBS2, 2010), A Man Called God (MBC, 2010), and Deep Rooted Tree (SBS, 2011).
Cho's career took a significant turn with a series of acclaimed film roles, including Jang Hoon's film The Front Line(2011), Park Hee-gon's film Perfect Game (2011), and Yoon Jong-bin's film Nameless Gangster: Rules of the Time (2012). His filmography continued to grow with notable performances in Jang Joon-hwan's film Hwayi: A Monster Boy (2013), Kim Seong-hun's film A Hard Day (2014), and Yoon Jong-bin's film Kundo: Age of the Rampant (2014). He was part of two films that each attracted over 10 million viewers, Kim Han-min's film The Admiral: Roaring Currents (2014) and Choi Dong-hoon's film Assassination (2015).
Transitioning to leading role Working in both television and film, Cho starred in the tvN drama Signal in January 2015. His portrayal of Detective Lee Jae-han solidified his status as a leading man, opening the door to a new phase of his career.
Following Signal, he returned to film, attending the Cannes Film Festival with Park Chan-wook's film The Handmaiden. He then starred in Lee Woo-cheol's film The Hunt, where he took on his first-ever dual role. Although The Hunt was not a box office hit, his performance received critical acclaim. With his charm and box office power now proven, Cho then starred in Kim Hyung-joo's film The Sheriff in Town and appeared in the tvN drama Entourage in the second half of 2016. His next film was Lee Soo-yeon's film Bluebeard.
Cho's film Believer, a crime thriller inspired by the Hong Kong film Drug War, was released on May 22. In the film, he plays Detective Won-ho, who has been tracking a drug cartel for years. After a mysterious explosion, Won-ho pursues the hidden boss, "Mr. Lee," with the help of Oh Yeon-ok (Kim Sung-ryung), a member of the organization, and an abandoned member, Rock (Ryu Jun-yeol).
Retirement In late 2025, he abruptly announced his retirement after his criminal record from his teenage years came to light.
Personal life In 2013, he married his wife, Kim Min-a, after they had been dating for seven years.
Tax audit Tax authorities assessed Cho about ₩1.1 billion after a regular audit, Saram Entertainment said in March 2025. He paid the amount in full. The agency said he had reported corporate tax on income of a company he established, and that officials treated the same income as personally taxable. It described the extra levy as a difference in how tax law was interpreted and applied, not intentional evasion, and said Cho had asked the Tax Tribunal to review the decision.
Filmography
Film Year Title Role Notes 2004 Once Upon a Time in High School Yasaengma gang member Bit part My Brother Doo-shik2006 Hello Stranger Yong-gil Short film Running Wild Guryongpa gang member Bit part A Dirty Carnival Young-pil Les Formidables Detective Shin Gangster High Jo Hong-kyu2008 His Last Gift Baek In-chul Bit part My New Partner Jung Young-chul The Guard Post Cook Spare Smuggler's Voice cameo Sweet Lie Jung Han-sang A Frozen Flower Tae Ahn-gong Cameo2009 Take Off Commentator Cameo Fly, Penguin Han Chang-soo City of Fathers Han Sang-goo2010 Killing of Game Viper Unreleased Bestseller Chan-sik A Barefoot Dream James Cameo2011 Glove Charles The Front Line Yoo Jae-ho Perfect Game Kim Yong-chul2012 Nameless Gangster: Rules of the Time Kim Pan-ho A Millionaire on the Run Kim Seung-dae Cameo Perfect Number Jo Min-beom2013 Man on the Edge Hwang Man-sam Cameo An Ethics Lesson Myung-rok My Paparotti Chang-soo Hwayi: A Monster Boy Ki-tae2014 A Hard Day Park Chang-min Kundo: Age of the Rampant Lee Tae-ki The Admiral: Roaring Currents Wakisaka Yasuharu We Are Brothers Park Sang-yeon2015 Chronicle of a Blood Merchant Mr. Ahn Foulball Narrator Documentary Salut d'Amour Jang-soo Assassination Chu Sang-ok 2016 The Handmaiden Kouzuki The HuntPark Dong-geun / Park Myeong-geun 2017 Bluebeard Seung-hoon The Sheriff in Town Jong-jinBlue Busking Reporter Seo CameoThe Outlaws Regional investigation unit leader CameoMan of WillKim Chang-soo2018 The Spy Gone North Choi Hak-sung Believer Won-hoIntimate Strangers Seok-ho 2019Jesters: The Game Changers Deok-HoMan of MenYoung-giBlack MoneyYang Min-Hyuk2020Me and MePark Hyung-goo 2021 History: Trailer Short film; also director 1984 Choi Dong-won Narrator Documentary 2022 The Policeman's Lineage Park Kang-yoon2023 The Devil's Deal Jeon Hae-woong The Boys Oh Jae-hyung Cameo Believer 2 Won-ho 2024Dead ManLee Man-jae 2025La Resistance Narrator Documentary
Television series Year Title Role Notes 2007 Romance Hunter Park Cheol-gi2008 Don't Ask Me About the Past Bae Yoon-goo Lottery Trio President Park2009 My Too Perfect Sons Brutus Lee Hot Blood Lee Soon-gil2010 The Slave Hunters Kwak Han-seom A Man Called God Jang-ho Flames of Desire Kang Joon-goo2011 Believe in Love Kim Chul-soo Deep Rooted Tree Moo-hyul 2014 Beyond the Clouds Park Kang-jae 2016 Signal Lee Jae-han Entourage Kim Eun-gap 2023The Good Bad MotherChoi Hae-sikCameo 2024 No Way Out: The Roulette Bae Joong-sik 2025 Karma Loan shark Cameo
Television shows Year Title Role Notes 2021 Off The GridMain Cast 2023 Europe Outside the Tent Cast Member Season 2
Web shows Year Title Role Notes 2021 Saturday Night Live Korea Host Episode 10
Musical theater Year Title Role 2001 Baridaegi Mu Jang-seng 2002 앵무가 Tiger2003 Macbeth Macbeth Veronika Decides to Die Dr. Lee 2004 The Balba Balba
Accolades
Awards and nominations Year Award Category Nominated work Result 2009 KBS Drama Awards Best Supporting Actor My Too Perfect Sons, Hot Blood 2010 18th Chunsa Film Art Awards Best New Actor Bestseller 2011 47th Baeksang Arts Awards Best New Actor (Film) GLove SBS Drama Awards Special Award, Actor in a Drama SpecialDeep Rooted Tree 2012 21st Buil Film Awards Best Supporting Actor Nameless Gangster: Rules of the Time 2013 49th Baeksang Arts Awards Best Supporting Actor (Film) Perfect Number 34th Blue Dragon Film Awards Best Supporting Actor Hwayi: A Monster Boy 2014 18th Puchon International Fantastic Film Festival It Award A Hard Day 23rd Buil Film Awards Best Supporting Actor 51st Grand Bell Awards Best Supporting Actor 35th Blue Dragon Film Awards Best Supporting Actor 4th Korea Film Actors Association AwardsKorea's Top Supporting Actor KBS Drama Awards Best Supporting Actor The Full Sun 2015 10th Max Movie Awards Best Supporting Actor A Hard Day 9th Asian Film Awards Best Supporting Actor 51st Baeksang Arts Awards Best Actor (Film) 24th Buil Film Awards Best Supporting Actor Assassination 36th Blue Dragon Film Awards Best Supporting Actor 2016 21st Chunsa Film Art Awards Best Supporting Actor 52nd Baeksang Arts Awards Best Supporting Actor (Film) Best Actor (TV) Signal 5th APAN Star Awards Top Excellence Award, Actor in a Miniseries tvN10 AwardsGrand Prize (Daesang) - Actor Best Actor 1st Asia Artist Awards Grand Prize (Daesang) 5th Korea Film Actors Association Awards Korea's Top Star7th Korean Popular Culture & Arts Awards Prime Minister Award201753rd Baeksang Arts AwardsBest Supporting Actor (Film)The Handmaiden 26th Buil Film AwardsBest Actor Bluebeard201855th Grand Bell AwardsBest Actor Believer 3rd DongA's PICKGolden Hand Award2020 24th Fantasia International Film Festival Jury Special Mention in the Cheval Noir Competition Me and Me 21st Busan Film Critics Awards Best Actor 7th Korean Film Producers Association Black Money 202140th Golden Cinema Film Festival 57th Baeksang Arts Awards Best Actor (Film) Me and Me 8th Wildflower Film AwardsBest Actor 26th Chunsa Film Art Awards Best Actor 2022 31st Buil Film Awards Best Actor The Policeman's Lineage 2023 Broadcast Advertising Festival CF Star Grand Prize rowspan="2" 18th Asia Model Festival Asia Star Award in Actor 2024 Asia Contents Awards & Global OTT Awards Best Lead Actor No Way Out: The Roulette
Listicles +Name of publisher, year listed, name of listicle, and placementPublisherYearListiclePlacementThe Screen20192009–2019 Top Box Office Powerhouse Actors in Korean Movies 15th
Other accolades
In 2021, he was selected as Jury member for Actor and Actress of the Year Award in 26th Busan International Film Festival held in October.
References
External links