Korean Actor Jung Tae-woo Reflects on His Early Career and Family Life

On the latest episode of TV Chosun's 'Baekban Journey with Heo Young-man,' actor Jung Tae-woo shared insights from his early career, revealing that his first paycheck as a child actor was enough to cover a small apartment's rent.

The episode, which aired on the 26th, featured Jung Tae-woo exploring the culinary delights of Yeongdeok, Gyeongsangbuk-do. Reflecting on his 39-year career, Jung recalled his debut in the 1988 film 'Ddolddoli Sogangsi,' where he earned 3 million won, equivalent to a small apartment's rental deposit at the time.

Jung Tae-woo is currently gaining renewed attention for his role as the 'original Danjong' in the film 'The King and the Clown,' which has surpassed 16 million viewers. He previously portrayed Danjong in historical dramas such as 'Han Myeong-hoe' (1994), 'Tears of the Dragon' (1996), and 'The King and the Queen' (1998).

Having appeared in over ten historical dramas, Jung explained, "In the past, there weren't many diverse projects. It was mostly weekend dramas, daily dramas, and epic dramas," shedding light on his extensive work in historical series.

As a standout child actor, Jung reminisced, "People used to say I was cute and charming. When I showed up for auditions, everyone would make a face as if they knew I would get the part. I was quite sharp and did well back then."

In 2009, Jung married Jang In-hee, a flight attendant one year his junior, and they have two sons: 16-year-old Ha-jun and 10-year-old Ha-rin. Jung shared, "We love surfing and often travel to Bali. Both of my sons are great at surfing."

While he spent a lot of one-on-one time with his eldest son, his younger son, born just before the COVID-19 pandemic, became closer to his mother due to her being home more often. Jung noted, "I didn't have many solo trips with my second son, but now we're close," showcasing his happy family life.

Reported by Kim Eun-jung, TenAsia. Contact: eun@tenasia.co.kr