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He can run across the rooftops of Seoul, infiltrate a gang, wield a sword in a sageuk, and—a few years later—make us completely fall for him in a quiet romance on Jeju Island. If there’s one actor who’s hard to pigeonhole, it’s Ji Chang-wook.
Long associated with action dramas (it must be said that Healer and The K2 (which left a lasting impression), the actor has since amply proven that he can take on a wide range of roles. Whether it’s romance, noir thrillers, historical epics, or romantic comedies, his filmography makes it possible to choose a Ji Chang-wook role that suits your current mood.
But among all his characters, which ones have truly left their mark on his career? From Seo Jung-hoo in Healer to Park Jun-mo in The Worst of Evil, here is 7 Must-See Roles by Ji Chang-wook before the release of « The Scandal »in September, then «" Merry Berry Love »in October.".
1. Healer – Seo Jung-hoo
It's hard to start anywhere else. For many fans, Ji Chang-wook will always be a little bit like Healer. In this 2014 drama, he plays Seo Jung-hoo, a mysterious nighttime courier capable of carrying out almost any mission—as long as the price is right. There is one rule, however: no murder.
A new mission leads him on the trail of journalist Chae Young-shin (Park Min-young), while a case dating back several decades gradually resurfaces. Jung-hoo must then get close to her under a false identity, becoming the clumsy Park Bong-soo by day while continuing his work as the Healer in the shadows.
And it’s precisely this duality that makes the role so compelling. Ji Chang-wook shifts from an ultra-charismatic action hero to an almost shy young man with disconcerting ease, all while crafting a romance that remains one of the favorites of many K-drama fans to this day.
Action, mystery, humor, romance, and great chemistry with Park Min-young: If you can only watch one Ji Chang-wook drama, Healer is probably still the best place to start.
- Where to Watch : on Viki.
2. The Worst of Evil – Park Jun-mo
For a few hours, forget about the romantic hero from Healer. In The Worst of Evil, Ji Chang-wook dives into something much more brutal.
He performs Park Jun-mo, a police officer who goes undercover in a criminal organization in order to dismantle a vast drug ring linking Korea, China, and Japan, among other places. To get close to its leader, Jung Gi-cheul (Wi Ha-joon), he must gain his trust and delve ever deeper into his world.
The problem is that going undercover isn’t just about lying to criminals. As Jun-mo blurs the lines between the police officer he used to be and the man he pretends to be, his own identity begins to waver. And the arrival of his wife, Eui-jeong (Lim Se-mi)—who is also a police officer and connected to Gi-cheul’s past—makes the game even more dangerous.
Ji Chang-wook is amazing in action scenes, of course, but It is Jun-mo's quiet transformations, above all, that are impressive. His gaze hardens, his behavior changes, and you end up wondering just how far he’s still capable of going.
A much darker Ji Chang-wook and one of his strongest performances.
- Where to watch: on Disney+.
3. Empress Ki – Ta Hwan
Before Healer, there was already Empress Ki.
In this grand historical epic starring Ha Ji-won, Ji Chang-wook plays Ta Hwan, future emperor of the Yuan Dynasty. Above all, he portrays a character who is a far cry from the strong, reassuring hero with whom he would later be frequently associated.
Ta Hwan is fragile, moody, timid, jealous, sometimes annoying, and terribly dependent on Seung-nyang. But that is precisely what makes him so fascinating. Throughout this very long story of power, war, and love, he evolves while retaining his flaws.
Ji Chang-wook doesn't try to make his character constantly charming. He embraces his excesses, weaknesses, and contradictions, which gives Ta Hwan a particularly memorable tragic quality.
Empress Ki It's quite a series, with its 51 episodes, but for anyone who wants to discover Ji Chang-wook of the sageuks and one of the roles that really propelled his career, it's definitely worth the trip.
- Where to watch: on Viki
4. Suspicious Partner – Noh Ji-wook
Need to take a breather after all that? Head to Suspicious Partner, even though the bodies are never very far away.
Ji Chang-wook stars in it Noh Ji-wook, a brilliant prosecutor with a decidedly unfriendly personality. His encounter with Eun Bong-hee (Nam Ji-hyun), an intern accused of murdering her ex-boyfriend, will turn both his career and his personal life upside down.
By deciding to help him, Ji-wook puts his own position at risk. The two of them then find themselves entangled in a serial killer case, while their relationship takes an increasingly romantic turn.
The drama works precisely because it constantly shifts between different tones. One scene can be downright funny, the next romantic, and the one after that much more unsettling.
Ji Chang-wook seems particularly at ease in this role. His character, Ji-wook, can be cold and brusque, only to become completely thrown off balance as soon as his feelings come into play. And his chemistry with Nam Ji-hyun is a big part of the show’s charm.
An excellent choice for those who enjoy a rom-com with a touch of suspense.
- Where to watch: on Netflix
5. Welcome to Samdal-ri – Cho Yong-pil
No mercenary. No criminal organization to infiltrate. No double life. This time, Ji Chang-wook is simply Cho Yong-pil, a meteorologist on Jeju Island. And that feels good.
Yong-pil grew up in Samdal-ri alongside Cho Sam-dal (Shin Hae-sun). The two were in love before their paths diverged. She left to pursue a career as a photographer in Seoul, while he remained on their home island, deeply affected by the death of his mother in an accident caused by severe weather.
When Sam-dal's career comes to an abrupt end and she returns home, the two former lovers are reunited. Welcome to Samdal-ri It relies less on major plot twists than on the emotional baggage we carry with us, family, a return to our roots, and that strange feeling of reconnecting with someone we know almost too well.
Ji Chang-wook is there gentle, funny, romantic, and extremely endearing, with very natural chemistry opposite Shin Hae-sun. It’s also one of the best dramas for discovering her romantic side—without stunts or political intrigue.
- Where to watch: Netflix.
6. The K2 – Kim Je-ha
If Healer established Ji Chang-wook as a romantic action hero, The K2 decided to take things a step further.
In it, he plays the role of Kim Je-ha, a former mercenary wrongly accused of a murder committed in Iraq. Back in Korea, he becomes a bodyguard for a family with ties to the highest echelons of politics and is tasked, among other things, with protecting Go An-na (YoonA), the secret daughter of a presidential candidate.
But Je-ha is also pursuing his own goal: to take revenge on the man he holds responsible for his tragic past.
The fight scenes are obviously one of the drama’s biggest draws (Ji Chang-wook has rarely been pushed so hard physically), but The K2 This also applies to the power dynamics surrounding his character, particularly in his interactions with the impressive Choi Yoo-jin, played by Song Yoon-ah.
This romance will divide audiences even more than the one in Healer, but When it comes to Ji Chang-wook as an action hero, it's hard to overlook Kim Je-ha.
- Where to watch: on Prime Video, Viki
7. The Manipulated – Park Tae-joong
More than 10 years later Healer, Ji Chang-wook proves with The Manipulated that he is by no means done with physical roles. But his 2025 hero is a far cry from the charming nighttime courier of his early days.
He embodies Park Tae-joong, an ordinary man whose life falls apart when he is accused of a crime he did not commit. After being sent to prison, he gradually realizes that his misfortune is no accident: someone has meticulously manipulated events to lead him here.
Behind this plot is Ahn Yo-han, played by Doh Kyung-soo (D.O.), a particularly chilling adversary who turns Tae-joong's quest for the truth into a personal confrontation.
The role allows Ji Chang-wook to return to what he does best (chases, suspense, and action) while portraying a much more vulnerable character who is pushed to his limits.
After the morally broken police officer from The Worst of Evil and the criminal underworld of Gangnam B-Side, The Manipulated above all, confirms the darker direction that part of his recent career has taken.
- Where to watch: on Disney+.
7 roles, and almost 7 different Ji Chang-wooks
Of course, we could have made the list longer. There's the mysterious magician Ri-eul in The Sound of Magic, Park Jae-won, who is in love and completely lost in Lovestruck in the City, the controversial Yoon Gil-ho from Gangnam B-Side or Baek Dong-soo in Warrior Baek Dong Soo, one of the first major roles of his career.
But these seven characters really bring his development to life. Ta Hwan was already showing his ability to portray vulnerability, Healer made her an action-romance star, Suspicious Partner made the most of its comedic and romantic potential, while The Worst of Evil revealed a much rougher side to his game.
And then there's Welcome to Samdal-ri, almost the complete opposite of all that, reminding us that, in the end, he doesn’t need a gun, a criminal organization, or even an impressive fight sequence to keep us glued to the screen.
The rest of his career promises to be just as interesting, since Ji Chang-wook now has three highly anticipated new dramas: The Scandal, Merry Berry Love and Human x Gumiho. Three projects that should once again allow him to explore very different worlds—and that give fans plenty of good reasons to follow his news closely.
What about you? Which of Ji Chang-wook's roles would you rank number one? Ready to watch his upcoming dramas?
