One of the Korean actors to have undoubtedly made an impact this year is Cho Jung-Seok. He has featured in two films so far in 2024: Pilot and Land of Happiness, both of which have been warmly received by critics and audiences. The former was the most popular film this summer attracting 4.7 million viewers in a further sign that the industry is moving away from big budget blockbuster fare.

The actor started out in theater making his stage debut in 2004 with The Nutcracker. Spending almost a decade on stage as a musical actor, it has given him a versatility allowing him to take on a range of roles. He has continued to flourish since making his silver screen debut in 2012 with the film Architecture 101 (2012). He went on to appear as a leading role in films in such as Almost Che (2012), The Face Reader (2013), The Fatal Encounter (2014), My Love, My Bride (2014) and The Exclusive: Beat the Devil’s Tattoo (2015).

He also was very active working in television acting in multiple dramas beginning with What’s Up in 2011 and then The King 2 Hearts in 2012. To date, amongst his parts for television and streaming platforms, he is perhaps best known for his role as an assistant professor of general surgery and specialist in liver transplants in two seasons of Hospital Playlist (2020-2021). Dubbed as a “healing drama” for its heartwarming stories, it was a hit both in Korea and overseas having been picked up by Netflix for certain territories.  Jung’s musical skills were also instrumental in the show’s success given the enduring popularity of its soundtrack.

Working in both television and film, like many of his peers he has evolved with the ecosystem finding success on both the small and big screen. He also starred in EXIT (2019) that was a surprise success in the summer of 2019 as he is fast becoming one of the most sought-after performers in the industry.

This week we will profile some of his most iconic performances beginning with his first film Architecture 101 (2012) before moving on to The Face Reader (2012), My Love, My Bride (2014), My Annoying Brother (2016), The Drug King (2017), EXIT (2019) and Pilot (2023).

Architecture 101 

Cho Jung-Seok’s performance in Architecture 101 would be characteristic of his later work bringing his infectious energy and charisma. He plays the best friend of one of the film’s leading characters acted by Lee Je-hoon coaching him how to attract girls.

Directed by Lee Yong-ju, the film set in the 1990s and the then present day of the early 2010s tells the story of two students (Lee Je-hoon & Bae Suzy) who meet at an architecture class. The film also flashes forward 17 years later when the female protagonist (Han Ga-in) seeks the help of her first love (Uhm Tae-woong) to build a dream home on Jeju Island.

Popular among a wide demographic – both young and old – pulling in over 4 million cinemagoers, it cleverly adopts a nostalgic backdrop resonating with audiences who grew up in the 1990s. The success of the film was significant because melodramas had struggled to perform as well as they used to in the late 1990s and early-to-mid 2000s.

While Cho Jung-Seok’s role is smaller than his later ones, it was a part that left a meaningful impression winning Best New Actor at various award ceremonies including the Blue Dragon Awards. It was the new breakout performance of the year.

The Face Reader 

Cho Jung-Seok shines amongst his co-stars in Han Jae-rim’s sumptuous period film The Face Reader, which features an impressive ensemble cast led by Song Kang-ho and Kim Hye-soo. It also stars Lee Jung-jae, Baek Yoon-sik and Lee Jong-suk.

Jung plays the brother-in-law of a man who studies physiognomy (Song Kang-ho) and can ascertain a lot about a person by reading their face. After moving to Hanyang (the former name of Seoul) and having solved a murder, he is summoned to the palace as a power struggle in the upper echelons of Korea’s monarchy emerges.

As the protagonist’s sidekick, Cho brings his charm and versatility leaving an indelible mark on the narrative demonstrating his talent in a period setting with plenty of stunning visuals and palace intrigue. The film released in time for Korea’s thanksgiving season sold over nine million tickets making it his then most successful film to date.

My Love, My Bride 

The actor continued to entertain audiences, this time as the central lead in Im Chan-sang’s comedy My Love, My Bride (2014). It’s a remake of Lee Myung-se’s much-admired 1990 feature of the same name starring Park Joong-hoon and Choi Jin-sil.

Cho stars opposite Shin Min-ah playing Young-min; the pair are a newly wedded couple who appear very much in love during a honeymoon period but later constantly bicker and argue. With their relationship under further strain as they struggle to trust each other, they eventually discover the true meaning of love. 

Once again Cho delivers a committed performance reflecting his range finding moments of humor, while also touching viewers with his charismatic and relatable persona.  It’s a film that is certainly very commercial with plenty of amusement and melodrama but it’s also a story that couples can relate to. As a result, it struck a chord with audiences accruing more than 2 million admissions in the fall of 2014, which is typically a quieter time at the box office.

My Annoying Brother 

Also connecting with audiences in a tangible way was My Annoying Brother (2016) directed by Kwon Soo-kyung, which sold close to 3 million tickets in what was also an off-peak season at the box office. It was released in November 2016. By this point, Cho was evidently becoming a box office draw.

As the title suggests, he plays the older brother of a national judo athlete (Doh Kyung-soo) who has lost his eyesight while competing damaging his optic nerves. The elder sibling seeks to exploit his brother’s situation by using him to get paroled from prison.  He later learns that he has terminal cancer and therefore has a limited time with his younger brother. He attempts to help him win a Gold Medal at the Rio Olympics that will provide him with an income.

Cho’s ability to ensure his characters connect with his audience is on display here in what is an affecting film with plenty of melodrama to keep viewers engaged.

The Drug King 

Cho starred in The Drug King directed by Woo Min-ho, illustrating his appetite to approach differing roles. He plays a prosecutor from Seoul who seeks to take down a drug smuggler (Song Kang-ho) who is growing more powerful in the port city of Busan in the 1970s.

Produced by Hive Media, it’s a gritty portrayal of the turbulent 1970s period echoing the Woo’s previous film Inside Men (2015). Featuring strong production values through its set-design and cinematography along with powerful performances from its cast led by Song Kong-ho, Cho too is impressive further testing the boundaries of his persona.

It was theatrically released in Korea in December 2018 but failed to perform as well as the also 18-rated Inside Men selling just 1.8 million tickets in what was seen as a box office disappointment.  Other tentpoles that also hit screens in the same month also failed to perform: Swing Kids (2018) and Take Point (2018) sparking some concern amongst those in the industry.

EXIT 

Conversely, Cho’s portrayal as the leading protagonist in Lee Sang-geun’s EXIT (2019) was an unexpected hit selling more 9.4 million tickets. In what is an ideal role for him, Cho plays a man with skills in rock climbing that come in useful when a disgruntled man releases a toxic gas in Seoul sending desperate survivors to the roofs. He is at a party celebrating the 70^th birthday of his mother where he meets a former friend from his rock-climbing days played by Im Yoon-ah. Together they lead people to safety.

While the film’s enthralling set-pieces and visuals are a factor behind its success, it is the leading characters and the chemistry they share that make it such a rewarding viewing experience for viewers.  While there is sometimes a temptation to include early action sequences, the film benefits from introducing the characters over several minutes at the beginning that sets the stage for the events that come later.

Pilot 

Cho Jung-Seok’s role in Pilot was one of his most daring to date playing a star pilot at one of the country’s leading air carriers - Hanguk airlines. He loses his job when a recording of a drunken exchange goes viral and is subsequently blacklisted from the industry.

He then reinvents himself as his sister thereby transforming into a woman. He gets hired, manages to safely bring down a plane that enters difficulty and becomes a star pilot again – but how long can he keep up this act?

Directed by Kim Han-gyul (Crazy Romance (2019)), it’s a remake of the Swedish film Cockpit (2012). Through Cho’s character’s transformation, it ridicules some of the prejudices in society that often affect women. It does it in a manner that remains refreshing and makes references to real events. The emergency landing in the film was inspired by real instances of hierarchal issues in the cockpit that has caused accidents like the Korean Air crash in Guam in 1997.

Even though the theatrical market continues to face much uncertainty, the success of Pilot, which also stars Lee Choo-myung, Han Sun-hwa and Oh Min-ae suggests that feature films are still reaching audiences.

Written by Jason Bechervaise

Editted by Shim Eunha