Kim Jeong-hoon (김정훈), also known as John Hoon in Japan, is a South Korean singer and actor born on January 20, 1980, in Jinju. He initially began studying dentistry at Seoul National University before dropping out to pursue a career in entertainment. He then continued his studies at Chung-Ang University.
His career truly took off in 2000 when he formed the duo UN with Choi Jung-won. The group enjoyed several hits, notably with the songs «For a Lifetime,» «Waves,» and «Gift,» before disbanding after their contract expired. Kim Jeong-hoon then pursued a solo career, focusing particularly on Japan, where he released several albums and singles under the name John Hoon.
As an actor, he became best known in 2006 thanks to Goong, in which he plays Prince Yul alongside Yoon Eun-hye and Ju Ji-hoon. The series' international success has greatly contributed to his popularity in Asia.
He then goes on to say Witch Yoo Hee in 2007, followed by Chinese production Love Strategy. After a period devoted primarily to his musical career, he returned to television with I Need Romance in 2011, in which he played Kim Sung-soo. He went on to Dummy Mommy, Her Legend and City of the Sun.
Starting in 2015, Kim Jeong-hoon took on a growing number of projects in South Korea and China. Notably, he played leading roles in The Unchanging Law of First Love, Missing Korea, Chinese Hero Zhao Zi Long, Let's Make a Fresh Start and Distressed Beauty. It also appears in Late Night Restaurant and Witch's Castle.
In 2024, he made a guest appearance in the Japanese series Shinjuku Yasen Hospital, in which he plays Ritsuko's boyfriend.
On the big screen, Kim Jeong-hoon has appeared notably in DMZ, Cafe Seoul, Sunday Punch and Wild Dogs. In addition to his work as an actor and singer, he has also performed on stage, notably in the musical Catch Me If You Can, in which he played Frank Abagnale Jr.
