Jang Ki yong biography

Jang Ki yong biography, Jang Ki-yong (Korean: 장기용; born August 7, 1992) is a prominent South Korean actor and model. He began his career in modeling before making his acting debut with a guest role in It’s Okay, That’s Love (2014). His breakthrough came with the drama Confession Couple (2017), followed by his first lead role in Come and Hug Me (2018). Jang gained widespread recognition for his performances in Search: WWW (2019), My Roommate Is a Gumiho (2021), and Now, We Are Breaking Up (2021–2022). He has also showcased his talent in My Mister (2018), Born Again (2020), and The Atypical Family (2024).

As a model, Jang has received several awards, including the “Fashion Model Award” at the 2014 Asia Model Awards and “Best Dressed Model” at the 2015 Korea’s Best Dresser Swan Awards. His acting achievements include the “Best New Actor (TV)” at the 2019 Baeksang Arts Awards and the “Excellence Award” at the 2018 MBC Drama Awards. Additionally, he is recognized for his endorsements with well-known brands such as Estée Lauder, Lancôme, and Nivea Men.

 

 

Jang Ki yong biography

Early Life and Education

Jang Ki-yong was born on August 7, 1992, in Ulsan, South Korea, where he grew up with his parents and older brother. From a young age, he had a passion for fashion and photography. During his third year at Ulsan High School, he came across a runway video featuring model Lee Soo-hyuk, which sparked his desire to pursue modeling. However, with family expectations weighing on him, he focused on preparing for college entrance exams.

When Jang finally shared his dream of becoming a model with his parents, they were initially hesitant. After some discussion, his father encouraged him, saying, “If you really like it and can do well, do it.” With their support, Jang moved to Seoul after passing his entrance exams and enrolled in the musical acting department at Yong In University.

Describing himself as a “country guy,” he often dreamed of the big city and admired the King Sejeong bronze statue in Gwanghwamun. At 19, he visited the modeling agency KPlus (now YG KPlus) but wasn’t selected right away. A year later, he returned and had the chance to take a test shoot, which led to him being signed as a new recruit.

Jang later completed his education at Seokyeong University, where he studied Modeling and Acting.

 

2012–2018: Early Career and Growing Fame

At just 20 years old, Jang Ki-yong kicked off his modeling career by walking in the 2012 S/S General Idea Collection Show during Seoul Fashion Week. He later noted that modeling helped him become more confident and outgoing. His early modeling work included shows for brands like Kolon and Caruso, and he was recognized as one of twelve promising rookie models by the Korea Model Association.

In 2013, Jang gained more visibility through music videos for IU’s songs “The Red Shoes” and “Friday.” His popularity soared when he won the Fashion Model Award at the 2014 Asian Model Awards.

That same year, Jang made a notable appearance in the drama It’s Okay, That’s Love without having any lines, which caught the attention of viewers and earned him the nickname “One Second Cameo.” He took acting more seriously afterward and landed a role in The Greatest Marriage (2014) after a competitive audition. He also appeared in Schoolgirl Detectives (2014) and had supporting roles in several dramas, including This Is My Love (2015), Beautiful Mind (2016), and The Liar and His Lover (2017). Additionally, he starred in web dramas like We Broke Up (2015) and Love for a Thousand More (2016).

In 2016, Jang challenged himself by participating in Tribe of Hip Hop, showcasing his rap skills with a performance that received praise for its speed and execution, finishing as a finalist in the top 10.

Jang’s breakout moment came in 2017 with his role in Confession Couple, where he played a college senior. This drama marked a turning point in his career, leading to increased recognition and offers for commercials and new acting roles. He became known as one of the “Most Popular Actors Born in 1992” alongside Yang Se-jong and Woo Do-hwan.

Following Confession Couple, Jang starred in My Mister (2018), where he played a cold-hearted loan shark. His performance was highly praised and earned him the Best New Actor award at the 6th APAN Star Awards, along with nominations at The Seoul Awards.

In 2018, Jang landed his first leading role in the melodrama Come and Hug Me, where he portrayed a detective with a deep connection to his childhood friend. His outstanding performance earned him the Best New Actor award in television at the Baeksang Arts Awards.

Career Continued

In 2019, Jang Ki-yong took on a challenging role in OCN’s action drama Kill It, where he played a veterinarian by day and a ruthless killer by night. He also starred in the romance drama Search: WWW, portraying a CEO and talented composer. That year, he made his big-screen debut in the crime action film Bad Guys, based on the popular OCN drama, which premiered in September.

In 2020, Jang appeared in the mystery romance drama Born Again, alongside Lee Soo-hyuk and Jin Se-yeon.

The following year, he starred in the Netflix romantic comedy film Sweet & Sour, alongside Chae Soo-bin and Krystal Jung. He then joined the tvN drama My Roommate Is a Gumiho, which was the first original production by iQiyi, featuring a cast that included Lee Hye-ri and Kang Han-na. His last project before mandatory military service was the SBS series Now, We Are Breaking Up, where he acted alongside Song Hye-kyo and Choi Hee-seo. This series was filmed before his enlistment in August and aired in November.

Personal Life

Military Service

Jang enlisted for his mandatory military service on August 23, 2021, as an active-duty soldier. During his service, he was cast in the musical Blue Helmet: Meissa’s Song (2022), sharing the stage with Chanyeol from Exo and Hyojin from ONF, marking his first musical performance. He served for one year and six months in the 15th Infantry Division and was discharged on February 22, 2023.

Jang Ki-yong has often cited veteran model-turned-actor Cha Seung-won as a significant role model in both modeling and acting. Inspired by Cha’s successful transition, Jang expressed his desire to stay dedicated to his main career in film and television while also gracing the runway during fashion seasons. He aims to challenge the stereotype that “models can’t act,” much like Cha has done.

Jang has also looked up to South Korean actor Ha Jung-woo after watching him on SBS’s Healing Camp. Ha’s reflections on his experiences motivated Jang to aspire to be a versatile actor like him in 10 to 15 years. Among international actors, Jang has named the late Heath Ledger as a key influence, appreciating his ability to take on diverse roles.

Impact and Influence

Jang’s journey has also inspired other models, such as Nam Joo-hyuk, to pursue modeling. Jang’s own experience wearing braces encouraged Nam to boost his confidence in doing the same.

Other Ventures

Endorsements

Jang began his endorsement journey in September 2012 when South Korean brewery Oriental Brewery (OB) selected him and model Sora Choi as the faces for their Cass Light Beer campaign. Since then, he has represented various brands, including Guess Korea, TBJ, Jill By Jill Stuart, Philips, and Nepa.

In March 2019, he became the model for Natuur, an ice cream franchise under Lotteria, marking their first campaign after rebranding in seven years. The choice was influenced by Jang’s popularity among women in their 20s and 30s, their largest customer demographic.

In May 2019, Jang was announced as the new face of Sprite Korea for their Summer 2019 Dive in Sprite Campaign, alongside singer Chungha. Later, on October 1, Perfect World Entertainment selected him as a promotional model for their MMORPG Perfect World, where he portrayed the Elyos Prince in a promotional video.

On August 31, 2020, Estée Lauder’s skincare brand Lab Series Korea appointed Jang as their new face. A representative noted that Jang’s image—marked by his commitment to diverse roles and an active lifestyle—aligned perfectly with the brand’s innovative concept.

 

Filmography

Film

Year	Title	Role	Notes
2019	The Bad Guys: Reign of Chaos	Ko Yoo-sung
2021	Sweet & Sour	Jang-hyuk	Netflix Film

 

Television Series

Year	Title	Role	Notes
2014	It’s Okay, That’s Love	Sam
	The Idle Mermaid	Kim Yeon-sun	Cameo
	The Greatest Marriage	Bae Deu-ro
	Schoolgirl Detectives	Ahn Chae-joon
2015	This is My Love	Lee Suk-tae
2016	A Beautiful Mind	Nam Ho-young
2017	The Liar and His Lover	Ji In-ho
	Go Back	Jung Nam-gil
2018	My Mister	Lee Kwang-il
	Come and Hug Me	Chae Do-jin
2019	Touch Your Heart	Top star	Cameo (Episode 1)
	Kill It	Kim Soo-hyun
	Search: WWW	Park Morgan
2020	Born Again	Gong Ji-chul / Chun Jong-bum
2021	Hello, Me!	Police officer	Cameo (Episode 1)
	My Roommate Is a Gumiho	Shin Woo-yeo
2021–2022	Now, We Are Breaking Up	Yoon Jae-guk
2024	The Atypical Family	Bok Gwi-joo
2025	Pigpen	Jin-woo

 

 

Web Series

Year	Title	Role
2015	We Broke Up	Seo Hyun-woo
2016	Love for a Thousand More	Jason
2017	The Boy Next Door	Sung Ki-je

 

 

Television Shows

Year	Title	Role	Notes
2014–2015	Design Tour Season	Host	Season 1 & 2
2014	Tasty Road	Cast member	Episode 26
2015	Off to School	Cast member	Episodes 23–25
2016	Travel Without Manager 2	Cast member	with Joo Woo-jae
	Tribe of Hip Hop	Contestant	Top 10 Finalist
2018	Hope That Bloomed In Mongolia	Cast member	with Jeong Yu-mi

 

 

Music Video Appearances

Year	Title	Artist	Length
2013	“The Red Shoes”	IU	8:27
	“Friday”	IU	3:52
	“EyeKiss”	Lovelybut	2:32
2016	“When in Hongdae”	Hongdae Kwang	3:56
	“The End”	Kwon Jin-ah	5:01
2019	“Night and Day”	Brown Eyed Soul	4:46

 

 

Hosting

Year	Title	Notes
2022	2022 Gyeryong World Military Culture Expo	with SF9’s Inseong

 

 

Theater

Year	Title	Role
2022	Blue Helmet: Meissa’s Song	Yeon Jun-seok

 

 

Discography

Soundtrack Appearances

Title	Year	Album
“Some Guys” (with Choi Woo-shik)	2017	Some Guy OST
“I’m Alright” (with Crude Play)	2017	The Liar and His Lover OST
“In Your Eyes” (with Crude Play)	2018	Come and Hug Me OST
“Peter Pan” (with Crude Play)	2018	Come and Hug Me OST
“Paradise Tree”	2018	Come and Hug Me OST

 

 

Awards and Nominations

Award Ceremony	Year	Category	Nominee(s) / Work(s)	Result
APAN Star Awards	2018	Best New Actor	My Mister	Won
Asia Artist Awards	2018	Rookie Award	Jang Ki-yong	Won
Asia Model Awards	2014	Fashion Model Award	Jang Ki-yong	Won
Baeksang Arts Awards	2019	Best New Actor – Television	Come and Hug Me	Won
KBS Drama Awards	2017	Best New Actor	Confession Couple	Nominated
	2020	Best Couple Award	Jang Ki-yong with Jin Se-yeon	Nominated
Korea’s Best Dresser Swan Awards	2015	Best Dressed Model	Jang Ki-yong	Won
Korea Hallyu Awards	2018	Rising Star Award	Jang Ki-yong	Won
MBC Drama Awards	2018	Excellence Award, Actor in a Wednesday-Thursday Drama	Come and Hug Me	Won
	2018	Best Couple Award	Jang Ki-yong with Jin Ki-joo	Won
SBS Drama Awards	2021	Top Excellence Award, Actor in a Miniseries Romance/Comedy Drama	Now, We Are Breaking Up	Nominated
	2021	Best Couple Award	Jang Ki-yong with Song Hye-kyo	Nominated
The Seoul Awards	2018	Best New Actor (Drama)	My Mister & Come and Hug Me	Nominated

 

 

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