Ji Sung, a talented performer who has impressed audiences with his build, is one of the Korean top stars who fought against hardships in his young days to become a successful actor.

Ji Sung comes from a family of educators, but he dreamt of becoming a baseball player and, eventually, an actor.

But his parents did not support his college decision, so he ended up on the streets before recently studying acting.

All the hard work landed him a part in his first acting role in 1999 in the television series "KAIST."

Even in the early days of his career, Ji Sung showed his incredible dedication to acting.

For example, he famously obtained the number of a production company using directory assistance and called them directly.

He followed this bold move by meeting the producer Kim Kyung-ryong and writer Song Ji-na, leading to his breakout role in the 2003 drama "All In," for which he won the SBS Drama Awards Drama Special Male Acting Award and started gaining popularity.

No one said casting "All In" would be easy. Despite the buzz, the male lead, Lee Byung Hun, loomed large over the supporting roles, causing many actors to turn down their offers.

So when hearing about the casting troubles, Ji Sung took matters into his own hands. "I want to do that role. Please give it to me, he told the the director, who ultimately agreed to cast him.

The MBC drama "Kill Me, Heal Me" in 2015 marked a peak for Ji Sung's popularity when he played a character with seven personalities.

He won the grand prize at the MBC Drama Awards for his widely acclaimed performance. He also topped it off with another grand prize victory at the 2017 SBS Drama Awards for his work in "Defendant."

Ji Sung made his TV comeback in 2024 with the drama "Connection," where he plays a narcotics detective.

With 2024 SBS Drama Awards around the corner, he is seen as a top-tier contender for the award with peers like Jang Na-ra and Park Shin-hye.

As the SBS Drama Awards are set to take place on December 21sts, it remains to be seen whether Ji Sung's illustrious career will maintain its momentum by continuing to add another prestigious title won amongst a myriad of contests to date.