 Korean-American actor Ken Jeong is shown during his visit to Seoul last week for a promotional tour for the sequel, “The Hangover Part 2.” / Courtesy of Warner Brothers Korea |
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‘Hangover’ star going on from doctor to actor
By Lee Hyo-won
Ken Jeong became a household name in the United States through his wild screen persona Mr. Chow — though “wild” might be an understatement — in “The Hangover.” The Korean-American actor is equally famous for having been a physician; he may have devoted a good part of his life to saving other people’s lives but the funnyman says that comedy saved his.
“It saved my life,” Jeong said during an interview in Seoul last week during a promotional tour for “The Hangover 2.”
The 42-year-old former physician, who grew up watching Eddie Murphy, Bill Cosby and Jim Carrey, performed stand-up comedy as a hobby during medical school and his internship as a doctor. “Some doctors play golf, I did comedy. I really needed a way to channel my stress. To do comedy full-time now is more than a dream come true,” he said about becoming a full-time actor since playing a doctor in “Knocked Up.”
Jeong’s big breakthrough came with his gloriously unabashed character Mr. Chow, a heavily accented criminal that the drunken trio of groomsmen keeps running into. He isn’t afraid of stripping down to make a statement. But in real life, Jeong, soft-spoken and wearing a tie and gray suit, looked like an average businessman.
“I knew that if I made a strong choice in the movie it would help give some energy mid-way into the film. Ten years ago I wouldn’t have done that,” he said. But in both “Hangover” films he says he wasn’t afraid to make strong artistic statements because of a trying personal struggle he was experiencing at the time.
He almost declined shooting the first “Hangover” film because his wife, Tran Ho, was diagnosed with a rare and malignant form of breast cancer.
“It was my wife that insisted that I do (the film) ... What that taught me in the first movie, including the naked choice and what my wife was going through, (is that) life is short, we’re not here all that long. If you have the opportunity to go for it, you just have to go for it,” he said, adding that he considers “The Hangover” films his favorite experience because it helped him through the roughest time of his life.
Jeong’s wife has since completely recovered and accompanied the actor for the film’s production in Thailand. “It was a celebration, party.”
Ho, who is also a doctor, is also the one who encouraged Jeong to pursue acting full-time. He says his parents were also
supportive.
“I called my father to ask for his blessings and the only thing he told me was, ‘What does your wife think?’ and said, ‘You have your answer.’ It was the purest act of love I ever received from my parents,” he said. He speaks with his father almost every day and Skyped his parents earlier to show them a view of downtown Seoul from his hotel window.
“I’m just so honored to be back in Korea in this capacity, promoting this movie,” he said about visiting his birthplace for the first time since 1986. The screen star said he was surprised to see how many youths recognized him while walking around COEX Mall. He also took part in a meeting last Tuesday attended by hundreds of fans including pop star Jay Park.
“My parents are so proud of me not because I am famous but because I work hard. My father said, ‘I don’t care if you’re famous or not famous, rich or poor, doctor or actor, as long as you work hard. Just do the same thing you’ve been doing since you were a kid.’”
He said that having been a physician helps his acting, as much as doing comedy boosted his medical career. Jeong said the doctor that hired him to do his residency was a jazz musician.
“He said to me, ‘you will be a better doctor because you do comedy on the side, that way you know how to handle difficult patients, you know how to calm down people, you can have good sense of humor and keep your cool. Also your medical background will make you a better comedian.’”
On the other hand, the discipline and work ethic he has polished as a doctor helps when it comes to working on the set as an actor.
As for future plans, he says he wishes to continue working hard. He is currently appearing on the TV comedy series “Community” for its third season and is set to appear for the next seven months.
“The Hangover 2,” a Warner Brothers release, opens in theaters Aug. 25. The sequel takes three best friends to Thailand for a wedding, but the trio wakes up the next morning to find that the groom’s future-brother-in-law has disappeared. There is nothing but a monkey to help them trace his whereabouts.
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