Cho Jae-hyun (born June 30, 1965) is a South Korean film, stage, and TV actor. He is commonly dubbed "director Kim Ki-duk's persona" since Cho has starred as leading and supporting characters in a number of films directed by Kim.조재현 "김기덕 감독, 연기인생의 은인" . Hankook Ilbo (in Korean). 11 March 2006. Retrieved 2012-11-19.
Early years and education Cho Jae-hyun was born in Gyeongju on June 30, 1965. He and his family lived in a poor neighborhood on the slopes of a hill until his father became successful with his restaurant business in the Jongno area, Seoul. In a 2002 interview with the film magazine Cine21, Cho said he was a rebellious boy wandering outside the home. He aspired to be a painter, so tried to enter an art high school but failed. When he entered another high school, Cho ran away from home to Busan. Cho worked as a waiter there, and studied on his own to pass a qualification exam equivalent to obtaining a high school diploma. However, Cho failed it, so returned to Seoul to finish his high school year.
Cho was admitted to study theater and film at Kyungsung University. Cho recollected he indulged himself in Busan's culture as a freshman and sophomore, then focused on theater for the rest of his university years. Cho said a question from his junior in school during his third summer break shook him to rethink about his future; "What would you do after the graduation from the school?" Cho said he felt shame at the time because he could not clearly answer the question. Therefore, Cho started dedicating himself to acting.
Acting career After graduation, Cho was selected as a TV actor by a public recruit of Korea Broadcasting System (KBS), and officially debuted as a professional actor by starring as the youngest brother of Yu In-chon in The Age of Ambition (야먕의 세월). But theater remained his main priority, as Cho and his friends established a theatrical company named "Jongak" (종각, literally "Bell Pavilion"), which produced several works on the stage such as Tricycles (세발자전거, 1989), Look Back in Anger (성난 얼굴로 돌아보라, 1990) and The Lovers of Woomook-baemi (우묵배미의 사랑, 1990). In 1991, Cho won Best New Actor in Theater at the Baeksang Arts Awards for his acting in Equus; he reinterpreted the leading role Alan Strang as an innocent person, though he is largely depicted as a cruel and rebellious character.
In 2009, Cho revisited Equus by directing the play and playing the other lead character Martin Dysart. This was part of the highly successful Yeongeuk Yeoljeon ("A Series of the Best Plays"), of which Cho was the programmer in 2008–2009. Cho was praised for reinvigorating the faltering local theater scene in Daehangno by coming up with the series and its star-studded casting, promotion and marketing.
In 2018, Cho starred as a doctor and head of an organ transplant centre in the medical TV series Cross opposite Ko Kyung-pyo. However, on February 24, 2018, while the TV series was still being shot and aired, he was removed from the cast list following his admission of committing sexual harassment.
Other activities Cho is also the chairman of the Gyeonggi Film Council since 2009, executive festival director of the DMZ International Documentary Film Festival (DMZ Docs) since 2009, chairman of the Gyeonggi Arts Center since 2010, an associate professor at Sungshin Women's University's College of Convergence Culture and Arts since 2012, and an associate professor at Kyungsung University's Department of Theater and Film since 2014.
Personal life When Cho Jae-hyun was 24 years old in 1989, he married his college sweetheart who was an anchor for the campus channel."조재현, 결혼 20주년 깜짝이벤트 무산된 사연 공개" . Newsen (in Korean). 28 November 2008. Retrieved 2012-11-19. His son Cho Soo-hoon is a short track speed skater who won a gold medal in the 500 meter competition for male university students at the 2008 Korean National Winter Sports Festival,""★, 우리도 동계 스포츠 출신"...송혜교·장동건, 응원 메세지 전해" . Sportsseoul (in Korean). 16 February 2010. Retrieved 2012-11-19. while his daughter Cho Hye-jung, who attended the American Academy of Dramatic Arts in New York City, is also an actress.
Sexual assault On February 23, 2018, Cho Jae-hyun was accused of sexual misconduct by actress Choi Yul, who claimed that Cho had sexually assaulted her in the past. On February 24, Cho acknowledged the allegations.
In July 2018, a woman only known as "miss A" filed a lawsuit against Cho for 300 million ₩ as damages from an alleged sexual assault. The Seoul Central District Court ruled against her in January 2021.
Filmography Film As actor Year Title Role 1988 I Love You (short film) 1989 Prostitute 2 1990 Man Market 1991 Portrait of the Days of Youth 1992 Sorrow Like a Withdrawn Dagger, Left My Heart 1995 The Eternal Empire1996 Karuna Crocodile Crocodile1997 Wind Echoing in My Being Young man Wild Animals Cheong-hae1998 Girls' Night Out Yong-jak Spring in My Hometown 1999 The Face Kim Jae-mok2000 Interview Byung-kwon The Isle Mang-chi2001 Prison World Cup Question Address Unknown Dog Eyes Bad Guy Han-ki 2003 Sword in the Moon Yoon Gyu-yup2004 Mokpo the Harbor Lee Su-cheol Father and Son: The Story of Mencius Maeng Man-su Love, So Divine Cathedral construction worker (cameo)2006 The Romance Hyeong-jun Hanbando Choi Min-jae2007 Puff the Rice (short film) Jae-won Beyond the Years Dong-ho2009 Marine Boy Kang The Executioner Bae Jong-ho 2010 The Influence King Gojong 2011 The Kick Master Mun 2012 The Weight Mr. Jung/Han Hae-woon2013 El Condor Pasa Father Park Moebius Father 2014 The Fatal Encounter Gwang-baek 2015 A Korean in Paris Sang-ho 2016Seondal: The Man Who Sells the River Seong Dae-ryeon
As director Year Title Notes 2006 "Standing in the Shade of a Tree-lined Road" by Yim Jae-beom Music video2013 5th DMZ International Documentary Film Festival Film festival trailer His Special Day Documentary short 2014 6th DMZ International Documentary Film Festival Film festival trailer 2015 A Break Alone Feature film; also credited as screenwriter
Television series Year Title Role 1989 The Tree of Love1990 Love on a Jujube Tree The Age of Ambition1993 Drifting Myth Woman's Man Joy Amidst Sadness Love and Friendship1994 MBC Best Theater – "A Meeting with the Perfect Man" The Way to You MBC Best Theater – "Human Decency"1995 One Fence You Said You Love Me1996 Thief Glorious Dawn1997 The Mountain Passionate Love Railing on Fire1998 Legendary Ambition Ma Dal-soo Like the Wind, Like the Waves MBC Best Theater – "Jeondeungsa"1999 You're One-of-a-Kind School 2 Cho Jae-hyun Happy Together Jo Pil-doo Queen Park Jang-soon Did We Really Love?2000 Juliet's Man Rookie Heo Jang-seok School 3 2001 Piano Han Eok-kwan2003 Snowman Han Pil-seung Damo (cameo)2005 Hong Kong Express Kang Min-soo Smile of Spring Day Im Dae-beom 2007 New Heart Choi Kang-gook 2011 Gyebaek King Uija2012 Syndrome Cha Tae-jin Sent from Heaven Geum Bo-hwa's ex-boyfriend (cameo) 2013 The Scandal Ha Myung-geun2014 Jeong Do-jeon Jeong Do-jeon Punch Lee Tae-joon2015 Take Care of My Dad Himself Assembly (cameo, episode 1)2016 The Master of Revenge Kim Gil-do Solomon's Perjury Han Kyung-moon 2017 Whisper Lee Tae-joon 2018 Cross Go Jung-hoon
Theater Year Title Role 1991 Equus Alan Strang 2004 Equus Alan Strang 2007 Kyung-sook, Kyung-sook's Father Jo Jae-soo 2008 Educating Rita Frank 2008–2009 Dandelions in the Wind Ahn Jung-ki 2009–2010 Equus Martin Dysart 2011 Dandelions in the Wind Ahn Jung-ki 2012 Thursday Romance Jeong-min 2014–2015 Educating Rita Frank 2016 Blackbird Ray
Awards and nominations Year Award Category Nominated work Result 1991 Baeksang Arts Awards Best New Actor (Theater) Equus 1992 Blue Dragon Film Awards Best New Actor Sorrow Like a Withdrawn Dagger, Left My Heart 1993 Baeksang Arts Awards Best New Actor 1998 Blue Dragon Film Awards Best Supporting Actor Girls' Night Out 1999 SBS Drama Awards Best Supporting Actor Happy Together KBS Drama Awards Best Supporting Actor 2001 Busan Film Critics Awards Best Supporting Actor Address Unknown SBS Drama Awards Top Excellence Award, Actor Piano Top 10 Stars 2002 Baeksang Arts Awards Best Actor Bad Guy 2003 MBC Drama Awards Special Acting Award Snowman 2008 Baeksang Arts Awards Best Actor (TV) New Heart Korea Drama Awards Top Excellence Award, Actor MBC Drama Awards Top Excellence Award, Actor PCG Awards Communicator of the Year 2011 A Series of the Best Plays 3 Awards Award for Excellence Equus (as director) 2013 Fantasia International Film Festival Best Actor The Weight Sydney Intercultural Film Festival Best Actor Grimae Awards Best Actor The Scandal MBC Drama Awards Top Excellence Award, Actor in a Special Project Drama Golden Acting Award, Actor 2014 Baeksang Arts Awards Best Actor (TV) Jeong Do-jeon Korea Drama Awards Grand Prize (Daesang) APAN Star Awards Top Excellence Award, Actor in a Serial Drama KBS Drama Awards Top Excellence Award, Actor Excellence Award, Actor in a Serial Drama PD Award 2015 Baeksang Arts Awards Best Actor (TV) Punch Gwangju International Film Festival Grand Prize (Daesang) SBS Drama Awards Top Excellence Award, Actor in a Drama Special Top 10 Stars 2016 KBS Drama Awards Excellence Award, Actor in a Mid-length Drama The Master of Revenge
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