So Ji-sub (Korean: 소지섭; born November 4, 1977) is a South Korean actor. After making his entertainment debut as a jeans model, he became known for his lead roles intelevision dramas and films. So has also released severalhip hopEPs.[3]
So Ji-sub was born on November 4, 1977, inSeoul, South Korea and moved to Incheon when he was in his third year ofelementary school.[1] Self-described as introverted and insecure in his childhood and teenage years, So trained to become a professionalswimmer[4] for eleven years and got the bronze medal at the Korean National Games.[5] His parents divorced at a young age. He has one older sister who lives in Australia.
He tried outmodeling simply because he wanted to pose alongside hip-hop artistKim Sung-jae, who was the celebrity face for a clothing brand at the time. "I was never really interested in becoming a celebrity," So said. "My life was all about swimming and hip-hop music. I did modeling because I wanted to see Kim and also because it was the best way to earn good easy money."[4][6]
So was chosen as a model for jeans brand 292513=STORM in 1995,[7] then made his acting debut in the sitcomThree Guys and Three Girls and the television dramaModel.[8] But whereas fellow 292513=STORM modelSong Seung-heon quickly rose to stardom, So had difficulty raising his profile.[9] He appeared in small roles on television throughout the late 1990s and early 2000s,[10] and started to gain popularity when he was cast as the male second lead inGlass Slippers in 2002.[11] He played his first lead role in the time travel historical dramaThousand Years of Love.[12]
So began to rise to fame with 2004 hit dramaWhat Happened in Bali[13][14] At that time, So thought he would end up being a supporting actor. But later that year, he had his breakout role as a tragic hero in the critically acclaimed melodramaI'm Sorry, I Love You.[15][16] It established him as a top star in Korea,[17] as well asall over Asia.[18][9][19] In a 2009 interview, So said he still considers the two the best television dramas in his filmography.[20]
So enlisted formandatory military service in 2005 as a public relations officer with theMapo District Office,[21] and was discharged on April 27, 2007.[22] He made his comeback inJang Hoon's directorial debutRough Cut, in which he played a gangster who dreams of becoming an actor.[23] Because of the film's low budget, So and costarKang Ji-hwan decided to invest their fees back into the movie, and were credited as producers.[24] So's performance was well received by audiences and critics, and the film became a surprise box office hit.[9][25]
So in 2009
In 2009, So attempted to break into the Japanese and Chinese markets. InI am GHOST, anaction drama that aired in 24 five-minute episodes on Japan's mobile-exclusive broadcasterBeeTV, he played a mysterious killer on the run with a high school girl.[26][27] So spoke no lines in the mobile drama, and was "worried whether (their) emotions would be delivered just through (their) motions." The year before, he had appeared in a supporting role as a monster in the Japanesemanga live-action adaptationGeGeGe No Kitaro 2: Kitaro and the Millenium Curse.[28][29]
So starred oppositeZhang Ziyi in the Chineseromantic comedySophie's Revenge, saying, "I wanted to do a bright and cheery role because I've played so many sad and gloomy ones."[30][31] He later signed with a Chinese talent agency, ATN Entertainment.[32][33] So then returned to Korean television withCain and Abel, about two doctor brothers with an intense sibling rivalry.[34] His performance received critical acclaim, and won him Best Actor at the 2009 Grimae Awards, an honorable award chosen by directors in every broadcasting station in Korea.[35]
In 2010 So headlined the big-budgetKorean War epicRoad No. 1, but despite high expectations, the series tanked in the ratings, averaging 6% for its entire run.[36][37][38][39][40]
After portraying a workaholic detective in the cyber criminal investigative service in TVproceduralPhantom,[45][46][47] So starred in the filmA Company Man, about a hitman in a killer-for-hire company who, after he falls in love and decides he wants out of his job, finds himself the target of his former colleagues.[4][48][49][50]
Later that year he starred inMaster's Sun, a horror-romantic comedy written by theHong sisters. Known for his melodramatic roles, So made an acting transformation inMaster's Sun, playing a character with charm.[51] The drama was a commercial hit and renewed his domestic and international popularity.[52] So then starred in another romantic comedy seriesOh My Venus, about a celebrity trainer who helps a lawyer lose weight and find her inner beauty as they heal each other's emotional scars.[53][54]
In 2017, So starred in the filmThe Battleship Island, which depicts the unknown history behind the actual Hashima Island, where thousands of conscripted Joseon people were forced to work to death during the Japanese colonial era.[55] He plays Gyeongseong's best fighter who brought peace to the entire Jongno district.[56]
In 2018, So starred alongsideSon Ye-jin in the romance filmBe with You, based on the Japanese novel of the same name.[57][58] The same year, he returned to the small screen with spy comedy dramaMy Secret Terrius.[59][60][61] So won his first major award, the "Daesang (Grand Prize)" at theMBC Drama Awards for his performance.[62]
In 2022, he starred in theMBCmedical-legal dramaDoctor Lawyer in the title role as a genius double-board surgeon turned lawyer.[63] He also appeared inChoi Dong-hoon's science fiction action filmAlienoid.[64] So will next star in theNetflix action-thrillerMercy for None on June 6, 2025.[65]
In 2010, So published hisphoto-essay collection,So Ji-sub's Journey. The volume covers stories and photos over the past 13 years since his debut, using unpretentious language and sensitive photography taken during So's trips to theDMZ and Gangwon Province. The usually taciturn and stoic actor revealed his inner thoughts throughout the book, with essays on his favorite number 51 (reflected in the name of his company - it means a 50-50 probability then believing just 1% more; the K stands for Korea),Romeo and Juliet, why he likes rainy days, and stories about his interactions with other celebrities and artists such asTiger JK. Within ten days of its release, the book hit the bestseller list, and entered its third printing.[66][67]
A professed longtimehip-hop lover,[4] So rapped for two original tracks – "Lonely Life" and "Foolish Love" – under the artistpseudonym "G" or "G-Sonic" for thesoundtracks ofRough Cut andCain and Abel respectively.[68] In 2011, he released another digitalsinglePick Up Line under his own name. Two teaser videos were released, the first one described as a comedic version that featured guest starsJung Joon-ha (who is a close friend of So's) andKim Byung-man (whom So named as one of his favorite comedians). The single, along with the music video itself, was released on February 17, 2011, but recorded low sales.[69]
In 2011, he published a second book ofphoto-essays titledOnly You with So Ji-sub featuring photographs, notes and commentary on playing his movie character.[70][71]
On March 14, 2012, he launched a magazine for his fans titledSONICe; inside were So's suggested dating ideas and locations, favorite food and books, and more stories through his eyes. Its name is a combination of "so nice" and "Sonic," which is So's nickname.[72][73][74]
So's first mini-album (orEP),Corona Borealis was released in March 2012. It featured collaborations with songwriter Kim Kun-woo, vocal trainer Mellow,soprano Han Kyung-mi, and singersHuh Gak andBobby Kim. Bobby Kim complimented So's rapping in their duet trackThat Day, a Year Ago, saying, "So has a talent in feeling the groove and it's as good as his acting skills."[75][76] So also starred in a music video of the album's title song "Some Kind of Story".[77]
In January 2013, So released another rap EP titled6 PM...Ground, and his recording process aired onMusic Triangle as part ofMnet'sCollabo One project.[78][79] The four songs of the album were combined to make a 12-minute music drama starring So,Park Shin-hye andYoo Seung-ho; which was also re-edited into individual music videos for each track.[80][81]
In June 2014, So released his thirdelectro-hip-hop EP titled18 Years, which represents how long he has been in the industry since he debuted as an actor. He wrote and composed the title track (featuring the vocals of singer Satbyeol), and the other two tracks were collaborations with hip-hop group Soul Dive.[82] He released another single in July 2015 titledSo Ganzi, his second collaboration with Soul Dive.[83]
So was named the goodwill ambassador ofGangwon Province in an effort to boost tourism there,[84] and a 51 kilometer-long trail in the province was named "So Ji-sub Road", which was unveiled to the public on May 20, 2012. He was the first Korean actor to have an entire road named after him.[85][86]
He was also named promotional ambassadors for cyber crime prevention by the National Police Agency, helping to raise awareness and prevent cyber crimes such as hacking and Internet fraud by taking part in various promotional activities.[87]
He has also helped imported foreign films, having invested in art-house films such as the U.S.-British-French co-productionPhilomena (2014), the Chinese filmComing Home (2014), the Japanese crime thrillerThe World of Kanako (2014), and the American horror filmA Girl Walks Home Alone at Night (2015).[90]
In 2019, So confirmed that he was in a relationship with former announcer and reporter Jo Eun-jung.[91] On April 7, 2020, the actor's label 51K confirmed that he had registered his marriage with Jo.[92]
^소지섭 "美진출 제의왔지만 개인적 목표 아니다" [So Ji Sub On Marriage, Hollywood and Dating].Star News (in Korean). August 13, 2009.Archived from the original on February 21, 2014. RetrievedNovember 21, 2012.
^Kim Joo-hee (May 6, 2022).소지섭, 4년 만의 복귀작 '닥터로이어'…메인 포스터 공개 [So Ji-sub's comeback after 4 years, 'Doctor Lawyer'... Main poster released] (in Korean).Newsis.Archived from the original on May 10, 2022. RetrievedMay 10, 2022 – viaNaver.
^Hwang Hye-jeong (June 21, 2022).'외계+인' 소지섭, 외계인에 쫓기는 형사로 변신 ['Alien + Human' So Ji-sub transforms into a detective chased by aliens] (in Korean).Sports Seoul.Archived from the original on June 21, 2022. RetrievedJune 21, 2022 – viaNaver.
^Jo Yoo-kyung (February 4, 2020).소지섭, 최동훈 감독 신작 합류 확정…류준열x김태리와 함께 [So Ji-sub confirmed to join director Choi Dong-hoon's new film... With Ryu Jun-yeol and Kim Tae-ri] (in Korean). Sports Donga.Archived from the original on April 12, 2022. RetrievedApril 12, 2022 – viaNaver.
^Kim Na-ra (May 3, 2022).류준열X김우빈→김태리X소지섭 '외계+인' 1부, 올여름 개봉 확정 [공식] [Ryu Jun-yeol X Kim Woo-bin → Kim Tae-ri X So Ji-seop 'Alien + Human' Part 1 confirmed for release this summer [Official]] (in Korean).MyDaily.Archived from the original on May 3, 2022. RetrievedMay 3, 2022 – viaNaver.
^Lee Mi-ji (April 22, 2022).소지섭X김윤진 '자백', 제24회 우디네 극동영화제 폐막작 선정(공식) [So Ji-sub X Kim Yun-jin's 'Confession' selected as the closing film of the 24th Udine Far East Film Festival (official)] (in Korean).Herald Pop.Archived from the original on April 23, 2022. RetrievedApril 23, 2022 – viaNaver.
^Jo Ji-young (August 29, 2022).[공식] 소지섭X김윤진X나나 '자백', 10월 26일 개봉 확정..2년 만에 관객 만난다 [[Official] So Ji-seop X Kim Yun-jin X Nana 'Confession' confirmed to be released on October 26th.. Meet the audience after 2 years] (in Korean).Sports Chosun.Archived from the original on August 29, 2022. RetrievedAugust 29, 2022 – viaNaver.
^Bae, Hyo-joo (October 27, 2023).소지섭 11년만 느와르 컴백‥넷플릭스 '광장'으로 [So Ji-sub makes a noir comeback after 11 years with Netflix's 'Mercy For None'] (in Korean). Newsen.Archived from the original on October 27, 2023. RetrievedOctober 27, 2023 – viaNaver.
Corona Borealis:2012년 13주차 Album Chart [Album Chart for Week 13 of 2012] (in Korean). Gaon Music Chart. Archived fromthe original on October 21, 2014. RetrievedMarch 8, 2025.
6PM... Ground:2013년 05주차 Album Chart [Album Chart for Week 5 of 2013] (in Korean). Gaon Music Chart. Archived fromthe original on June 4, 2021. RetrievedMarch 8, 2025.
^Sales figures for Corona Borealis as of June 2013.
2012년 04월 Album Chart [April 2012 Album Chart] (in Korean). Gaon Music Chart. Archived fromthe original on September 26, 2018. RetrievedMarch 8, 2025.
2013년 06월 Album Chart [June 2013 Album Chart] (in Korean). Gaon Music Chart. Archived fromthe original on September 27, 2018. RetrievedMarch 8, 2025.
^2013년 06월 Album Chart [June 2013 Album Chart] (in Korean). Gaon Music Chart. Archived fromthe original on September 27, 2018. RetrievedMarch 8, 2025.
^Peaks on the Circle (formerly Gaon) Digital Chart (Singles as lead artist):
"Pick Up Line":2011년 10주차 Digital Chart [Digital Chart for Week 10 of 2011] (in Korean). Gaon Music Chart. Archived fromthe original on May 13, 2021. RetrievedMarch 8, 2025.
"Some Kind of Story":2012년 13주차 Digital Chart [Digital Chart for Week 13 of 2012] (in Korean). Gaon Music Chart. Archived fromthe original on June 6, 2022. RetrievedMarch 8, 2025.
"Picnic" and "Eraser":2013년 5주차 Digital Chart [Digital Chart for Week 5 of 2013] (in Korean). Gaon Music Chart. Archived fromthe original on November 21, 2016. RetrievedMarch 8, 2025.
"18 Years":2014년 27주차 Digital Chart [Digital Chart for Week 27 of 2014] (in Korean). Gaon Music Chart. Archived fromthe original on October 26, 2020. RetrievedMarch 8, 2025.
^Gaon Download Chart 2013년 1월 [Gaon Download Chart January 2013] (in Korean). Gaon Music Chart. Archived fromthe original on April 16, 2014. RetrievedMarch 8, 2025.
^Kim, Soo-jin (May 20, 2005).'말아톤' '파리의 연인' 백상예술대상 대상 (종합) [Marathon,Lovers in Paris are Baeksang Arts Awards Grand Prize winners].Star News (in Korean).Archived from the original on March 4, 2016. RetrievedAugust 25, 2015.
^ab소지섭 '데뷔 23년 만에 첫 대상'(mbc연기대상)[포토엔HD] [So Ji-sub Soo'First Debut in 23 Years' (mbc Drama Awards)[Photo and HD]].Newsen (in Korean). December 31, 2018. Archived fromthe original on December 31, 2018. RetrievedJune 5, 2020 – viaNaver.
^Choi Hee-jae (December 30, 2022).육성재, 미니시리즈 최우수연기상…"머리 새하얘져" [MBC 연기대상] [Yook Sungjae, Best Actor in a Miniseries... "Hair turns white" [MBC Drama Awards]] (in Korean). X-ports News.Archived from the original on December 30, 2022. RetrievedDecember 30, 2022 – viaNaver.
