Chae Jong-hyeop (채종협; 蔡鍾協) is a South Korean actor born on May 19, 1993, in Seoul. After studying modeling at Seoul Arts College, he spent part of his youth in South Africa, where he honed his English skills. Upon returning to Korea, he began his career as a model before launching his acting career in several web series starting in 2016.
He has captured the public's attention thanks to his role as a baseball pitcher in Hot Stove League, followed by a series of notable appearances in Sisyphus: The Myth and above all Nevertheless, where his character, Yang Do-hyeok, won over many viewers. He then landed his first leading roles in The Witch's Diner, Love All Play and Unlock My Boss, before cementing his popularity with Castaway Diva, in which he plays Kang Bo-geol.
In 2024, Chae Jong-hyeop achieved international success starring in a Japanese drama Eye Love You, in which he co-stars with Fumi Nikaidō. This performance earned him the Best New Actor award at the Asia Contents Awards. That same year, he returned to Korean audiences with the romance Serendipity’s Embrace (Is this fate?), adapted from a hit webtoon.
In 2026, he continued his career between Korea and Japan, playing the role of Sunwoo Chan in In Your Brilliant Season, a romance opposite Lee Sung-kyung, and then Nishigami in the Japanese series The Vacation Principle. Exempt from military service due to epilepsy diagnosed during his youth, he continues his treatment while pursuing an active career.
Thanks to his natural acting style, his warm smile, and his ease in contemporary romances, Chae Jong-hyeop is now considered one of the most promising actors of his generation in South Korea.
