Joo Woo-jae

Quick Facts: Who was Joo Woo-jae?

Subject:

Joo Woo-jae

Known for:

South Korean model, entertainer, and actor known for roles in Come and Hug Me.

Born:

1986-11-28

Century / Era:

1986s Historical Era Archive

Verified Source:

2Day Chrono-Wiki & Primary Historical Archives

Origins & Early Life

Joo Woo-jae (Korean: 주우재; born November 28, 1986) is a South Korean model, entertainer and actor. Best known for his roles in Come and Hug Me (2018) and Strong Girl Nam-soon (2023), he currently stars as a regular cast member of Hangout with Yoo (since 2023) and Screwballs (since 2025). Joo Woo-jae was born on November 28, 1986, in Changwon, South Gyeongsang Province, South Korea, as the youngest of two sons. In Changwon Namsan High School, he received "A+" grades in solid mechanics, fluid mechanics, and thermodynamics, and was tested to have an IQ of 137 at the time. For his tertiary education, he studied at Hongik University in Seoul for mechanical engineering with an academic scholarship for ranking within the top 5%, following his father who worked in the automobile industry and older brother who completed his studies in the same department.

Pivotal Works & Achievements

Amidst his studies, Joo was photographed for the cover of a fashion magazine which ranked first place on portal sites, leading to an increase in number of visits on his Cyworld page, and individuals inquiring where his clothes were bought from. With one semester left, Joo requested a leave of absence to enjoy life before graduating and preparing for a job at Samsung. He started an online clothing store for which he modelled and scavenged the styles himself from the Dongdaemun Market, garnering ₩40 million ($40,000) within the first month with men's clothing alone. Established in 2012, its growth led him to become the designer of his clothing brand, SSRL (에스에스알엘) (formerly Siesta). Stemmed from his love for music evoked by the radio since childhood, Joo also bought equipment which included a stereo mix and microphone to broadcast his own radio show through Winamp.

Enduring Legacy & Impact

Joo worked on his online store during the day, and broadcast his radio show titled "You, Give Me All the Burden" (그대, 모든 짐을 내게), for two hours at midnight. With 1,200 concurrent listeners per broadcast, he was offered to host an offline concert; accepting its offer, Joo programmed the show and invited musicians to guest, including Acoustic Collabo, Cheez, Giriboy, and Nucksal, amidst others, wherein his best outcome garnered 1,200 attendees. Through this, Joo was contacted by a music company and was offered a job at the company, while negotiating the terms with its director, a friend of the CEO of a modelling agency, he introduced Joo to the agency for his height and was hired without an audition. In April 2025, after YG Entertainment announced it would end its actor management division, Joo signed an exclusive contract with Cam With Us. Joo participated in a retro-themed flea market organized by YG KPlus with models including Kang Seung-hyun, Hwang Seung-eon, Lee Ho-jung, Lee Jin-i, and Shim So-young, for the 2017 Pohang earthquake.

Chronological Milestones & Life Events

1. 1986 (1986-11-28): Birth of Joo Woo-jae — South Korean model, entertainer, and actor known for roles in Come and Hug Me.
2. 2012: 2012 Milestone — Established in 2012, its growth led him to become the designer of his clothing brand, SSRL (에스에스알엘) (formerly Siesta).
3. 2017: 2017 Milestone — Joo participated in a retro-themed flea market organized by YG KPlus with models including Kang Seung-hyun, Hwang Seung-eon, Lee Ho-jung, Lee Jin-i, and Shim So-young, for the 2017 Pohang earthquake.
4. 2018: 2018 Milestone — Best known for his roles in Come and Hug Me (2018) and Strong Girl Nam-soon (2023), he currently stars as a regular cast member of Hangout with Yoo (since 2023) and Screwballs (since 2025).
5. 2025: 2025 Milestone — In April 2025, after YG Entertainment announced it would end its actor management division, Joo signed an exclusive contract with Cam With Us.

Historical Fact-Check Quiz: Joo Woo-jae

True or False: “Joo Woo-jae's initial success in the fashion industry came from modeling clothes he sourced from Dongdaemun Market.”

Answer (TRUE ⭕): The text states that he modeled and scavenged styles himself from the Dongdaemun Market while running his online store.

Contemporary Figures & Related Historical Timelines

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• ʻAbdu'l-Bahá — Shared historical date (11-28 · Died) (1921): Successor to Baháʼu'lláh and guiding light of the Baháʼí Faith.
• Abdul Halim of Kedah — Shared historical date (11-28 · Born) (1927): Sultan of Kedah and Yang di-Pertuan Agong, a pivotal Malaysian royal figure.
• Ahn Jae-hong (actor) — Historical peer (Born in 1986) (1986): Acclaimed South Korean actor known for roles in Reply 1988 and Mask Girl.
• Ahn Se-ha — Historical peer (Born in 1986) (1986): South Korean actor known for his roles in television and film.
• Aaron Klug — Historical peer (Died in 2018) (2018): Pioneering biophysicist known for crystallographic electron microscopy and nucleic acid structure.
• Alan Bean — Historical peer (Died in 2018) (2018): American astronaut, naval officer, and lunar explorer who walked on the Moon.
• A. S. Byatt — Historical peer (Died in 2023) (2023): Acclaimed English novelist, poet, and critic known for complex literary works.
• 1986 Historical Timeline & Archive — Explore world events and figures from 1986
• November 28 (11-28) On This Day — Historical birthdays and events on November 28

Frequently Asked Questions about Joo Woo-jae