# Kai Ko

Kai Ko Chen-tung (Chinese: 柯震東; Pe̍h-ōe-jī: Koa Chìn-tong; born Ko Chia-kai on 18 June 1991) is a Taiwanese actor, singer and film director. Ko won Best New Actor at the 48th Golden Horse Awards and the 12th Chinese Film Media Awards for his starring role in the film You Are the Apple of My Eye, also his film debut. In November 2011, Ko released his debut studio album, Be Yourself. His career was derailed when he was arrested on drug charges in 2014, which led him to be banned in Mainland China.

## Personal life
### Relationships

Ko dated Cherry (黃慶宜), a TV showgirl, before he became famous for You Are the Apple of My Eye. He made headlines when his romance with pop singer Elva Hsiao, who is 12 years senior to him and a bigger star, broke in 2012. They split in 2014. Ko then has an on-and-off relationship with singer Tia Lee since 2014.

### Drug use

On 18 August 2014, Ko was arrested along with Jaycee Chan, son of Hong Kong film star Jackie Chan, by the Beijing Police for drug use, amid a broad anti-drug crackdown on the Chinese celebrities. Police said both actors tested positive for marijuana and admitted using the drug. Ko was given a sentence of 14 days in administrative detention.
Ko had appeared in a 2012 anti-drug advertisement in Taiwan in which he and other celebrities declared, "I don't use drugs". He was released on 28 August and faced another round of interrogations by the Taipei District Prosecutors Office after returning to Taiwan.

## Filmography
### Film

| Year | Title | Role | Notes |
| 2011 | You Are the Apple of My Eye | Ko Ching-teng | Golden Horse Awards for Best New Actor Chinese Film Media Awards for Best New Actor |
| 2012 | When a Wolf Falls in Love with a Sheep | Tung / Wolf | |
| 2013 | Machi Action | Face (stand-in) | Cameo |
| 2013 | Together | A-tzu | |
| 2013 | Tiny Times | Gu Yuan | |
| 2013 | Tiny Times 2 | Gu Yuan | |
| 2013 | Dive in 2013 | Ke Dong | Short film |
| 2014 | Dive in 2014 | Ke Dong | Short film |
| 2014 | Tiny Times 3 | Gu Yuan | |
| 2015 | Tiny Times 4 | Gu Yuan | Scenes edited out due to drug use conviction |
| 2016 | The Road to Mandalay | Ah Guo | |
| 2017 | Mon Mon Mon Monsters | Student on bus | Cameo |
| 2020 | A Choo | Wang Yi-zhi | |
| 2021 | Moneyboys | Fei | |
| 2021 | Till We Meet Again | Ah Lun | Taipei Film Awards for Best Actor |
| 2021 | Grit | Croc / Xiao Yu | |
| 2022 | Mama Boy | Hsiao Hung | |
| 2022 | Bad Education | — | Directorial debut |
| 2023 | Miss Shampoo | Long Legs | |

### Television series

| Year | Title | Role |
| 2022 | The Exorcist | |
| 2023 | Agent from Above | Han Jie |
| 2024 | Let's Talk About CHU | Chou Ping-ke |
| 2024 | Imperfect Us | Yu Xiang-li |

## Discography

| Title | Album details | Track listing |
| Be Yourself 有話直說 | Released: November 11, 2011 Format: CD, streaming, download Label: Star Ritz, Sony Music Taiwan | Track listing "Qing Rang Wo Jixu Xihuan Ni" (請讓我繼續喜歡你; Please Let Me Continue to Like You) "Qing Bi Wo Ai Ta" (請比我愛她; Please Love Her Better Than I Do) "You Hua Zhi Shuo" (有話直說; Just Say It) "Ai Ni Jie Bu Liao" (愛你戒不了; Can't Stop Loving You) "Ai Jiu Ai" (愛就愛; Just Love) "Piao Liu Ping" (漂流瓶; Drifting Vase) featuring Michelle Chen "Zuo You" (左右; Left Right) "Feng Suo Ni" (封鎖你; Blocking You) "Be My Baby" "Bai Shi Zhi Ling" (百式之零; Zero of Hundred) |

## Awards and nominations

| Year | Award | Category | Nominated work | Result |
| 2011 | 48th Golden Horse Awards | Best New Performer | You Are the Apple of My Eye | Won |
| 2012 | 12th Chinese Film Media Awards | Best New Performer | You Are the Apple of My Eye | Won |
| 2012 | 6th Asian Film Awards | Best Newcomer | You Are the Apple of My Eye | Nominated |
| 2012 | Changchun Film Festival | Best Actor | You Are the Apple of My Eye | Nominated |
| 2016 | 53rd Golden Horse Awards | Best Leading Actor | The Road to Mandalay | Nominated |
| 2017 | Youth Film Handbook Awards | Male Actor of the Year | The Road to Mandalay | Won |
| 2017 | 8th To Ten Chinese Films Festival | Best Performance by an Actor in a Leading Role | The Road to Mandalay | Won |
| 2017 | 58th Asia-Pacific Film Festival | Best Actor | The Road to Mandalay | Nominated |
| 2021 | 58th Golden Horse Awards | Best Leading Actor | Moneyboys | Nominated |
| 2022 | 24th Taipei Film Awards | Best Actor | Till We Meet Again | Won |
| 2022 | 59th Golden Horse Awards | Best New Director | Bad Education | Nominated |
| 2024 | 26th Taipei Film Awards | Best Supporting Actor | Miss Shampoo | Nominated |
| 2024 | 6th Asia Contents Awards & Global OTT Awards | Best Supporting Actor | Imperfect Us | Nominated |
| 2024 | 59th Golden Bell Awards | Best Supporting Actor in a Miniseries or TV Film | Imperfect Us | Won |