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Ji Chang-wook is one of the most talented and charismatic Hallyu stars at present. The actor, who turned 35 on July 5, 2022, boasts of prolific work across television, films and web shows.
Born in Anyang, Gyeonggi province, South Korea, the talented actor is also a pro singer and began his career doing musical theater. He made his onscreen debut in the 2006 film Days... and starred in the 2008 television drama You Stole My Heart in a minor role.
He officially debuted in 2008 through the film, Sleeping Beauty.
After a series of small and meaningful roles, he earned his breakthrough with the 2013 K-drama Empress Ki. He played the role of Ta Hwan, the 16th emperor of the Yuan dynasty.
The show was a huge commercial hit and Ji Chang-wook earned accolades for his brilliant performance.
He followed it up with his starring role in the action-thriller drama Healer opposite Park Min-young. The K-drama catapulted his stardom in China, where he would eventually go on to do a few Mandarian dramas in the future.
Following this, the star was seen in a few successful dramas too. These included The K2, the romantic-comedy drama Suspicious Partner opposite Nam Ji-hyun, Melting me Softly and Backstreet Rookie. He was also seen in Lovestruck in the City opposite Kim Ji-won, and more recently Netflix’s The Sound of Magic.
Given that Ji Chang-wook is also an excellent singer, he released his debut EP Be With You in Mandarian in 2016. He has also actively contributed to singing OSTs for his dramas Empress Ki, Suspicious Partner, Healer, First Seven Kisses, and Melting me Softly. Quite recently, he sang six tracks in Netflix’s The Sound of Magic.
Ji Chang-wook’s best roles ranked featuring Healer, The Sound of Magic and more
For this special feature, we have picked five of the most defining roles of his career so far and ranked them in order of preference.
Ji Chang-wook is a talented and versatile actor who has not shied away from picking up roles that other actors may not have accepted.
Though the dramas picked for this list may not encompass Ji Chang-wook’s filmography in its entirety, they are definitely gems of his career. They range from his action-packed role as a vigilante in Healer to his latest role in the musical-fantasy drama The Sound of Magic, where he portrayed the role of a mysterious magician.
So, here are five of the most defining roles of the actors career so far.
5) The K2
Fifth on our list is The K2 starring Ji Chang-wook, Girls’ Generation’s YoonA, and Song Yoon-ah in pivotal roles. Playing the role of a skilled bodyguard, Kim Je-ha is assigned to protect Go An-na, the secret illegitimate daughter of Choi Yoo-jin’s husband.
Ji Chang-wook’s acting shone brightly in this political action melodrama. At the time, Ji Chang-wook became the highest-paid actor for a tvN drama.
4) The Sound of Magic
The series is based on the Naver webtoon, Annarasumanara. In this, Ji Chang-wook played the role of a mysterious yet charismatic magician, Lee-eul, who lives in an abandoned amusement park.
The actor charmed audiences with his interesting choice of drama and the interesting equation he shares with Yoon Ah-yi (Choi Sung-eun) and Na II-deung (Hwang In-yeop).
Lee-eul's character is different from everything Ji Chang-wook has done so far, and despite a patchy script, his acting was top-notch in this bite-sized drama.
3) Lovestruck in the City
Ji Chang-wook hits different in romantic roles. This short-form drama depicts the real love stories of young people who live fiercely in a complex city.
The talented actor plays Park Je-won, an honest and passionate 32-year-old architect, who is unable to forget his first love, played by Kim Ji-won. Not only does he share a terrific romantic chemistry with Kim Ji-won, but he also proves his mettle as an actor in a “non K-drama” kind of drama.
2) Suspicious Partner
A cutesy romantic-comedy drama with a twist, Suspicious Partner features second on our list. Ji Chang-wook portrays famed prosecutor Noh Ji-wook, who is tasked with the responsibility of training prosecutor trainee Eun Bong-hee (Nam Ji-hyun).
While working on a mysterious murder case involving a sly psychopathic murderer, the two realize their fates and paths are actually interconnected.
The show is one of the hallmarks of his career and a defining genre-bender K-drama. Despite moderate ratings, it was a huge hit amongst teenagers and young adults, topping the streaming popularity charts and brand reputation rankings throughout its run.
1) Healer
The first drama that comes to most people’s minds is the 2014 drama Healer, which features the actor in a starring role as a skilled vigilante. The vigilante is known for his intelligence and top-notch fighting skills.
He was tasked with protecting Chae Young-shin (Park Min-young), a sincere journalist, and the two fell in love in the process.
Despite receiving moderate ratings in Korea, Healer worked its magic amongst foreign audiences. This made the Healer star one of the most sought-after Hallyu stars internationally. Hence, deserves the top spot on our list.
The Sound of Magic's cast, Hwang In-yeop, Choi Sung-eun, Ji Hye-won, and Kim Bo-yoon will join the cast of “Youth MT.” This is a new TVing variety show that features cast members from popular K-dramas like Love in the Moonlight and Itaewon Class. The cast members go on a refreshing retreat, hang out together, play games and take time to bond with each other.
Youth MT is expected to air in September 2022.
