From Cannes to Box-Office Superstar: Jo Seung Woo’s Incredible Acting Career, Now Shining in “Divorce Attorney Shin”
Jo Seung Woo has had an astounding career in movie, theater and drama acting.
“Divorce Attorney Shin” is off to a good start with an opening rating of 7.3% for the first two aired episodes. The drama series manages to capture the attention of the audience with the interweave of comedy, humane messages and emotional scenes despite a familiar take on the legal genre. What stands out is Jo Seung Woo’s acting transformation into a funny and badass character on-screen.
A 19-year-old newbie strutting at Cannes to a box-office superstar
Jo Seung Woo was born in 1980 in Seoul in a family with a strong influence in the arts. His father is the famous singer Jo Kyung Soo while his sister is a theater actress Jo Soo Yeon. Lacking a fatherly love, Jo Seung Woo left behind everything and moved to the US after his parents divorced. He owed much of his career today to the guidance of Im Kwon Taek, Yoon Ho Jin, Kim Min Ki and Nam kyung Eup.
Director Im Kwon Taek was the one who brought him acting indirectly through the casting of the movie “Chunhyang,” where he overcame 1000 auditions for the role. The movie was one of the first Korean movies to attend Cannes and Jo Seung Woo was only 19 when he walked the red carpet of the prestigious award.
Nonetheless, the promising start did not ensure an easy ride. Several obstacles came his way that almost led to Jo Seung Woo’s decision to quit acting. However, it was in the movie scene where he shone the brightest. In 2005, Jo Seung Woo got a breakthrough with “Marathon,” a movie that sold 5 million ticket, bringing the actor to a new height. He received the “Best Actor” award at the 2005 “Grand Bell Awards” and achieved a series of successes such as “The Classic,” “Tazza” or “The Sword with No Name.”
In 2014, Jo Seung Woo was reported to earn 600 million won in appearance fees for “Inside Men.” He gracefully topped the list of actors in movie production with the highest appearance fee. The movie sold 7 million tickets, becoming a best selling, rated R movie at the Korean box office.
A superstar in theater acting
A success in movie-acting does not lead to a dying passion for theater acting. Contrary to his struggling career in movie productions, Jo Seung Woo was a “king” on stage. He was a sensation in theater production and earned the highest appearance fee its the history. Some of his most notable works are “Jekyll & Hyde,” “Hedwig and the Angry Inch” or “This is the Moment.”
It took the actor 13 years in his career to have his first drama appearance in “Horse Doctor.” However, Seung Woo managed to take home the “Daesang” at the “2012 MBC Drama Awards” with ease.
In addition, the actor is not too active in drama acting, revealing he only did it for the fans. Nevertheless, each of his drama appearances is able to attract a jaw dropping number of audience. After “God’s Gift: 14 Days” and “Stranger,” “Divorce Attorney Shin” continues to show itself as the potential next success of Jo Seung Woo.
Source: K14
