Are you even a fan of the medical K-drama Hospital Playlist if you are unaware of these interesting facts about its lead actor Jo Jung-suk? From entertaining theatre audiences to wooing fans with hit movies and TV shows, Jo Jung-suk has established himself as a formidable force in the Korean entertainment industry. Here we take a close and personal look at his life beyond stardom.
Since his television debut in 2011, Jo Jung-suk has impressed audiences by consistently delivering some of the best movies and TV shows in the last few years. Standouts from his portfolio include The Drug King (2017), Hit-and-Run Squad (2018), Nokdu Flower (2019), Hospital Playlist 2 (2021) and Captivating the King (2024).
Talking about his love for acting, the veteran actor said in an interview with Marie Claire Korea, “I think I’m addicted to acting. Even when talking in private, I keep acting like I’m talking about someone…Whenever I look at a work, I always think, ‘Wow, there are people like this’ or ‘Wow, there are people like this too.’”
Facts about Jo Jung-suk every true Hospital Playlist fan must know
A Capricorn born in the Year of the Monkey
Jo Jung-suk was born on 26 December 1980. The South Korean actor is a Capricorn and according to the Chinese zodiac, was born in the Year of the Monkey.
The Monkey occupies the ninth position in the Chinese zodiac and people belonging to this year are deemed hardworking, practical, curious, enthusiastic, self-assured, imaginative and creative.
Jo was born in Seoul
Born in Banghwa-dong, Seoul, the Korean actor enrolled in the Theatre Department of the Seoul Institute of the Arts on a student loan. However, Jo dropped out of graduation to eventually pursue his career as a professional theatre actor.
Jo Jung-suk initially started as a musical theatre actor
A former theatre artist, Jo made his debut in 2004 with the play The Nutcracker. With over 25 musicals to his credit, Jo soon became a successful name in the theatre world in South Korea. Some of his hit plays include Janggeum the Great, Spring Awakening, Grease, The Island and Hedwig and the Angry Inch.
The actor was also a part of Organ in My Heart — a musical adaptation of hit 1999 Korean film The Harmonium in My Memory, featuring acclaimed actors Jeon Do-yeon and Lee Byung-hun.
K-drama debut
The Hospital Playlist actor made his K-drama debut in 2011 with the MBN series What’s Up. His supporting role as the awkward but talented music student Kim Byung-gun earned him quite the praise. Since then Jo Jung-suk has entertained fans with several exciting K-dramas. These include hits like Nokdu Flower (2019), Exit (2019), Hospital Playlist 2 (2021) and Captivating the King (2024).
Big screen debut
Jo Jung-suk made his big-screen debut as a supporting character in the 2012 film Architecture 101. A Lee Yong-ju directorial, the romantic comedy garnered over 1 million viewers within eight days of release. It also became one of the most-watched films in Korea that year, with around USD 26.7 million at the worldwide box office.
The same year, Jo landed another supporting role in the comedy Almost Che. Jo soon became the talk of the town. The film was an instant box-office success and amassed over USD 1,371,808 worldwide, according to Box Office Mojo.
A skilled guitarist and singer
Jo grew up wanting to become a professional guitarist. According to Koreaboo, the actor loved playing classical guitar during his teenage years. So much so that he stayed behind in high school for two extra years to try and pass the college entrance exam that would get him into the music school of his dreams.
While fate had other things planned for Jo, playing the guitar and covering popular songs is his favourite hobby. The actor has also landed his vocals for the Hospital Playlist OST “Aloha”. Written by Kim Tae-hoon and composed by Wi Jong-soo, the soulful rendition was released on 27 March 2020. A remake of the song of the same name by the K-pop group Cool, “Aloha” sings about the beauty of love.
Jo Jung-suk once dated K-pop singer IU
Did you know Jo has had an interesting dating life? The K-drama actor is rumoured to have dated the Queen of K-pop IU in 2013. Speculations about the same came out after the duo starred together in the 2013 drama You’re the Best Lee Soon Shin.
Furthermore, Jo had also apparently dated Shin Min-ah, his co-star from the 2014 hit TV show My Love, My Bride.
Jo Jung-suk is happily married
The K-drama star married South Korean singer Park Ji-yeon, popularly known as Gummy, on 8 October 2018. Announcing the same, Gummy’s label C-JeS Entertainment shared, “The two celebrities held a promise ceremony with their families and became husband and wife. The two have vowed to respect and care for each other throughout their lives and to be together in joy and sorrow.”
Father to a beautiful daughter
It was on 6 August 2020 that Jo and Gummy welcomed their firstborn — a healthy baby girl.
Following this, Jo Jung-suk’s management agency made the news public via Instagram and shared, “This is JAM Entertainment. We are here to convey that actor Jo Jung-Suk and singer Gummy, have given birth to their new family and both the new mother and baby are healthy. Gummy gave birth on the 6th of August, in the morning, to their first daughter at a hospital in Seoul.”
Further urging fans to congratulate the new parents, the agency wrote, “Both parents as well as their families are very happy about their first born. Thank you to everyone who has been sending them congratulatory wishes and support. Please bless their new family as well.”
The actor never served military
After his father’s death in 2000, Jo dropped out of graduation to look after his mother. Since then, he has been the sole financial provider for his mother and has been exempted from military service for the same.
Owner of a staggering net worth
According to multiple K-media sources, Jo is the owner of a massive fortune and enjoys a net worth of around USD 5.5 million, as of January 2024.
A massive portion of the Korean star’s income comes from his acting projects, theatre projects, commercials and brand endorsements.
(Hero and featured image: Courtesy JAM Entertainment)
A PhD research scholar, Sushmita is a full-time writer and a part time poet. Notepads are Sushmita's one true love -- the unbothered victims drowned in the ink of her pen. An avid fan of K-pop and K-dramas, she mostly writes about Korean culture and entertainment. When not writing, Sushmita is dancing, reading, collecting books, learning about fashion, art, motion pictures, and appreciating BTS.
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