Jung Il Woo had an unexpected encounter in Tokyo after a local street photographer approached him without realizing he was speaking to one of South Korea's well-known actors.
The moment was shared by Japanese photographer SANKYO, who uploaded a video from his "Street Photography of Strangers" series on social media. Impressed by Jung Il Woo's style, the photographer stopped him on the street and asked if he could take his portrait.
Without revealing his celebrity status at first, Jung Il Woo politely answered the photographer's questions.
When asked where he was from, he replied, "I'm from Korea." He went on to explain, "I'm here for work," before introducing himself as "an actor."
Jung Il Woo also shared his long connection with Japan, saying, "I've been to Japan more than 100 times," and "I've been holding fan meetings here for over 18 years." He then introduced himself by name, saying, "My name is Jung Il Woo."
Asked about the purpose of his latest visit, the actor explained, "I'm here to promote my first Japanese drama, Criminal*."* He added that the series is available to viewers worldwide through Amazon Prime Video.
When the photographer asked if there was a Japanese phrase that left a lasting impression on him, Jung Il Woo answered, "Ichigo Ichie," the expression that refers to treasuring each once-in-a-lifetime encounter.
The finished portraits showed the actor dressed in an all-black outfit while carrying a shopper bag, catching the attention of viewers online.
Many social media users expressed surprise after recognizing him in the video, leaving comments such as, "He's a really, really famous actor," "You randomly met an actor," and "You're so lucky. He's very famous."
Jung Il Woo's Criminal, an Amazon Prime Video original series, premiered on July 17. The actor is also scheduled to hold a fan meeting in Tokyo on September 13 to celebrate the 20th anniversary of his debut.
