Wi Ha-joon (
Korean: 위하준; born Wi Hyun-yi (위현이); August 5, 1991) is a South Korean actor. He is best known for his role as Hwang Jun-ho in Squid Game (2021). 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), and Little Women (2022). In 2022, Wi was named one of GQ Korea's Men of the Year.[2] Wi is managed by MSTeam Entertainment.[3]
Early life and education
Wi was born on August 5, 1991, on the island of Soando,
South Jeolla Province, South Korea, and was raised on his family's
abalone farm.[4] He attended Sungkyul University, majoring in theatre and film.[4] He completed his military service prior to debuting as an actor.[5]
Career
He made his acting debut in 2012, starring in the short film Peace in Them.[5][6] 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.
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.[8] The show was renewed for a second season with Wi set to reprise his role as Hwang Jun-ho in 2024.
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.[9]
^Wu Mengting (September 24, 2021).
"韓網熱議「沒看就是邊緣人」!4戲劇、2綜藝引爆話題榜". ETtoday.
Archived from the original on September 25, 2021. Retrieved September 25, 2021.
^Hong Se-young (September 7, 2021).
"이동욱·위하준·한지은, tvN·iQIYI '배드 앤 크레이지' 확정 [공식]" [Lee Dong-wook, Wi Ha-jun, Han Ji-eun, tvN, iQIYI 'Bad and Crazy' confirmed [Official]]. Sports Donga (in Korean).
Archived from the original on October 6, 2021. Retrieved September 7, 2021 – via
Naver.
^Moon Ji-yeon (January 27, 2022).
"[공식] 위하준, '작은 아씨들' 합류 확정..김고은과 호흡" [[Official] Ha-jun Wi, confirmed to join 'Little Women'... Breathing with Go-eun Kim] (in Korean).
Sports Chosun.
Archived from the original on January 27, 2022. Retrieved January 27, 2022 – via
Naver.
^Seunghoon Lee (October 3, 2023).
"[단독]위하준, 대치동 학원 강사 로맨스 '졸업' 주인공" [[Exclusive] Wi Ha-jun, Daechi-dong academy instructor romance 'Graduation' protagonist] (in Korean). StarNews Korea.
Archived from the original on October 3, 2023. Retrieved October 3, 2023 – via
Naver.
^Bae Hyo-joo (August 11, 2021).
"이정재, 456억 향한 질주" 넷플릭스 '오징어 게임' 9월17일 공개[공식]" [Lee Jung-jae, sprinting towards 45.6 billion" Netflix 'Squid Game' released on September 17 [Official]]. Newsen (in Korean).
Naver.
Archived from the original on August 11, 2021. Retrieved August 11, 2021.
^Kim Joon-seok (June 18, 2023).
"'오징어 게임2' 이정재·이병헌·공유→임시완·강하늘·양동근 캐스팅 확정[공식]" ['Squid Game 2' Lee Jung-jae, Lee Byung-hun, Gong Yoo → Im Si-wan, Kang Ha-neul, Yang Dong-geun cast confirmed [Official]] (in Korean).
Sports Chosun.
Archived from the original on November 12, 2020. Retrieved June 18, 2023 – via
Naver.
^Park Jeong-min (November 18, 2021).
"위하준 측 "K프로젝트 출연, 세부 내용 조율 중"[공식]" [Ha-jun Wi's side "Appearance in K Project, details are being coordinated" [Official]] (in Korean). Newsen.
Archived from the original on November 18, 2021. Retrieved November 18, 2021 – via
Naver.
^Kang Hyo-jin (May 12, 2022).
"[단독]위하준, '샤크2' 특별출연...강렬 존재감으로 시리즈 잇는다" [[Exclusive] Ha-Jun Wi to make a special appearance in 'Shark 2'... The series continues with a strong presence] (in Korean). spoTV News.
Archived from the original on May 12, 2022. Retrieved May 12, 2022 – via
Naver.
^Jo Geun-young (January 19, 2022).
"완도군, 소안면 출신 배우 위하준 홍보대사 위촉" [Wando-gun appoints actor Ha-jun Wi as publicity ambassador from Soan-myeon] (in Korean).
Yonhap News Agency.
Archived from the original on January 19, 2022. Retrieved January 19, 2022 – via
Naver.