# Joo Woo-jae

Joo Woo-jae (/ˈdʒuː wʊˈdʒeɪ/ JOO wuu-JAY; Korean: 주우재; born November 28, 1986) is a South Korean model 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).

## Life and career
### 1986–2011: Early life

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 [ko], 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.

### 2012–2021: Career beginnings and rising popularity

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. 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.

## Other ventures
### Philanthropy

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. Its entire proceed of ₩11.32 million was donated to its respective cause through the National Disaster Relief Association.

## Filmography
### Film

| Year | Title | Role | Ref. |
| 2016 | Can't Hide (숨길 수 없어요) | Woo-jae | |
| 2019 | Miss & Mrs. Cops | Lee Phillip | |

### Television series

| Year | Title | Role | Notes |
| 2016 | Wanted | Kiss & Talk Guest | Cameo (Episode 1) |
| 2018 | Come and Hug Me | Kang Yoon-sung | |
| 2018 | Love Alert | Sung-hoon | |
| 2019 | Best Chicken | Andrew Kang | |
| 2019 | School Strange Stories: 8th Anniversary | Kang Min-gu | |
| 2020 | Please Don't Date Him | Han Yoo-jin | |
| 2023 | Strong Girl Nam-soon | Ji Hyun-soo | |
| 2023 | My Dearest | Farmer | Cameo (Episode 12) |

### Web series

| Year | Title | Role | Notes |
| 2015 | We Broke Up | Radio DJ | Cameo (Episode 8) |
| 2016 | I'm Not a Girl Anymore | Han Seung-joon | |
| 2017 | Part-Time Idol | Inkigayo MC | Cameo (Episode 5) |
| 2021 | Peng | Ki Seon-je | |

### Television shows

| Year | Title | Role | Notes |
| 2016 | Travel Without Manager (매니저 없이 떠나는 여행 시즌) | Regular cast | Season 2 (Episodes 3–8) |
| 2016 | Tribe of Hip Hop | Contestant | Season 2 |
| 2016 | King of Mask Singer | Contestant | Episode 89 |
| 2018–2021 | Love Naggers [ko] (연애의 참견) | Host | Seasons 1–4 |
| 2019 | Love Me Actually [ko] (호구의 연애) | Regular cast | Episode 9–20 |
| 2019–2020 | Problematic Men | Regular cast | Guest (Episodes 66, 68–69, 77) Regular (Episodes 212–224) |
| 2020 | Wanna Be Singers [ko] (내 안의 발라드) | Contestant | |
| 2021–2022 | Magic Wardrobe (마법옷장) | Host | Seasons 1–2 |
| 2022 | Local Dining Table [ko] (로컬 식탁) | Host | |
| 2022 | With the Silk of Dohpo Flying [ko] (도포자락 휘날리며) | Regular cast | |
| 2022 | Young and Rich Boss (돈 잘 버는 젊은 사장) | Host | |
| 2022 | While You Are Tempted [ko] (당신이 혹하는 사이) | Host | Season 4 |
| 2022–2024 | Beat Coin | Regular cast | |
| 2023 | Blue Marble World Tour [ko] (지구마불 세계여행) | Host | |
| 2023 | Hangout with Yoo | Regular cast | Guest (Episodes 183–184) Regular (Episodes 191–present) |

### Web shows

| Year | Title | Role | Notes |
| 2021 | Top Seller [ko] (탑셀러) | Host | |
| 2022 | Love Catcher in Bali [zh] (러브캐처 인 발리) | Host | Season 4 |
| 2022 | Scene Catchers (씬캐처) | Host | |
| 2023 | Ripped from a Manga (만찢남) | Regular cast | |
| 2023 | Bbam Bbam Social Club (빰빰사교클럽) | Regular cast | YouTube series; 7 episodes |

### Hosting

| Year | Title | Notes | Ref. |
| 2023 | KBS Entertainment Awards | with Shin Dong-yup and Cho Yi-hyun | |

### Music video appearances

| Year | Song title | Artist |
| 2015 | "We Fought" (우리 싸웠어) (with Haeyong of Almeng and Dahye of Bestie) | Yoo Se-yoon |
| 2015 | "Middle School Sick" (중 2병) (with Jay Park and Niihwa) | Yoo Se-yoon |
| 2016 | "Y.O.U" (featuring Park Kyung of Block B) | Johan Kim |
| 2016 | "First" (처음) (with Minseo) | Yoon Jong-shin |

### Radio shows

| Year | Title | Role | Ref. |
| 2014–2015 | Yoo In-na's Volume Up | Panelist | |

## Awards and nominations

Name of the award ceremony, year presented, category, nominee of the award, and the result of the nomination :
| Award ceremony | Year | Category | Nominee / Work | Result |
| Asia Model Awards | 2019 | Rookie of the Year Award | Joo Woo-jae | Won |
| Asia Model Awards | 2020 | Fashionista Award | Joo Woo-jae | Won |
| Blue Dragon Series Awards | 2024 | Best New Male Entertainer | Witch Hunt 2023 | Nominated |
| Brand of the Year Awards | 2022 | Model-tainer | Joo Woo-jae | Won |
| KBS Entertainment Awards | 2022 | Best Couple Award | with Jo Se-ho (Beat Coin) | Won |
| KBS Entertainment Awards | 2022 | Rookie Award in Show and Variety Category | Beat Coin | Nominated |
| KBS Entertainment Awards | 2023 | Excellence Award in Show and Variety Category | Beat Coin | Won |
| KCA Culture and Entertainment Awards | 2023 | Popular Star of the Year (Selected by Viewers) | Hangout with Yoo | Won |
| Korea First Brand Awards | 2020 | Model-tainer | Joo Woo-jae | Won |
| Korea First Brand Awards | 2024 | Most Anticipated Model-Entertainer | Joo Woo-jae | Won |
| MBC Entertainment Awards | 2023 | Best Couple Award | with Mijoo (Hangout with Yoo) | Nominated |
| MBC Entertainment Awards | 2023 | Popularity Award | One Top | Won |
| MBC Entertainment Awards | 2023 | Excellence Award (Variety Shows) | Hangout with Yoo | Won |
| MBC Entertainment Awards | 2024 | Best Entertainer Award (Show/Variety) | What Do You Do When You Play? Save Me! Holmes | Won |