Oh Ji-ho, more than a genetic lottery winner

Oh Ji-ho, more than a genetic lottery winner

By Fung L. Yong

 

fung.yong@ymail.com

 

November 8, 2012

 

South Korean actor Oh Ji-ho is more than a genetic lottery winner with a chiselled face handsomely supported by a six-foot frame with barely two percent body fat.  In a recent television show, the gorgeous actor, who seems to be always modest and courteous, disclosed that he has lived a relatively relaxed life since childhood, being a top student at school and getting his 2000 ‘La Belle’ debut role shortly after joining show business, at barely 24 years of age.   While he is happy to be perceived as strikingly debonair as it has certainly helped him in his modelling and entertainment career, Oh Ji-ho is aware that he cannot depend solely on his physical appearance to thrive in show business.  

Coming from a family of good looking individuals, Oh Ji-ho, popularly known as Zio, has undoubtedly won a lottery in terms of attractive genes.  While it might be true that he could procure more offers due to his masculine pulchritude, he has always implied that he would not allow his stunning looks to define him forever.

Zio has always demonstrated great tenacity to elevate his acting skills to achieve greater heights in the movie industry.  While his wholesome physique and winsome personality might have helped him get his feet wet in the entertainment industry, he has struggled for several years to infuse new life into his acting and to secure more impressive roles.  Originally from Mokpo, he has also spent several years to acquire the dialect and accent that movie producers deem more appropriate. In the beginning of his career, he was frequently rejected at auditions because of his accent; he would be halted as soon as he started reading the script.

Zio still recalls that he has never encountered harsh comments in his entire life until he debuted in ‘La Belle’ more than a decade ago.  He was criticized so much for his performance that he even wondered whether the acting profession was suitable for him at all.   Fortunately, perseverance prevailed and since then, he has been working consistently to expand his repertoire.

Nevertheless, Zio emphasizes that he has no interest in gaining popularity for popularity’s sake as he is only motivated in enhancing his acting skills.  He also remembers that he used to be typecast as someone only suitable for romantic comedy and was discouraged from doing historical dramas, once again because of his physical attributes.  Nevertheless, his tenacity has not only helped him get a gripping role in the historical drama ‘The Slave Hunters,’ but also earned him a 2010 KBS male excellence award. 

 

Survivor of lookism

In the early 2000s, Zio’s career was greatly influenced by his own image; while some producers perceived him merely as a sexy star, others assumed that he was only suitable for romantic comedy.  Further, he was also dismissed by some people who had perceived his looks as ‘greasy,’ a term used to describe someone who is so effusively polite that he or she appears superficial.  He still remembers that a management company once remarked that he was ‘dripping with oil,’ a term used to describe someone who appears obsequious.

Zio once admitted that his looks had limited the characters that he could play.  He once remarked, “For instance, if I played a playboy, I’d come off really sleazy, wouldn’t I?”  After debuting in ‘La Belle’ in 2000, he had heard that he looked ‘buttery’ or insincerely flattering until he started acting in the comedy genre a few years later.  Since then, he has excelled not only in romantic comedy but also in two historical pieces recently.  However, now fast approaching age 37, he wants to secure soul-stirring roles that can touch viewers’ hearts, gaining their lasting support and respect in consequence.

CEO of Namja Kimchi

In 2010, Zio demonstrated that he is an enterprising individual as well; he established an online food business with three friends, selling handmade kimchi and creating a boom in kimchi sales.  Known as Namja Kimchi, it became one of the leading kimchi distributors in a short time, earning about four million US dollars in its first six months.

Unfortunately, torrential rainfall in the same year shortened the harvesting time for napa cabbage and other main ingredients for kimchi in South Korea.  A major spike inevitably occurred in the price of kimchi ingredients and kimchi itself.  Some people even considered it as a national tragedy as the government had to temporarily reduce its tariffs on imported cabbage during the kimchi-making season that year.

Since its inception, Namja Kimchi has been flourishing not only in South Korea, but also in Japan. In early 2012, during a two-hour live broadcast via Japan’s SHOP channel, its revenue reached about US $354,000. Available through online shopping malls and phone orders, the celebrity brand has become very popular among working adults, with a repurchasing rate of 50 percent. 

Before launching their product, the four celebrity entrepreneurs market tested it among consumers and bloggers.  To promote the brand, they held food-tasting sessions, exhibitions, and autograph sessions.  They not only demonstrated a keen interest in customer responses, but also ensured that part of the proceeds went to charity.  In addition, they also released a parody video, advertising their product as a trendy metrosexual brand with a traditional touch and homemade taste. They plan to expand their kimchi distribution network gradually, popularizing it throughout Asia.
 
Namja Kimchi is popular for several reasons.  Considered as one of the world’s healthiest foods, kimchi is an excellent source of vitamin A, thiamine, riboflavin, calcium, and iron.  Some people consume it regularly because of its nutritious ingredients, mainly napa cabbage seasoned with onions, garlic, and chili peppers. Others even associate kimchi consumption with the rapid socioeconomic development of South Korea. 

Furthermore, one study claimed that chickens infected with avian flu recovered after eating food containing the same bacteria found in kimchi. During the severe acute respiratory syndrome (SARS) outbreak, many people even believed that kimchi could prevent infection, contending that their national delicacy was responsible for South Korea's lack of SARS despite its close proximity to China, where the virus originated.

 

Mr Calgary Stampede 2012

In July 2012, Zio travelled to Canada as the goodwill ambassador for the world's biggest rodeo, the Calgary Stampede, which celebrated its centenary in its namesake city to honour the historical settlement of the Canadian frontier. 

Officially known as Mr Calgary Stampede, he participated in the event that allowed him to experience the cowboy culture in Calgary, Canada's second largest business centre.  While in Calgary, Zio participated in various activities, such as partaking pancake breakfasts, barbequing, making boots, barn-dancing, and horseback-riding.  All his exhilarating, culturally-rich experiences were broadcast on television as well as published in a magazine in his home country.

Because of Zio’s active contribution, many fans now know that the Calgary Stampede is a rodeo, exhibition, and festival held every July in Calgary, Canada.  The ten-day event, one of the greatest outdoor shows on earth, attracts over one million visitors every year.  Besides featuring one of the world’s largest rodeos, it also includes parades, stage shows, concerts, agricultural competitions, chuck-wagon racing, and exhibitions.  As one of Canada's largest festivals and popular tourist attractions, its rodeo and chuck-wagon racing events are televised throughout the country.  The rodeo, which is the main highlight of the Calgary Stampede, attracts more than 20,000 fans daily.  It offers a $100,000 grand prize to the winner of each discipline, including bull riding, barrel racing, steer wrestling, tie down roping, and bareback riding. 

Known as “Stampede City” and nicknamed “Cowtown,” Calgary exudes a party atmosphere during the much-anticipated event; many office buildings and storefronts are cowboy-themed, with enthusiasts wearing country and western gear.  The official opening of the Calgary Stampede is marked by a breathtaking parade featuring dozens of marching bands, over 150 floats, and hundreds of horses from different countries.  Many local politicians, business leaders, cowboys, dancers, and clowns join the parade in celebration.

 

‘The Grand Heist’

In August 2012, Zio’s historical action-comedy ‘The Grand Heist’ enjoyed brisk ticket sales, reaching three million on Day 12.  Reaching the three million mark faster than the other four blockbusters in South Korea, its ticket sales reached 4.7 million after 19 days.

Zio’s role in this commercially successful movie was that of an unfairly dismissed guard who helped a minister’s son rob the royal ice box from its securely guarded location.  In the final years of the Joseon era, a villainous minister gained exclusive control on ice, which was considered more precious than gold as it symbolized political power.  Zio’s character was an actual figure born to an aristocrat father and a concubine mother; he belonged to the ‘jungin’ class whose status was in between an aristocrat and commoner. 

‘The Grand Heist’ was Zio’s second historical piece, his first being ‘The Slave Hunters’ that had earned him the 2010 KBS excellence award for novella drama.  In ‘The Grand Heist,’ he portrayed a warrior with a deep sense of justice; however, he tried to make his character as human and entertaining as possible to maintain the audience’s interest.  According to Zio, a warrior is often stereotyped as masculine, courageous, and other magnificent attributes that could cause boredom after some running time. 

Zio maintains that viewers nowadays are no longer interested in seeing heroes performing kind deeds throughout the movie as highly moral-ethical human beings.  Although his warrior character in ‘The Grand Heist’ appeared hilarious in certain situations, he managed to uphold his own prestige.  Although respectable, he could be gauche or whimsical too.  By humanizing his character and making him appear adamant and flawed, Zio allows the audience to identify better with the character while simultaneously being entertained.

Since the movie enjoyed an excellent box office debut with over a million viewers on the first weekend, Zio hopes that it will be the stepping stone for his next film.  He is happy about its success because it is rare opportunity for an actor to get a movie with the potential of four million viewers within a short time.

Zio is especially satisfied with his role in ‘The Grand Heist’ as it is very different from his previous ones.  The movie is also considered as the best that he has acted in so far. He admitted not having any films that he could consider his own, except for ‘La Belle’ and ‘I Love You’ in which he was still a very young actor trying to get his foot in the door.

‘The Grand Heist’ has provided Zio with the opportunity to act in some very dynamic scenes, for instance, fighting with a sword on an icy water body that cracked under his feet.  In retrospect, he observed that acting in ‘The Grand Heist’ was no longer the same as doing the previous movies; he has embarked on the movie project with adequate knowledge and careful planning rather than merely accepting it with a young passionate heart.

Now Zio hopes to procure a role that will allow him to simultaneously express what is inside and outside of him. He believes that ‘The Grand Heist’ could serve as a catalyst for him to get an inspiring role.  Further, he aspires to act in different genres, such as thrillers and human dramas. It has been over a decade since he debuted; now he wants a film that he himself could consider as a masterpiece.

Because of his infectious charm, Zio hardly gets the opportunity to play an antagonist, except in the 2005 ‘Super Rookie’ whereby he acted as a selfish, insecure, and unfaithful salesperson.  He has asked several directors to cast him as a villain; however, they insisted that he is just too good looking for such a role. Nevertheless, Zio believes that playing a cruelly malicious character would be another feather in his cap.

 Ideal movie role

Zio has his own opinion on what a good commercial film is.  He defines it as a film that is entertaining, funny, engaging, and visually stimulating.  He believes that starring in good commercial films is only a process to attain his ultimate goal, which is to act in an inspiring human drama, something that projects great authenticity and essence. His role model is Denzel Washington, who has received much critical acclaim for his portrayals of such real-life figures as Steve Biko, Malcolm X, Rubin "Hurricane" Carter, Melvin B. Tolson, Frank Lucas, and Herman Boone.

Now, almost 15 years into his career, Zio demonstrates greater confidence over the direction of his life and the acting profession.  The assiduous heartthrob revealed, “I tend to plan things ahead. I wake up early, and when I think some things need to be done that day, they will be done that day.”  Further, Zio also prefers to go with the flow and believes that adapting to the times is the best option for him.  He rarely becomes nostalgic about bygone events, nor does he dwell on previous problems. He is a persistent individual who just focuses on how best he can adapt to the ever-changing trends of the entertainment world.

 

Year of the dragon

Zio was born on 14 April 1976, which was the year of the dragon according to the Chinese zodiac.  He seemed to have done exceptionally well in the subsequent dragon years.  In 1988, he emerged as one of the best students at school, excelling in the abacus and mental mathematics.  In 2000, he revealed his acting potential in his debut movie ‘La Belle,’ which was subsequently shown as an art film at the Busan Film Festival, besides being nominated for the Blue Dragon Film Awards.  In 2012, his latest movie ‘The Grand Heist’ became a box office hit that attained four million ticket sales after 19 days.  The next dragon year 2024 certainly augurs well for someone who is as diligent, dedicated, and dashing as Zio.

As a dragon person, Zio tends to be flamboyant, attractive, and full of vitality.  Exuding a soft charisma, he invariably becomes the centre of attention at red carpet events and a frequent winner of competitions.  Possessing an active mind, he tends to show great interest in the world around him.  Besides knowing how to create a favourable impression, Zio tends to be ambitious and perseverant; hence, going after what he wants is second nature to him and nothing can discourage him from achieving his goals.

Furthermore, dragon people tend to be courageous, charitable, and empathetic.  A dragon celebrity such as Zio is someone who will help others with authority and dignity.  Devoted and open-hearted, he can always be counted on in times of distress.

Being a dragon person, Zio tends to exhibit effective organisational skills.  He knows how to gain respect, and being in charge comes naturally.  He is capable of showing up at the right place and the right moment with an innovate idea.  In addition, he is also capable of raising money for his favourite venture and advertising it far and wide.  While having staunch views on the planning and execution of the venture, he can only attain greater success with the suggestions and support of friends.  One of Zio’s favourite ventures was the establishment of Namja Kimchi with three friends, which quickly branched off into Namja Pizza and Namja Tofu.   

Ideal jobs for a dragon person include managing director, advertising executive, salesperson, film producer, photojournalist, artist, actor, athlete, musician, war correspondent, architect, military officer, politician, poet, environmental engineer, stockbroker, trade union leader, explorer, and barrister. Besides being a versatile actor, Zio is well known for his athletic skills, especially in baseball.  He is quite an accomplished ‘musician’ too, as he has recently released a single named “Seosi” and sung the original sound track for the action drama “Strangers 6.”  Furthermore, he had also completed two years of mandatory military training before putting all his eggs into the acting basket.  After establishing Namja Kimchi, Zio has demonstrated that he is a capable managing director, advertising executive, and salesperson.  Judging from the ideal job list, Zio’s achievements as a relatively young dragon star have been nothing less than stellar.

 

Dragon personality

With a dragon personality, Zio tends to be passionate, giving, and totally devoted when in love. He is blind to the flaws of his loved one and will protect the object of his affection against anyone or anything that could bring harm.  Besides determination, Zio also projects an elegant yet free-spirited air; hence, it is not surprising that he has many admirers from different parts of the world.

It is easy for a dragon person such as Zio to find romance; however, it is much more difficult for him to settle down as there are often several things that simultaneously occur in his life.  He needs a partner who will allow him to freely express his thoughts and feelings, someone who assumes an active role in the relationship without feeling threatened by his assertive and independent personality.

In general, the dragon person is often associated with a long list of adjectives:  Vibrant, magnanimous, charismatic, principled, self-sufficient, discriminating, compelling, sentimental, accomplished, noble-hearted, health-conscious, idealistic, perfectionistic, and prodigiously shrewd.  Which of these adjectives would you use to describe Zio?

END