Jo Jae-yoon (조재윤), born on September 15, 1974, in South Korea, is a South Korean actor best known for his numerous supporting and villainous roles. With his expressive face, his sometimes unsettling energy, and his ability to bring genuine personality to unsavory characters, he has gradually established himself as one of the most recognizable supporting actors in K-dramas. The source provided indicates that he is 51 years old.
Active on screen since the early 2000s, Jo Jae-yoon has an extensive filmography, ranging from feature films to historical dramas, thrillers, crime series, and fantasy productions. He has appeared notably in Empress Ki, Descendants of the Sun, Save Me, Mad Dog, SKY Castle, Mouse and The Good Detective. He is also known for regularly playing criminals, corrupt men in power, or ambiguous characters, although he is not limited to this type of role.
His most memorable role among his villainous characters, however, remains Jin Mu in Alchemy of Souls. Appearing in both parts of the series, Jin Mu is one of the story’s main antagonists: manipulative, ambitious, and willing to use others to get what he wants. Jo Jae-yoon brings a particularly menacing presence to the character, making him one of the drama’s most iconic adversaries. He appears in all 20 episodes of the first part and then returns in Alchemy of Souls Season 2: Light and Shadow.
He also made a strong impression on audiences with several other dark characters, such as Cho Wan-tae, a member of the cult of Save Me, Jin Young-soo in Descendants of the Sun or Kang Pil-jik in the historical drama Knight Flower.
However, this apparent specialization in villain roles does not fully capture his career. Jo Jae-yoon can also play comedic, eccentric, or more endearing characters, such as Woo Yang-woo in SKY Castle, and he regularly appears on variety shows. This versatility allows him to switch from playing a particularly detestable antagonist to a much lighter character from one production to the next.
His career remains very active. In 2025, he appeared notably in Undercover High School, Divorce Insurance, Dear Hongrang, Enjoy your meal, Your Majesty and Queen Mantis, before joining Perfect Crown in 2026.
With a career spanning more than two decades and an impressive number of roles, Jo Jae-yoon has made a name for himself playing supporting characters who steal the show, especially when he portrays villains. Among them is Jin Mu in Alchemy of Souls This is likely still his most iconic villain role.
