Actor Jo Bok-rae, a father of two, is set to officially hold his long-delayed wedding ceremony in February next year.
On the 27th, Jo Bok-rae was interviewed at a café in Samcheong-dong, Seoul, ahead of the release of the film 'The Informant.'
'Informant' is a crime action comedy about a demoted ace detective, Oh Nam-hyuk (played by Heo Sung-tae), and an informant, Jo Tae-bong (played by Jo Bok-rae), who has been pocketing blind money, as they accidentally get involved in a big scheme. Jo Bok-rae plays the role of Jo Tae-bong, a master of cunning.
Jo Bok-rae married his partner in 2021, but since he didn't widely announce the marriage, many still believe he is single. During a recent appearance on the variety show 'Jeon Hyun-moo Plan 3,' Jeon Hyun-moo was surprised, asking, "Are you married? Am I the only single one?" Jo Bok-rae is currently the father of a son born in 2023 and a daughter born in 2025.
Jo Bok-rae explained, "I'm not a particularly high-profile actor, and it was during the COVID-19 period. Many people around me also postponed their weddings at that time." He continued, "We've set the wedding date for February next year, on the day our second child turns one." He added, "These days, many people have quiet family gatherings instead of big first birthday parties. I thought it would be nice to combine the wedding with a small event where we could sing a song for the guests, so we chose that day on purpose."
Jo Bok-rae also received suggestions for his daughter's name during the recording of the web variety show 'Jjanhyung Shin Dong-yup.' The name candidates included Jo Yeon-ah, Jo Yeon-doo, Jo Ah-ra, Jo Ah-young, Jo Ji-ah, and Jo Ah-seo. Among them, 'Jo Yeon-ah' received the most votes. Jo Bok-rae expressed satisfaction, saying, "We had a few names in mind, and 'Yeon-ah' got the most votes. I'm really relieved. If the name we thought of hadn't been number one, it would have been a dilemma."
Jo Bok-rae diligently checked the comments on the 'Jjanhyung' video, considering the opinions of netizens. He said, "I read every single comment. I counted the votes for each name candidate using tally marks. I even captured the results and sent them to senior Shin Dong-yup on the day my daughter was born. The candidate names and results are also posted on the 'Jjanhyung' board," expressing gratitude to those who participated in naming his daughter.
Jo Bok-rae also shared the positive aspects of building a family after marriage. He said, "I tend to be quiet and introspective when I'm alone at home. I had negative or anxious thoughts, but thanks to my supportive wife and my children, who always maintain a bright energy, my overall mood has become more positive. It leads to good thoughts. There are many benefits from an acting perspective as well." He added, "Raising children also helps me mature personally. It leads to a lot of self-reflection, which is beneficial in social life."
'The Informant' is set to be released on December 3rd.
By Ji-won Kim, Ten Asia Reporter bella@tenasia.co.kr