It has been seven years since actor Ju Ji Hoon had his breakthrough performance as the distant Crown Prince Shin in the drama "Princess Hours." Since then his career has seen some ups and downs.

In that time he appeared in the films "Antique Bakery" and "Naked Kitchen," as well as the dramas "Five Fingers" and the "Devil."

A drug scandal temporarily derailed his career in 2009, after which he served his compulsory military duty. He made his comeback in the film "I Am A King," which was inspired by "The Prince and the Pauper." Soon he will return to the small screen, playing Han Seung Jae, a doctor in the MBC medical drama "Medical Top Team."

Here are some facts you may not know about the actor.

1. Although he describes his parents as very conservative, they did not comment when he decided to major in acting at Kyung Ki University.

"Nobody said anything about it," said Ju. "Indeed, my parents liked it when I got into university with an acting major. And although they never said anything, I knew they loved that I was on a TV drama, as one day my mother brought a stack of papers for me to autograph."

2. He's single now but he's pretty definite about what he wants in a girlfriend. He wants a girl who's independent, as he likes to spend quiet time alone reading and listening to music. He grew up spending a considerable amount of time by himself as both his parents worked.

"I want a girl who has her own interests and doesn't bother me," he said. "I believe that everyone needs to have their own space so they can enjoy time on their own.

3. He won't settle when it comes to romance, as he does not believe in the idea of marrying for convenience.

"I don't like a marriage for any reason other than true love," said Ju.

Yoon Eun Hye, his "Princess Hours" princess once described him as her ideal type but the co-stars are just friends.

4. In high school, he was teased about his height and he kept on growing. He's 6 ft. 2 inches now.

"Handyman was my nickname in high school," he said. "Because of my height, I stood out. Every teacher and student knew who I was."

5. He's serious about preparing for his roles. He learned to play the piano for his role as Yoo Ji Ho, a genius pianist in "Five Fingers." He took classical piano lessons so he could act convincingly in the performance scenes. After listening to the music, he learned the movements needed to look as is he was really playing that particular piece.

For his role in "The Devil," he lost 11 pounds by eating only chicken and exercising three hours a day.

Hopefully his role as a doctor on "Medical Top Team" will be less grueling.