The Influencer presents us with an impressive roster of 77 participants, each of whom are well-known social media personalities – but what about Jang Keun-suk?
The objective of the Netflix K-reality series is to provide influencers of different levels of fame with the opportunity to demonstrate their worth, with the ultimate goal of winning the grand prize of 300 million won ($220,000).
As a result, Jang’s arrival stirred up some controversy among The Influencer cast. Since he is a well-known celebrity, several other participants believed that he had an unfair advantage.
Despite his recent success on the show, he reveals that he is new to the world of content creation, having launched his YouTube channel just nine months prior to filming. For those interested in getting to know him better, here is a brief overview of his life and professional journey.
About Jang Keun-suk
Jang Keun-suk, who is often referred to as the “Prince of Asia,”is a 37-year-old South Korean actor, singer, and model celebrated for his diverse abilities and widespread fame throughout Asia, with a strong following in Japan in particular.
Jang was born on August 4, 1987 in Danyang County, South Korea, and embarked on his career in the entertainment industry at a young age.
At the young age of five, he began his career as a child model and by the time he turned 10, he was already starring in TV dramas.
Despite studying in New Zealand, where he acquired proficiency in both English and Japanese, Jang was cast in the sitcom Nonstop 4, ultimately leading him back to South Korea.
Jang Keun-suk got his big TV break on You’re Beautiful
After that, he became well-known for his roles in different K-dramas, with his standout performance in the 2009 series You’re Beautiful as Hwang Tae-kyung, the frontman of a made-up band.
He is also recognized for his roles in Beethoven Virus (2008), Mary Stayed Out All Night (2010), Love Rain (2012), Bel Ami (2013), The Royal Gambler (2016), and Switch (2018).
Additionally, Jang is not solely focused on acting. He is also a talented singer, having released multiple albums. His fanbase is particularly strong in Japan.
Part of the credit for this achievement goes to his 2011 single ‘Let Me Cry’, which entered Japan’s Oricon single charts at number one. This made him the first non-Japanese music artist to accomplish this feat.
Despite previously working on a few EPs with Team H, Jang released his first full-length album in Japan, titled ‘Just Crazy’, in 2012. Once again, the album quickly reached the top spot on the charts.
Explaining Jang’s Controversy
After his company became involved in a tax evasion scandal, Kang took a break from his career in Korea in 2015.
During that period, he faced allegations of underreporting his income from China, resulting in a reported payment of 10 billion won ($7.2 million).
Despite initially being accused in the incident, Jang was eventually declared innocent. It was also confirmed by his agency, Tree J Company, that the mistake was unintentional on their part.
Jang made a comeback
Following his departure from the agency, Jang returned to the Korean entertainment scene through his participation in the 2016 music survival series Produce 101.
In the following years, he dedicated himself to philanthropy work. In 2022, Jang, together with his official fan club Cre-J, contributed 30 million won to assist children with hearing impairments.
During the Turkey-Syria earthquake last year, he generously contributed 100 million won to the Korean Committee for UNICEF.
Upon learning about the damage, Jang Geun-suk expressed his concern and intention to donate through his agency, Craft42 Ent, in order to support the locals who are currently facing challenging circumstances.
In addition, the actor also starred in the crime drama Decoy alongside Squid Game actor Heo Sung-tae in the same year, marking a five-year hiatus from major series appearances in Korea.
When discussing the show, he stated (via The Korea Herald), “Time flies. I never imagined it would be such a long wait before my next project. However, I can guarantee that Decoy was the series that made the past five years worthwhile.”
“Each time I went to the shooting location, I engaged in discussions with actors and staff to enhance the scenes, and it made me feel invigorated.”
Is he the host of The Influencer?
Despite being famous, Jang is merely a participant on the new Netflix series, not the host.
This news is unexpected for the other members of The Influencer cast, considering he is a well-known figure. Several of them argue that it is “unfair,”and some have even attempted to undermine his role.
Despite his status as a newcomer in the influencing world, he still manages to gain the support of other contestants as the games continue.
To discover more content, be sure to watch the highly anticipated reality show releases of 2024.
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