Wi Ha-joon (; born Wi Hyun-yi (); August 5, 1991) is a South Korean actor. He is best known for his role in Squid Game (2021), which brought him international fame. 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 Koreas Men of the Year. Wi is managed by MSTeam Entertainment.
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. He attended Sungkyul University, majoring in theatre and film. He completed his military service prior to debuting as an actor.
Career
He made his acting debut in 2012, starring in the short film Peace in Them. 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. 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. 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.
In 2023, Wi starred in the Disney+ series The Worst of Evil alongside Ji Chang-wook and Im Se-mi, and will star in the Netflix series Gyeongseong Creature alongside Park Seo-joon, Han So-hee, Soo Hyun, Kim Hae-sook and Jo Han-chul.
Filmography
Film
Television series
Web series
Television shows
Discography
Singles
Ambassadorship
Public relations ambassador from Soan-myeon (2022)