Jo Hee-bong (born August 23, 1971) is a South Korean actor. Hee-bong began his acting career in 1997 as part of the theatre troupe Bipa (비파). He later became known as a supporting actor onscreen, in films such as Blind (2011) and Incomplete Life: Prequel (2013), and the television dramas Hong Gil-dong (2008), Joseon X-Files (2010), and Good Doctor (2013).
In a collaboration with director Kim Tae-yong, Jo is also the live narrator (or byeonsa) for Crossroads of Youth (1934), Korea's oldest surviving silent film. Aside from local performances in 2008 and 2012, Jo has performed at the 2009 New York Film Festival, the 2011 International Film Festival in Mexico, the 2011 Thames Festival in London, and the 2013 Berlin International Film Festival.
Filmography
Film Year Title RoleNotes 2003 Singles Director Cheon 2004 The Wolf Returns Kwang-soo Twentidentity segment: "Pass Me" The Big Swindle Detective Park Superstar Mr. Gam Kim Sam-yong 2005 All for Love Businessman (cameo) 2006 One Shining Day Family Ties Man searching on train platform (cameo) Three Fellas Police substation chief Mission Sex Control Bok-man Cruel Winter Blues Village head Midnight Ballad for Ghost Theater Projectionist / Japanese lieutenant Hiroshi / Tetsuo My Wife Is a Gangster 3 Domi 2007 Femme Fatal Gangster boss Choi The Worst Guy Ever Jung-kil 2008 Once Upon a Time Chef A Man Who Was Superman Audio engineer (cameo) Antique Boxer (cameo) The Accidental Gangster and the Mistaken Courtesan Delivery man 1 (cameo) Ten Ten Chang-nam segment: "Blind Date"2009 Oishii Man (cameo) If You Were Me 4 segment: "U and Me" The Righteous Thief Detective Park 2010 Bestseller Middle-aged man 2 2011 Moby Dick Photographer Im (cameo) Blind Detective Jo 2012 Pacemaker Jong-soo Love Fiction Publisher Kwak / Detective squad chief Kwak A Millionaire on the Run Gangster boss Jo 2013 Montage Detective Kang Incomplete Life: Prequel Oh Sang-shik 2014 The Pirates Oh Man-ho Phantoms of the Archive segment: "A Hat's Journey" Wild Flowers 2015 Empire of Lust Hwajeon owner (cameo) The Long Way Home Drunkard
TV films Year Title Role 2015 I'm After You Sang-Jin
Television series Year Title Role Notes/2006 A Farewell to Arms Drama City Episode "The Stars Shine Brightly" 2007 Lucifer 2008 Hong Gil-dong King Gwanghae Drama City Park Hak-seok Episode "Disciplinary Committee" Night After Night Jo Sang-chul Love Marriage Park Hyun-seong2009 Kyung-sook, Kyung-sook's Father Myung-rang Partner Taxi driver recurring character, episodes 9-132010 The Slave Hunters Kkeut-bong Joseon X-Files Jang-man Sunday Drama Theater Nephew Episode "It's Me, Grandma" The Fugitive: Plan B James Bong KBS Drama Special Episode "Pianist"2011 You're So Pretty Jang Dae-poong Deep Rooted Tree Han Myung-hoi/Han Ga-nom KBS Drama Special In-ho Episode "My Wife Disappeared"2012 Man from the Equator Mr. Koon I Do, I Do Seol Bong-soo KBS Drama Special Lee Soo-chul Episode "The Whereabouts of Noh Sook-ja" Only Because It's You Ma Do-yo KBS Drama Special Lee Kang-seok Episode "Daddy's Coming"2013 The Virus Go Soo-kil Good Doctor Go Choong-man Basketball One-man band KBS Drama Special Jae-kwan Episode "My Dad Is a Nude Model" My Love from the Star Company president Ahn 2014 Three Days Go Young-hoon Golden Cross Kang Joo-dong Steal Heart Hong Gye-pal My Lovely Girl Kang Tae-min 2015 A Girl Who Sees Smells Detective Ki Love on a Rooftop Byun Joon-bae Six Flying Dragons Ha Ryun KBS Drama Special Detective Park Episode "Secret"2016 Beautiful Gong Shim Salon's CEO Love in the Moonlight Eunuch Sung The K2 Police officer Cameo2017 Naked Fireman Kwon Jeong-nam My Sassy Girl Gyeon Pil-hyung Tunnel Jeon Sung-sik Distorted Yang Dong-sik 2018 Switch Director Bong Your House Helper Go Tae-soo Four Men 2019–2020 Unasked Family Nam Il-nam 2020 Oh My Baby Nam Soo-cheol Drama Special Hwang Geum-song Episode "One Night" 2020–2022 The Good Detective Woo Bong-shik Season 1–2 2021The Red SleeveHong Jung-yeo 2022 Bloody Heart Ma Seo-bang 2022–2023 The First RespondersYang Chi-youngSeason 1–22023Joseon AttorneyPark Je-soo Numbers Chief Koo 2023–2024 Korea–Khitan War Yoo Jin 2024Dreaming of a Freaking Fairy TaleBan Dan-ah's dad Cameo KBS Drama Specialcloth dealerEpisode "The Two Women" 2025Shin's ProjectKim Yong-WooNice to Not Meet You CEO Son
Theater Year Title Role Reprised 2004 Art Soo-hyun 2005, 2008 2008 Crossroads of Youth Byeonsa 2009, 2011, 2012, 2013 2009 University of Laughs Playwright 2010 2010 Yi Eunuch Hong
Awards and nominations Year Award Category Nominated work Result 2006 KBS Drama Awards Excellence Award, Actor in a One-Act/Special/Short Drama The Stars Shine Brightly 2008 KBS Drama Awards Excellence Award, Actor in a One-Act/Special/Short Drama Disciplinary Committee Best Supporting Actor Hong Gil-dong 2011 48th Grand Bell Awards Blind 2012 SBS Drama Awards Special Acting Award, Actor in a Weekend/Daily Drama Only Because It's You 2013 KBS Drama Awards Best Supporting Actor Good Doctor
References
External links Jo Hee-bong at Starvillage Entertainment Jo Hee-bong Fan Cafe at Daum