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Jang Dong-gun (born March 7, 1972) is a South Korean actor. He is best known for his leading roles in the films Friend (2001) and (2004). Jang is one of the highest-paid actors and celebrity endorsers in Korea, consistently topping surveys by industry insiders of most bankable stars. "Jang Dong-gun Voted Korea's Most Bankable Star" . The Chosun Ilbo. 20 October 2005.
By the late 1990s he had become quite popular in Korea, but he also became one of the first Korean stars to garner a fan following in other parts of Asia, after several of his TV dramas were screened there in the late nineties. In 1999, after acting in the critically acclaimed Nowhere to Hide as Park Joong-hoon's younger partner, Jang moved on to star in a feature that was filmed on location in Shanghai. Titled Anarchists, this tale of five young terrorists from 1930s China helped to elevate his status even further.
Jang's breakout came in early 2001 in Friend, which smashed the box office record set by Shiri to become (at the time) the biggest Korean film of all time. After playing the nice guy in almost all his previous roles, this portrayal of a tough-talking gangster from Busan led him to local stardom. The following year he starred in the popular action blockbuster 2009 Lost Memories set in a futuristic Great Japan, and appeared in the low-budget film The Coast Guard by controversial director Kim Ki-duk.
Jang followed this up with The Promise, a $30 million pan-Asian production by Chinese director Chen Kaige in which he played opposite Hong Kong star Cecilia Cheung. Meanwhile, he was cast in Typhoon as a modern-day pirate who has been betrayed by both North and South Korea. Directed by Friend's Kwak Kyung-taek, Typhoon set a new record in 2005 for the highest production budget in Korean film history at $15 million.
For the next four years, Jang kept a low profile in the Korean entertainment sphere as he worked on his Hollywood debut The Warrior's Way, also starring Kate Bosworth and Geoffrey Rush. The film encountered problems with post-production and distribution, and was only released in 2010.Min, Ines (10 October 2010). "Jang's Hollywood debut to bridge East and West" . The Korea Times.Lee, Hyo-won (23 November 2010). "Jang Dong-gun brings Asian vibe to Hollywood" . The Korea Times.Lee, Seung-han (25 November 2010). "Interview: Actor Jang Dong-gun" . 10Asia.
He returned to the silver screen in 2009 as the nation's youngest (and most eligible) head of state in Jang Jin's comedy Good Morning, President. "Jang Back to Silver Screen in 4 Years" . The Korea Times. 20 July 2009.Park, Sun-young (25 September 2009.). . Korea JoongAng Daily.
He reunited with director Kang Je-gyu in My Way, a film set during World War II based on the true story of a Korean soldier who is drafted by the Japanese army and eventually is present at the Battle of Normandy. "Jang Dong Gun: 'I Want to Film Movies That My Son Can Watch Later'" . KBS Global. 17 May 2011.Kim, Jessica (1 July 2011). "Jang Dong-gun starrer My Way cranks up" . 10Asia. A large-scale, ambitious pan-Asian collaboration co-starring Japanese actor Joe Odagiri and Chinese actress Fan Bingbing, My Way was the most expensive Korean movie to date (with an estimated budget of ), "Korean Mega War Movie Targets Pan-Asian Audience" . The Chosun Ilbo. 15 December 2011. But despite being simultaneously released in Korea and Japan in December 2011,Lee, Hyo-won (20 January 2011). "Jang-Odagiri film set for release in Japan" . The Korea Times. the film flopped at the box office.
His 2012 film Dangerous Liaisons was a Chinese adaptation of the French literature classic set in 1930s Shanghai, directed by Hur Jin-ho and co-starring Zhang Ziyi and Cecilia Cheung.Ko, Kyoung-seok (22 September 2011). "Jang Dong-gun set for Hur Jin-ho pic joined by Zhang Ziyi and Cecilia Cheung" . 10Asia.Lee, Hyo-won (23 September 2011). "Jang Dong-gun to co-star with Zhang Ziyi, Cecilia Cheung" . The Korea Times. "Jang Dong Gun: 'I Am Glad to Work with Zhang Ziyi and Cecilia Cheung'" . KBS Global. 28 September 2011.Son, Jin-ah (5 September 2012). . StarN News.Ho, Stewart (7 September 2012). "Jang Dong Gun Charms Zhang Zhiyi and Cecilia Cheung With His Bad Boy Ways in New Movie Stills". enewsWorld.
Jang next starred in No Tears for the Dead, an action thriller directed by Lee Jeong-beom. He played a Korean-born American hitman who feels conflicted about killing his last target (played by Kim Min-hee).
In 2015, Jang was cast in the film Seven Years of Night, a revenge thriller based on the novel of the same name by Jung Yoo-jung. He plays a character who takes revenge on his daughter's murderer, by killing his son. The film premiered in 2018.
In 2016, Jang was cast in his first Chinese drama, Once Loved You Distressed Forever alongside actress Tang Yixin. He was then cast in the espionage noir thriller VIP, which premiered in 2017.
Jang returned to the small screen after five years, starring in the Korean remake of the popular United States legal drama series Suits (2018). The same year, Jung starred in Kim Sung-hoon's period zombie action film Rampant alongside close friend Hyun Bin.
In 2019, Jang starred in the fantasy historical drama Arthdal Chronicles.
He enjoys playing baseball and is a member of the celebrity amateur baseball team "Playboys" with Lee Jong-hyuk, Hyun Bin, Kim Seung-woo, Hwang Jung-min, Ji Jin-hee, and other actors.
Their son, Jang Min-joon, was born on October 4, 2010.Kim, Jessica (4 October 2010). "Jang Dong-gun wife gives birth" . 10Asia. "Jang Dong-gun, Ko So-young Celebrate Birth of Son" . The Chosun Ilbo. 5 October 2010.Min, Ines (5 October 2010). "Actors Jang, Ko become parents" . The Korea Times.Kim, Hannah (14 October 2010). . Korea JoongAng Daily. Their second child, a daughter, was born on February 25, 2014.
| 1992 | Our Heaven | |||
| 1993 | Iljimae | Iljimae | ||
| 1994 | The Last Match | Yoon Chul-jun | ||
| 1996 | Icing | Yoon Chan | ||
| 1997 | Medical Brothers | Kim Su-hyung | ||
| Model | Lee Jung | |||
| Myth of a Hero | Kim Tae-woo | |||
| 1998 | Ready Go! | Shin Ji-soo | ||
| Love | Jung In-ha | |||
| 1999 | Kang Hyun-woo | |||
| Ghost | Jang Dae-hyup | |||
| 2000 | All About Eve | Yoon Hyung-chul | ||
| 2012 | A Gentleman's Dignity | Kim Do-jin | ||
| 2018 | Suits | Choi Kyung-seo | ||
| 2019–2023 | Arthdal Chronicles | Ta Gon | Season 1–2 | |
너에게로 가는 길
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With Justice And Peace For All
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Friendship
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飛翔 ( Flying)
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Bon Seung & Dong Gun
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정말 그러길 바랄께
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과거는 흘러갔다 (From Film)
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We Online: Actor's Choice
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나보다 더 (More Than Me)
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| + Name of publisher, year listed, name of listicle, and placement | ||
| 2011 | 25th | |
| 2014 | 37th |
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