Celebrity

Korea’s “god of acting”: almost lost his career, revival via talent, now happily married to older wife 

This Korean actor received high regards for his unique and overwhelmingly talented acting 

Almost lost his career over a major mistake

Jang Hyuk, whose real name is Jeong Yong Jun, was born in 1976 and is known as a famous Korean actor and rapper. He made his acting debut back in 1997 with a minor role in “Model”, and started his career with supporting roles in “School”, “Zzang (The Best), as well as an appearance in the music video “To Mother” of famous 1st gen Kpop group g.o.d.

Jang Hyuk rose to stardom in 2001, after he was selected for a major role in “Volcano High”, starring alongside actress Shin Min Ah. Despite playing a man with a weird personality, the actor stood out in this work with his unique and convincing acting.

In 2002, Jang Hyuk cemented his standing with the box-office hit “Jungle Juice”, and his popularity sky-rocketed after a role in the hit drama series “Successful Story of a Bright Girl”, where he starred alongside famous actress Jang Na Ra. His acting there was so heart-swooning, he is still considered the best co-star of the actress, and has since earned the title “Korea’s god of acting” and “acting monster” via various successful projects like “Please Teach Me English”, “Windstruck”, and so on.

However, Jang Hyuk’s shining career path stumbled on a huge downfall in 2004, when he, alongside fellow actors Song Seung Heon and Han Jae Suk was discovered to have attempted to avoid their mandatory military service while under SidusHQ. They were promptly condemned by the public, with Jang Hyuk having to issue an official apology and immediately started his enlistment.

Back from the bottom, now a respected artist  

In 2006, Jang Hyuk was discharged and quickly introduced as a cast member of “Thank You” – an emotional movie about motherhood that soon became a major box office hit. Then, the actor constantly scored more success with hits in international grounds as well, including a role in  “Dance of the Dragon”, where he starred alongside Singaporean actress Fann Wong. It was also this movie that earned Jang Hyuk the title of “Best Leading Actor” at the Innovative Film Festival West Hollywood, before he started to become a familiar name in China with the 2011 movie “Fall in Love with Anchor Beauty”. 

Slowly but surely, Jang Hyuk managed to overcome public disdain, and earned back his favor in the strict market of Korea. He also managed himself closely to avoid further scandals, keeping a clean record ever since his grand return. 

A happy marriage 

In 2008, Jang Hyuk married the 2 year older Kim Yeo Jin, who is a former ballerina. Apparently, the couple first met in 2002, when Yeo Jin worked as a personal trainer in Jang Hyuk’s favorite gym. The actor made the first move, and even signed up for classes taught by Yeo Jin, who was then his crush.

They fell in love before Jang Hyuk’s scandal, and Yeo Jin had stuck by his side through the actor’s most diffident time. Now, Jang Hyuk is the happy father to 2 children, and is leading an enviably happy family life. Even when swarmed with his schedules, the actor never fails to make time for his family and prioritize their happiness. 

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