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Cho Jin-woong

Cho Jin-woong

Actor · Born March 3, 1976 (50) · Busan, South Korea

Cho Jin-woong (조진웅) is a South Korean actor. Born Jo Won-joon on April 3, 1976, he is best known for his roles as Sejong's loyal bodyguard in Deep Rooted Tree (2011), a mobster in Nameless Gangster: Rules of the Time (2012), and a mysterious villain in A Hard Day (2014). He also gained recognition and praise for his performance as a detective in the television series Signal (2016).

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Biography from TMDB.

Born
March 3, 1976 (50)
From
Busan, South Korea
Works as
Actor
Titles
33 on MovieCove · 73 credits in all
Links
IMDb (opens in a new tab)TMDB (opens in a new tab)Official site (opens in a new tab)Wikidata (opens in a new tab)

Known for

TMDB popularity, last 37 days to Oct 26Up 39% in 30 days

What are Cho Jin-woong's films like?

Across their 25 MovieCove titles with a thematic analysis, their films lean Morality and Bonds.

Genres

Action12 titlesTypical Midcredits score: 84th percentile, at or above their average across these genres
: browse their Action movies
Crime4 titlesTypical Midcredits score: 57th percentile
: browse their Crime movies
Drama3 titlesTypical Midcredits score: 92nd percentile, at or above their average across these genres
: browse their Drama movies

Their MovieCove films by primary genre. The badge is the typical Midcredits score of the genre's films, the median percentile; an up arrow marks a genre at or above their average across these genres.

Themes

share of theme weight
Morality
35%
Bonds
20%
Power
15%
Self
15%
Survival
10%
Ideas
3%
Society
2%
Justice9 titles, browse their movies with this themeCorruption6 titles, browse their movies with this themeLoyalty5 titles, browse their movies with this themeSurvival5 titles, browse their movies with this themeIdentity5 titles, browse their movies with this themeRomantic love4 titles, browse their movies with this themeDeception3 titles, browse their movies with this themeFamily bonds4 titles, browse their movies with this theme

What they feel like to watch

their average across 22 films
ToneFeelDemandtheir average · filled zone: the category
Dark: How heavy the subject matter and outlook get. Browse their dark movies.
Tone · Weight
lightdark

Light 0 · Serious 4 · Dark 18

Stylized: How far its world departs from everyday reality. Browse their stylized movies.
Tone · Style
naturalisticheightened

Grounded 8 · Stylized 10 · Heightened 4

Intense: How hard the emotional peaks hit while you watch. Browse their intense movies.
Feel · Intensity
gentleintense

Gentle 0 · Charged 4 · Intense 18

Shifting: How much it swings between very different feelings. Browse their shifting movies.
Feel · Swings
steadyswings

Steady 3 · Shifting 17 · Whiplash 2

Straight-faced: How much of the runtime is played for laughs. Browse their straight-faced movies.
Feel · Humor
noneconstant

Straight-faced 18 · Some laughs 4 · Funny 0

Even-paced: How fast it moves from scene to scene. Browse their even-paced movies.
Demand · Pace
slowrelentless

Slow burn 4 · Even-paced 14 · Relentless 4

Full focus: How much focus it asks of you — look away and lose the thread? Browse their full focus movies.
Demand · Attention
casualfull focus

Casual 1 · Engaged 9 · Full focus 12

Heavy: How much it costs you emotionally; whether you need recovery time. Browse their heavy movies.
Demand · Emotional cost
easyheavy

Easy watch 0 · Affecting 7 · Heavy 15

Open-ended: How much is left for you to interpret. Browse their open-ended movies.
Demand · Resolution
resolvedambiguous

Resolved 9 · Open-ended 13 · Ambiguous 0

Roles they play

17 analyzed roles

Usually the Hero: 7 of 17 analyzed roles.

Hero
7 of 17
Shadow
5 of 17
Mentor
2 of 17
Threshold guardian
1 of 17
Herald
1 of 17
Ally
1 of 17
Show the 17 roles

Moods and endings

endings are an aggregate; no title is named

Dominant moods · mentions across their titles

Tense
23
Melancholic
10
Dread
7
Thrilling
5
Contemplative
6
Other
14

How their films linger

Thought-provoking9 titles, browse their movies with this aftertasteUnsettling9 titles, browse their movies with this aftertasteBittersweet8 titles, browse their movies with this aftertasteHaunting7 titles, browse their movies with this aftertasteRousing4 titles, browse their movies with this aftertasteHopeful4 titles, browse their movies with this aftertaste

How their films end · 8 with a twist

  • Happy3
  • Bittersweet9
  • Tragic4
  • Ambiguous9

AI-generated from each title's plot synopsis and cast list, with extra plot summaries, reviews and Parents Guide notes for titles the model may not know, and the model's own knowledge of the ones it recognizes. Only analyzed titles count, so this covers part of the filmography; the feel axes count films only for now.

Where can I watch Cho Jin-woong's films?

As of October 24, 2026, 26 of their 33 MovieCove titles stream on a subscription or free service, most on Tubi (19).

Also on these channels

Subscription and free streaming for Cho Jin-woong's titles on MovieCove; rent and buy are not counted. Titles are listed by Midcredits score, highest first, at most 12 per service; a dashed chip is a producer credit or a minor one, such as a thanks. A service opens the browse page, which counts movies only, so its number can differ.

Filmography

73 credits, 33 with a MovieCove page; 9 appearances as themselves are hidden until asked for.

  • No Way Out: The Roulette(2024)

    Show 8 episodes · as Baek Joong-sik

    Midcredits score: 30th percentile of all shows

  • Dead Man (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2024)

    as Lee Man-jae

  • The Boys (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2023)

    as Oh Jae-hyung

  • Believer 2(2023)

    as Won-ho

    Midcredits score: 33rd percentile of all films

  • Nattering with Nah (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2023)

    Show 1 episode · Actor

  • The Good Bad Mother(2023)

    Show 1 episode · as Choi Hae-sik

    Midcredits score: 98th percentile of all shows

  • The Devil's Deal(2021)

    as Jeon Hae-woong

    Midcredits score: 49th percentile of all films

  • The Policeman's Lineage(2022)

    as Park Kang-yoon

    Midcredits score: 47th percentile of all films

  • 팩추얼 A.C (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2021)

    Show 1 episode · as 내레이션

  • Ryuk-sa: A Teaser (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2021)

    Director

  • 데스로드 (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2021)

    Show 1 episode · Actor

  • Me and Me (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2020)

    as Hyung-gu

  • Black Money(2019)

    as Yang Min-hyeok

    Midcredits score: 55th percentile of all films

  • Man of Men (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2019)

    as Yeong-gi

  • Jesters: The Game Changers (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2019)

    as Deok-ho

  • Intimate Strangers(2018)

    as Seok-ho

    Midcredits score: 79th percentile of all films

  • The Spy Gone North(2018)

    as Choi Hak-seong

    Midcredits score: 92nd percentile of all films

  • Believer(2018)

    as Won-ho

    Midcredits score: 71st percentile of all films

  • 시그널 (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2017)

    Show 1 episode · as Lee Jae-han

  • Man of Will (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2017)

    as Kim Chang-soo

  • The Outlaws(2017)

    as Head of the investigation team

    Midcredits score: 90th percentile of all films

  • Blue Busking (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2017)

    as Reporter Seo

  • The Sheriff In Town (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2017)

    as Jong-jin

  • Bluebeard(2017)

    as Seung-hoon

    Midcredits score: 59th percentile of all films

  • Entourage (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2016)

    Show 16 episodes · as Kim Eun-Gab

  • Take Off 2(2016)

    as commentator

    Midcredits score: 65th percentile of all films

  • The Hunt(2016)

    as Park Dong-geun / Park Myung-geun

    Midcredits score: 24th percentile of all films

  • The Handmaiden(2016)

    as Uncle Kouzuki

    Midcredits score: 99th percentile of all films

  • Signal(2016)

    Show 24 episodes · as Lee Jae-han

    Midcredits score: 98th percentile of all shows

  • Assassination(2015)

    as Big Gun / Chu Sang-ok

    Midcredits score: 88th percentile of all films

  • Salut d'Amour (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2015)

    as Jang-soo

  • Foulball (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2015)

    as Documentary narrator

  • Chronicle of a Blood Merchant (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2015)

    as Mr. Ahn

  • We Are Brothers (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2014)

    as Park Sang-yeon

  • The Admiral: Roaring Currents(2014)

    as Wakizaka Yasuharu

    Midcredits score: 84th percentile of all films

  • Kundo: Age of the Rampant(2014)

    as Lee Tae-Ki

    Midcredits score: 72nd percentile of all films

  • A Hard Day(2014)

    as Park Chang-min

    Midcredits score: 90th percentile of all films

  • Beyond the Clouds (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2014)

    Show 16 episodes · as Park Kang-jae

  • Hwayi: A Monster Boy(2013)

    as Ki-tae

    Midcredits score: 84th percentile of all films

  • My Paparotti(2013)

    as Chang-soo

    Midcredits score: 78th percentile of all films

  • An Ethics Lesson (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2013)

    as Park Myung-rok

  • Man on the Edge(2013)

    as Prosecutor

    Midcredits score: 58th percentile of all films

  • Perfect Number(2012)

    as Detective Min-bum

    Midcredits score: 75th percentile of all films

  • A Millionaire on the Run (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2012)

    as Kim Seung-dae

  • Nameless Gangster: Rules of the Time(2012)

    as Kim Pan-ho

    Midcredits score: 85th percentile of all films

  • Perfect Game (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2011)

    as Kim Yong-chul

  • Tree with Deep Roots (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2011)

    Show 24 episodes · as Moo-hyul

  • The Front Line(2011)

    as Yoo Jae-ho

    Midcredits score: 87th percentile of all films

  • Glove (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2011)

    as Charles

  • Flames of Desire (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2010)

    Show 50 episodes · as Kang Joon-goo

  • Running Man (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2010)

    Show 3 episodes · Actor

  • A Barefoot Dream(2010)

    as James

    Midcredits score: 84th percentile of all films

  • Bestseller (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2010)

    as Chan-sik

  • A Man Called God (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2010)

    Show 24 episodes · as Jang-ho

  • The Slave Hunters (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2010)

    Show 24 episodes · as Kwak Han-seom

  • City of Fathers (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2009)

    as Han Sang-goo

  • Fly, Penguin (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2009)

    as Han Chang-soo

  • Take Off(2009)

    as Commentator

    Midcredits score: 70th percentile of all films

  • The Sons of Sol Pharmacy House(2009)

    Show 82 episodes · as Brutus Lee

    Midcredits score: 93rd percentile of all shows (provisional, few ratings)

  • A Frozen Flower(2008)

    as Tae Ahn-gong

    Midcredits score: 79th percentile of all films

  • Lost and Found (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2008)

    as Min-woo's Friend

  • Spare (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2008)

    as Smuggler's voice

  • Don't Ask Me About the Past (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2008)

    Show 16 episodes · as Bae Yoon-goo

  • The Guard Post(2008)

    as Cook

    Midcredits score: 36th percentile of all films

  • My New Partner (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2008)

    as Jung Young-chul

  • His Last Gift (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2008)

    as Baek In-chul

  • Gangster High (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2006)

    as Jo Hong-kyu

  • A Dirty Carnival(2006)

    as Young-pil

    Midcredits score: 90th percentile of all films

  • Les Formidables (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2006)

    as Detective Shin

  • Running Wild (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2006)

    as Guryongpa Gang Member

  • My Brother(2004)

    as Doo-shik

    Midcredits score: 80th percentile of all films

  • Once Upon a Time in High School: The Spirit of Jeet Kune Do(2004)

    as Yasaengma Gang Member

    Midcredits score: 90th percentile of all films

  • Believer 0 (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)

    Show 1 episode · as Won-ho

Career shape

Star power in the 99th percentile of 239,109 people with a billed film role, over a full career of 73 titles, 72 of them dated from 2004 to 2024; peak year 2018.

Biggest box office

The Admiral: Roaring Currents (2014)

$138M worldwide

Highest rated

The Handmaiden (2016)

Midcredits 99th

Film career

20042024

Peak 2018 · steadily prominent in film for years. Top draw in 11 MovieCove titles. Film roles by billing, audience size and rating; 25+ votes. A show carries a single first-air date, so shows are not on the curve.

  • 2004Screen debut· Once Upon a Time in High School
  • 2016Career best· Signal
  • 2017First top-billed film· Bluebeard
  • 2018Career best· Believer

By role

only this rolewith another role
Acting72 of 73: 72 only acting, 0 with another role · typical Midcredits score79thDirecting1 of 73: 1 only directing, 0 with another role

By decade

2000s17 · acting2010s43 · acting2020s12 · 11 acting · 1 crew

Billing

usually 4th · top billed in 16% of 31 roles
04091419

Counts from TMDB across their full career, self appearances out; a title counts in every role they held on it. The ring is the typical Midcredits score (the median percentile) of the role's titles that are on MovieCove, shown from 5 scored. Billing is TMDB cast order for roles with 25+ votes, billed in the top 30; the columns are the share of top-billed roles in each era, 5-year spans from the year on the label, merged until each holds at least 5 roles.

How do Cho Jin-woong's films land?

Their typical MovieCove film has a Midcredits score in the 79th percentile, the median of all 29; across their 22 films with reception data, the typical film sits in the 75th percentile for acclaim.

Acclaim · how much people like their films

75thpercentile
Typical film, the median of 22

Approval · how many liked their films

78thpercentile
Typical film, the median of 22

Reach · how many have seen their films

84thpercentile
Typical film, the median of 22

Midcredits score across 33 titles, by percentile

  • 75th and up20
  • 50th to 74th7
  • 25th to 49th5
  • Below 25th1

Shape of the crowd

19 of their 33 titles are Crowd Pleasers.

  • Universally Loved5
  • Crowd Pleaser19
  • Mixed9

Most divisive · actor

Man on the Edge (2013)

58th percentile spread · 15% rated it 4 or lower

Most loved · actor

The Handmaiden (2016)

Midcredits 99th · 89% liked

Reviewers score the acting 76/100 in their films, across 20 reviewed titles; fans 83, detractors 46. The element that speaks to their work as an actor.

Percentiles are each film's standing among all films on MovieCove; the typical film is the median, so one outlier cannot drag it. Percentiles and reviewer scores count the films IMDb credits them on, for now; the Midcredits score bands, the shape of the crowd and the two cards count their MovieCove titles, shows included (a show ranked among shows), appearances as themselves left out. A descriptor is the shape of a title's IMDb rating distribution against the catalog; "most divisive" needs a spread wider than half of all titles, and a card names only a principal credit: a craft role, and on a show a crew role or a run of episodes, never a courtesy credit or a one-off guest spot.

Is Cho Jin-woong's work okay for kids?

Across up to 6 MovieCove titles with content scores, sex & nudity runs heavier than most films.

Their medianMedian of all filmsMiddle 80% of their titles
Violence & Gore4 titlesmedian 79 · intenseMedian of all films: 44
Sex & Nudity6 titles12–84 · median 49 · moderateheavier than most filmsMedian of all films: 32

Severity 0–100 from the Content Guide. Categories with under 10 votes on a title are not counted. The band's colour is the severity of their median, named beside it.

Who does Cho Jin-woong work with?

People who share at least 2 of Cho Jin-woong's MovieCove titles, grouped by what they did on them; Kim Sang-beom shares the most, 6.

Directors

Writers

Actors

Composers, cinematographers and editors

Producers

Mixed roles