Cast in the role of Lee Eul in Netflix’s latest musical fantasy drama The Sound of Magic, Korean actor Ji Changwook delights fans this time with his vocal skills. As the star turns 35 today, here are five things that you may not know about him

1. Vocal prowess

Ji Changwook’s excellence in acting has already been proven with a long list of chart-topping Korean dramas and films including K2 in which he starred alongside Girls Generation’s Im YoonAh. What is less well known is his singing prowess among the larger general public. Though, it is not something he kept hidden.

His vocal talent was first explored in several musicals around a decade ago: Thrill Me (2010) and Jack The Ripper (2013). Apart from those, he also lent his singing to featured soundtracks for several dramas he acted in like Healer (2014) and Suspicious Partner (2017). Most recently, his role as Lee Eul in Netflix’s The Sound of Magic (Annarasumanara), highlighted this talent again.

2. Gaining his fit frame from football

Gym workouts are the most common ways in which celebrities maintain their fit physique. Ji Changwook’s perfectly fit form, however, is said to be the result of playing football – a hobby of his – rather than from going to the gym.

In an interview with Metro Style in 2020, he shared his childhood dream to be a professional football player which was curtailed by his mother’s disapproval. Now that his success as an actor has been solidified, he can leisurely pursue his old childhood dream by integrating it into his workout routine. He is currently a striker in FC Men, a K-star football club, about three to four times a week.

3. A fan of his fans

The relationship between an artist and their fans cannot be underestimated. In the case of Ji, his appreciation for his fan clubs is widely known. Right after his discharge from the military, he organised a fan meeting called Late Spring Early Night”. He sent handwritten invitation notes to his fans and filled the programme for the evening by himself, without the usual special guest appearances or an MC. Showing his sincerity and adding a personal touch, the actor also gifted the attendees self-designed and handmade bracelets.

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4. A camper at heart

There is a quiet fascination among fans when it comes to celebrities and their low-key hobbies. For Ji Changwook, one of those is camping. He described it as a way for him to release stress from work.

To emphasise his point, he got himself a camping car license to give him greater freedom to take off with his own camping car whenever he pleases. In late 2021, Ji shared four videos on his official Youtube channel where he went camping with friends. The episodes covered all his tips in camping, from driving to barbecue meals.

5. He is a “yorinyi”, a beginner in cooking

A good camping trip often includes good food. Cooking is arguably one of the most charming parts of such trips. This is why Ji embarked on a journey of “yorinyi”, a Korean term describing a person who just started to like cooking. As he gets more into camping, the more he delved into preparing different kinds of dishes.

Earlier this year, he showed off his hard-earned cooking skills on the Korean TV show House on Wheels. Preparing for the first time in his life a seaweed soup to share with other cast members on the programme to great success. He attributes his impressive cooking skills as a result of his camping adventures.

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