South Korean actor Jang Dong-Gun is renowned for his outstanding performances in two record-breaking box office hits, with one of them being the highest-grossing Korean film at the time, titled 'Friend'. His portrayal of a troubled high school student who chooses a life of organized crime garnered widespread critical acclaim, paving the way for him to star in the 2004 hit film 'Tae Guk Gi: The Brotherhood of War', which shattered box office records once again. This achievement propelled him to star status throughout Asia, and he went on to take on two more high-profile roles.
One of these roles was in the Golden Globe-nominated film 'The Promise', a $30 million pan-Asian production directed by Chen Kaige, in which Jang plays the leading role opposite Hiroyuki Sanada and Cecilia Cheung. Another notable role was in the film 'Typhoon', directed by Kwak Kyung-Taek, in which Jang stars as a modern-day pirate who has been betrayed by both North and South Korea, setting a new standard for such a distinct kind of character.
Born and raised in Seoul, Korea, Jang made his debut in the MBC drama series 'Our Heaven' in 1993. By the late 1990s, he had gained immense popularity in Korea and became one of the first Korean stars to garner a huge fan following in other parts of Asia. After acting in the critically acclaimed film 'Nowhere to Hide', helmed by internationally renowned director Lee Myung-Se in 1999, Jang went on to star in 'The Anarchists' in 2000.
In 2002, he also starred in the popular action blockbuster '2009 Lost Memories', set in a futuristic Japan, and then took on a new challenge by appearing in the low-budget film 'The Coast Guard', directed by the controversial director Kim Ki-Duk.
