John Cho

Personal life

Cho was born in Seoul , South Korea , and raised in Los Angeles , California , where his family settled in 1978. His father was a minister in the Church of Christ .Cho graduated from Herbert Hoover High School in Glendale, California in 1990. He then attended the University of California, Berkeley , graduating in 1996 with a BA degree in English, and taught English at Pacific Hills School in West Hollywood, California .

Career

Cho began his career as a print model for Korean magazines, such as appearing in an ad for Enterprise Rent-A-Car . After graduating from Berkeley, he moved to Los Angeles, and worked with the Asian American theatre company, East West Players , appearing in Edward Sakamoto'sThe Taste of Kona Coffeein 1996, and Euijoon Kim'sMy Tired Broke Ass Pontificating Slapstick Funkin 2000.He gained attention with a small role in the 1999 comedyAmerican Pie, in which he popularized the slang term " MILF ". His most successful starring role to date has been as Harold Lee in 2004'sHarold & Kumar Go to White Castle. Cho was one of the stars of the short-lived situation comedy ,Off Centre, and guest-starred onCharmedas a ghost . He was a co-star of the now-defunct Fox sitcomKitchen Confidential. Cho had supporting roles inAmerican Beauty,Evolution, andDown to Earth, and a minor role inBowfinger.

In 2002, Cho had a starring role in the ensemble cast ofBetter Luck Tomorrow, a drama focusing on the travails of a group of Asian Americans living in Southern California who are academically successful, but socially discontented, and as a result engage in wantonly violent, criminal behavior. He was cast in NBC's new comedyThe Singles TableSeptember 2006, but the series never aired due to changes in scheduling and production. In 2006 and 2009,Cho was selected as one of the sexiest men alive inPeopleMagazine .

Cho appeared on July 2004 issue ofKoreAm Journal. In 2007, Cho was added to the cast ofUgly Bettyas a recurring regular. Cho plays Kenny, a best friend of accountant Henry Grubstick (played by Christopher Gorham ). Cho played helmsman Hikaru Sulu in J. J. Abrams 's feature filmStar Trek.

Cho appeared in Nas ' " Be a Nigger Too " music video along with various celebrities and had a guest appearance on the sitcomHow I Met Your Mother, in the episode " I'm Not That Guy ".

In 2009-2010, Cho starred in the TV seriesFlashForwardas FBI Special Agent Demetri Noh .His character was originally slated to be killed off during what turned out to be the show's only season, but after his turn as Sulu inStar Trekboosted his popularity, the producers revised the show's storyline so that he survived, in an attempt to boost declining ratings.

Musical career

He is the lead singer for Viva La Union,a Los Angeles band composed of former UCB and USC students. They have one album, also named Viva La Union, while their song "Chinese Baby" is featured on the Harold & Kumar Escape from Guantanamo Bay Soundtrack .

He is the lead singer for Viva La Union,a Los Angeles band composed of former UCB and USC students. They have one album, also named Viva La Union, while their song "Chinese Baby" is featured on the Harold & Kumar Escape from Guantanamo Bay Soundtrack .

1. Lee, Hyo-won (2007-10-14)."John Cho Speaks About Being Asian in Hollywood" .The Korea Times. Archived fromthe original on 2007-12-18. . Retrieved 2008-04-22
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Borys Kit (2007-10-12)."Final frontier for Cho, Pegg" .The Hollywood Reporter. .  Associated Press(2008-03-12)."John Cho: 'Trek' role is 'daunting'" .CNN. .  Joyce Eng(2009-05-19)."Fall TV: ABC's Official Schedule Revisits V, Moves Betty and Says Adieu to Who?" .TV Guide. .  Keck, William(June 18, 2010)."Keck's Exclusives: Gabrielle Union FlashForwards to New Series" .TV Guide. . Retrieved July 9, 2010. Jason Buchanan (2008-03-12)."John Cho" .New York Times. .