Edited by Hwang Hong Sun
Translated by Kim Hoyeun
Jo In Sung is a perfect example of a model-turned-actor. He made his debut as an advertising model for a clothing brand in 1998 and started acting in earnest in 2000 with KBS2’s youth drama School 3. After appearing in MBC’s sitcom New Nonstop and several one-act plays, he made his face known. Then, he faced the most significant turning point in his acting career when he appeared in SBS’s drama Piano in 2001.
Piano is a drama about the passionate paternal love of gangster Uhk Gwan and the unattainable love of step siblings. Jo Jae Hyun, Go Soo, Kim Hae Neul, and Jo In Sung all showed enthusiastic performances, and gained huge popularity with their heartbreaking stories.
Jo In Sung played the role of Lee Gyung Ho, Uhk Gwan’s step-son. He was full of complaints since he was a boy because his mother chose a gangster to be the new father. He grew up to be a rebellious person, and eventually joins the gang. Originally, Jo In Sung’s role was not that big, but his scenes naturally increased as Uhk Gwan tried hard to prevent Gyung Ho from entering the wrong path. Jo In Sung left a deep impression on the viewers by ideally playing the role of Gyung Ho, who feels pitiful despite his anger towards the world.
After the success of Piano, he expanded his presence as an actor. He played his first leading role with Shoot For The Stars, and rose to fame with What Happened in Bali, in which he showed improved acting skills. In 2006, he made it to the big screen with A Dirty Carnival and led the movie to the box office success with a performance that strongly resembles Gyung Ho from Piano.
Since then, Jo In Sung has become one of Korea’s leading actors by starring in numerous hit films and dramas. This year, he will meet his fans with film Mogadishu (literal translation) based on the true story of the escape of diplomatic officials from South and North Korea who got isolated in the Somalia civil war in the 1990s. We are looking forward to Jo In Sung’s return as Kang Dae Jin, who shows outstanding wit even in crisis.
