Wi Ha-joon
{{Short description|South Korean actor (born 1991)}}
{{Family name hatnote|Wi|lang=Korean}}
{{Use mdy dates|date=October 2023}}
{{Infobox person
| name = Wi Ha-joon
| image = Wi Ha-joon Squid Game promo, ELLE Taiwan screenshot (05m43s) (3x4 cropped).jpg
| caption = Wi in April 2021
| alt = Head shot of Wi smiling
| birth_name = Wi Hyun-yi
| birth_date = {{Birth date and age|1991|08|05}}
| birth_place = Wando County, South Jeolla Province, South Korea
| education = Sungkyul University
| occupation = Actor
| years_active = 2012–present
| agent = MSTeam Entertainment
| module = {{Infobox Korean name/auto|child=yes|headercolor=transparent
| hangul = %위하준
| hangulborn = %위현이
}}
}}
Wi Ha-joon ({{Korean|위하준}}; August 5, 1991), born Wi Hyun-yi ({{lang|ko|위현이}}), is a South Korean actor. He is best known for his role as Hwang Jun-ho in Squid Game (2021–2025). Wi has also starred in the films Gonjiam: Haunted Asylum (2018), Shark: The Beginning (2021) and Midnight (2021), as well as the television series Something in the Rain (2018), Romance Is a Bonus Book (2019), 18 Again (2020), Bad and Crazy (2021), Little Women (2022), The Worst of Evil (2023), and The Midnight Romance in Hagwon (2024). In 2022, Wi was named one of GQ Korea{{'}}s Men of the Year.{{cite web|script-title=ko:지큐 코리아 12월호 커버 및 목차 공개 (GQ KOREA 2022 December Issue)|url=https://www.gqkorea.co.kr/2022/11/18/%ec%a7%80%ed%81%90-%ec%bd%94%eb%a6%ac%ec%95%84-12%ec%9b%94%ed%98%b8-%ec%bb%a4%eb%b2%84-%eb%b0%8f-%eb%aa%a9%ec%b0%a8-%ea%b3%b5%ea%b0%9c-gq-korea-2022-december-issue/|website=GQ Korea|access-date=November 18, 2022|language=ko-KR|date=November 18, 2022|archive-date=November 18, 2022|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20221118164541/https://www.gqkorea.co.kr/2022/11/18/%ec%a7%80%ed%81%90-%ec%bd%94%eb%a6%ac%ec%95%84-12%ec%9b%94%ed%98%b8-%ec%bb%a4%eb%b2%84-%eb%b0%8f-%eb%aa%a9%ec%b0%a8-%ea%b3%b5%ea%b0%9c-gq-korea-2022-december-issue/|url-status=live}} Wi is managed by MSTeam Entertainment.{{Cite web|last=Tamondong|first=Hanna|date=2021|title=Love 'Squid Game' Star Wi Ha Joon? Here Are Some Facts You Should Know About Him|url=https://www.cosmo.ph/entertainment/wi-ha-joon-facts-a4575-20210925|url-status=live|access-date=November 2, 2021|website=COSMO.PH|language=en-ph|archive-date=November 2, 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20211102060817/https://www.cosmo.ph/entertainment/wi-ha-joon-facts-a4575-20210925}}
Early life and education
Wi Ha-joon was born on August 5, 1991, on the island of Soando in Wanju County, South Jeolla Province, and grew up on his family's abalone farm.{{Cite web|title=Who Is Wi Ha-Joon, The 'Squid Game' Police Officer Who Dazzled On Screen?|url=https://www.harpersbazaar.com.sg/gallery/wi-ha-joon-squid-game/|access-date=November 2, 2021|website=Harper's Bazaar Singapore|language=en-US|archive-date=November 2, 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20211102060816/https://www.harpersbazaar.com.sg/gallery/wi-ha-joon-squid-game/|url-status=live}} He attended Sungkyul University, majoring in theatre and film. He completed his military service prior to debuting as an actor.{{Cite web|date=October 9, 2021|title=Wi Ha-joon, the abalone farmer's son who became a Squid Game star|url=https://www.scmp.com/magazines/style/celebrity/article/3151656/who-wi-ha-joon-star-netflixs-squid-game-watch-out-k-drama|access-date=November 2, 2021|website=South China Morning Post|language=en|archive-date=November 2, 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20211102060814/https://www.scmp.com/magazines/style/celebrity/article/3151656/who-wi-ha-joon-star-netflixs-squid-game-watch-out-k-drama|url-status=live}}
Career
Wi made his acting debut in 2012, starring in the short film Peace in Them.{{Cite web|last=LeGardye|first=Quinci|date=September 28, 2021|title=Wi Ha-joon From 'Squid Game' Is a Rising Star|url=https://www.marieclaire.com/culture/a37776856/who-is-wi-ha-joon-squid-game-netflix/|access-date=November 2, 2021|website=Marie Claire|language=en-US|archive-date=November 2, 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20211102060825/https://www.marieclaire.com/culture/a37776856/who-is-wi-ha-joon-squid-game-netflix/|url-status=live}} Wi made small appearances in several films, before he was cast in a main role in the 2018 film Gonjiam: Haunted Asylum. The same year, he appeared in a supporting role in the television series Something in the Rain.
In 2019, Wi appeared in the television series Romance Is a Bonus Book alongside Lee Jong-suk, Lee Na-young and Jung Yoo-jin. The series received positive reviews and Wi was praised for his acting, earning a nomination for Best New Actor - Television at the 55th Baeksang Arts Awards.{{cite web|last=Shin|first=Young-eun|script-title=ko:[인터뷰] '로맨스는 별책부록' 위하준 "이종석과 인생 첫 베드신 촬영, 거부감 없었다"|url=https://entertain.naver.com/read?oid=009&aid=0004333805|website=Maeil Economy|access-date=April 6, 2019|archive-date=April 6, 2019|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190406131253/https://entertain.naver.com/read?oid=009&aid=0004333805|url-status=live}} In 2020, Wi appeared as a famous baseball athlete in the television series 18 Again, based on the American film 17 Again.
Wi received international recognition in 2021 for his role in the hit Netflix series Squid Game, portraying the character Hwang Jun-ho, a police officer who sneaks into the game to find his missing brother. The cast was praised by critics for their acting and the show itself won numerous awards, including six Primetime Emmy Awards and the Grand Prize at the 58th Baeksang Arts Awards.{{cite web|last=Baek|first=Seon-ha|script-title=ko:에미상 휩쓴 '오징어 게임'...감독상‧남우주연상 등 6관왕|url=http://journal.kobeta.com/%ec%97%90%eb%af%b8%ec%83%81-%ed%9c%a9%ec%93%b4-%ec%98%a4%ec%a7%95%ec%96%b4-%ea%b2%8c%ec%9e%84%ea%b0%90%eb%8f%85%ec%83%81%e2%80%a7%eb%82%a8%ec%9a%b0%ec%a3%bc%ec%97%b0/|website=Broadcast Technology Journal|access-date=September 14, 2022|archive-date=September 16, 2022|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220916015101/http://journal.kobeta.com/%EC%97%90%EB%AF%B8%EC%83%81-%ED%9C%A9%EC%93%B4-%EC%98%A4%EC%A7%95%EC%96%B4-%EA%B2%8C%EC%9E%84%EA%B0%90%EB%8F%85%EC%83%81%E2%80%A7%EB%82%A8%EC%9A%B0%EC%A3%BC%EC%97%B0/|url-status=live}} Wi reprised his role as Hwang Jun-ho in 2024 for the second season.
In 2021, Wi also played a serial killer in the thriller film Midnight, and starred alongside Lee Dong-wook in the television series Bad and Crazy. Wi returned in 2022 with the Netflix series Little Women. The series achieved double-digit ratings for its final episode in South Korea.{{cite web|script-title=ko:케이블 일일 - TOP 10 LIST FOR TV PROGRAMS|url=https://www.nielsenkorea.co.kr/tv_terrestrial_day.asp?menu=Tit_1&sub_menu=3_1&area=01&begin_date=20221009|website=Nielsen Korea|language=ko|date=October 9, 2022|access-date=October 10, 2022|archive-date=October 20, 2023|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20231020154753/https://www.nielsenkorea.co.kr/tv_terrestrial_day.asp?menu=Tit_1&sub_menu=3_1&area=01&begin_date=20221009|url-status=live}}
In 2023, Wi starred in the Disney+ series The Worst of Evil alongside Ji Chang-wook and Im Se-mi,{{cite web|last=Kim|first=Ji-woo|script-title=ko:위하준, 한중일 마약 카르텔 보스 된다 (최악의 악)|url=https://entertain.naver.com/read?oid=144&aid=0000908786|website=Sports Kyunghyang|access-date=August 24, 2023|archive-date=August 25, 2023|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230825201053/https://entertain.naver.com/read?oid=144&aid=0000908786|url-status=live}} and the Netflix series Gyeongseong Creature alongside Park Seo-joon, Han So-hee, Soo Hyun, Kim Hae-sook and Jo Han-chul.{{cite web|last=Kwon|first=Soo-bin|script-title=ko:'경성크리처' 박서준X한소희→위하준, 괴물과 맞선 이들|url=https://www.newsculture.press/news/articleView.html?idxno=511230|website=NEWS CULTURE|date=September 28, 2022 |access-date=September 28, 2022|archive-date=August 25, 2023|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230825201055/https://www.newsculture.press/news/articleView.html?idxno=511230|url-status=live}}
Filmography
=Film=
=Television series=
=Web series=
=Television shows=
| class="wikitable sortable plainrowheaders" |
| scope="col" | Year
! scope="col" | Title ! scope="col" | Notes ! scope="col" class="unsortable" | {{abbr|Ref.|Reference(s)}} |
|---|
| scope="row" | 2018
| Season 2, guest appearance |{{cite web|script-title=ko:'섬총사2' 측 "위하준, 막내로 합류...두 번째 촬영까지 마쳐"|url=http://www.sportsseoul.com/news/read/649662|website=Sports Seoul|language=ko|date=June 21, 2018|access-date=September 13, 2018|archive-date=December 2, 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20211202232945/http://www.sportsseoul.com/news/read/649662|url-status=live}} |
Discography
=Singles=
| class="wikitable plainrowheaders" style="text-align:center;"
!Title !Year !Album |
| scope=row | "Maybe It's Too Late" ({{korean|hangul=늦은 거겠지|labels=no}})
|2018 |Matrimonial Chaos OST Part 2 |
|---|
Ambassadorship
- Public relations ambassador from Soan-myeon (2022){{cite web|url=https://entertain.naver.com/now/read?oid=001&aid=0012927224|author=Jo Geun-young|script-title=ko:완도군, 소안면 출신 배우 위하준 홍보대사 위촉|trans-title=Wando-gun appoints actor Ha-jun Wi as publicity ambassador from Soan-myeon|publisher=Yonhap News Agency|via=Naver|date=January 19, 2022|access-date=January 19, 2022|language=ko|archive-date=January 19, 2022|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220119024855/https://entertain.naver.com/now/read?oid=001&aid=0012927224|url-status=live}}
Awards and nominations
=Listicles=
| class="wikitable plainrowheaders sortable" style="text-align:center"
|+ Name of publisher, year listed, name of listicle, and placement ! scope="col" | Publisher ! scope="col" | Year ! scope="col" | Listicle ! scope="col" | Placement ! scope="col" class="unsortable" | {{abbr|Ref.|Reference(s)}} |
| scope="row" rowspan="2" |Cine21
| rowspan="2" |2021 | style="text-align:left" |New Actors that will lead Korean Video Content Industry in 2022 | 5th{{efn|mentioned together with Rowoon, Kim Seon-ho, Song Kang, Byeon Woo-seok, Lee Jun-young}} | rowspan="2" | {{Cite web|date=December 31, 2021|script-title=ko:2022년 주목해야 할 작품과 배우는...한국 영상산업 리더 62명이 꼽았다|url=http://m.cine21.com/news/view/?mag_id=99398|access-date=January 1, 2023|website=Cine21|language=ko|archive-date=December 31, 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20211231022604/http://m.cine21.com/news/view/?mag_id=99398|url-status=live}} |
|---|
| style="text-align:left" |Actors that will lead Korean Video Content Industry in 2022
| 6th{{efn|mentioned together with Kim Seon-ho, Kim Soo-hyun, Jo Jung-suk, Park Jeong-min, Song Kang-ho, Ma Dong-seok, Ahn Bo-hyun, Ryu Jun-yeol, Choi Woo-shik}} |
Notes
{{Notelist}}
References
{{Reflist}}
External links
{{Commons category}}
- {{Official website}} {{in lang|ko}}
- {{IMDb name}}
- {{HanCinema person}}
{{Authority control}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Wi, Ha-jun}}
Category:21st-century South Korean male actors
Category:People from Wando County
Category:South Korean male film actors
Category:South Korean male television actors
Category:South Korean male models