John Cho biography, net worth, wife, kids, age, height 2025

Biography of John Cho

John Cho is a Korean-American actor who has been named one of the world's most attractive men multiple times. This uniquely talented and charismatic actor first gained fame playing Harold in the Harold & Kumar comedy trilogy - following the adventures of two stoner friends. He later proved his versatility by taking on diverse roles - from police detective to child psychologist to starship pilot. Net worth: $25 million.

Childhood and Early Life

John Cho was born in Seoul, capital of South Korea, in a family of a Christian preacher on June 16, 1972. Born Cho Yo Han, his name was changed to John Yohan Cho when his family emigrated to the USA in 1978 for easier pronunciation.

The Cho family initially settled in Houston, Texas, before moving to Los Angeles where his father took a position at a local Church of Christ campus.

An active, creative, and artistic kid, John dreamed of an acting career from early on. The family supported the boy. Having grown up in totalitarian North Korea, John's father was thrilled his son could grow up in a free country and pursue his dreams.

After graduating from Herbert Hoover High School (an arts-focused school), John enrolled at UC Berkeley in 1990 to study English language and literature.

During his student days, he played on the stage of a student theater. After earning his bachelor's degree, he joined East West Players, a renowned Asian American theater company that develops training programs and masterclasses for talented young performers. At EWP, John taught English to Asian immigrant children, worked on TV productions, and performed in theater.

Acting Career. Beginning

John made his screen debut while working at EWP: the young actor landed a supporting role in the 1997 satirical comedy-drama Wag the Dog with such A-list stars as Anne Heche, Dustin Hoffman, Woody Harrelson and Robert De Niro.

Over the next two years, John appeared in episodes of hit TV shows like Felicity, The Magnificent Seven, and Charmed. He also portrayed a salesman in American Beauty and a cleaner in Bowfinger, but his role in the teen comedy American Pie was the most memorable.

Cho was cast in a small role in the cult comedy about high school seniors trying to lose their virginity, but things turned out differently. John made his character so memorable (one of the guys chanting MILF at Stifler's house) that the slang term for an attractive older woman entered mainstream vocabulary across all age groups. Cho missed the American Pie premiere because he was working on a film abroad. But when he returned home and heard kids using the word MILF, he felt guilty. The actor later appeared in the next two franchise installments, though his character wasn't named John until the third film.

John Cho in American Pie

For about a year, John worked on the sitcom Off Centre, playing one of the lead roles. In the comedy, John played an Asian restaurant owner who constantly found himself in ridiculous situations. Jason George and Sean Maguire portrayed his friends.

From 2001 to 2004, Cho appeared in such pictures as Delivering Milo, Evolution, Big Fat Liar, Pavilion of Women, Better Luck Tomorrow, and in some other pictures.

Best Roles

While the actor had developed his recognizable style and gained popularity by the mid-2000s, real fame came when film director Danny Leiner, creator of the Harold & Kumar trilogy, offered him a role in Harold & Kumar Go to White Castle.

According to the plot of the first part of Harold & Kumar Go to White Castle, two friends decided to relax after a hard week, but things didn't go as planned. Their ordinary trip to get some burgers turned into a series of epic events.

John Cho in Harold & Kumar Go to White Castle

Predictably, the film from the producer of the hilarious comedy Dude, Where's My Car? became hugely successful, as it had all the elements of a hit: simple and memorable plot, dialogue that instantly became quotable, beautiful girls and, of course, a couple of stoned losers - a Korean guy, Harold, and an Indian guy, Kumar.

The character of Harold became a starring role for the young actor. Later, he appeared in the following parts of the film: Harold & Kumar Escape from Guantanamo Bay and A Very Harold & Kumar 3D Christmas. Kal Penn portrayed Kumar. David Krumholtz, Ryan Reynolds, Jack Conley, and Eddie Kaye Thomas also starred in the film.

John Cho in the Comedy A Very Harold & Kumar 3D Christmas

From 2005 to 2008, he appeared in episodes of such TV series as House M.D., Grey's Anatomy, and Ugly Betty; played supporting but bright roles in such pictures as Smiley Face, The Air I Breathe, and In Good Company. His undeniable comedic talent earned John widespread popularity, but he managed to prove he was more than just an actor playing losers in ridiculous situations.

In 2009, the eleventh film from the series of Star Trek was released. John took on the role of pilot Hikaru Sulu, previously played by George Takei. Critics praised John's portrayal of Hikaru Sulu, calling his performance professional and memorable.

Star Trek. Trailer

From 2009 to 2011, John starred in the sci-fi drama FlashForward, portraying an FBI agent. According to the plot, Cho's character had to be killed at the beginning of the TV series, but the success of Star Trek and the excellent acting of John made scriptwriters rewrite the plot, and Demetri Noh turned from a supporting into a leading character. Unfortunately for viewers, the show struggled with ratings and was canceled after one season.

During the following years, the actor appeared in the American Pie sequel, in the story about the adventures of Harold and Kumar, and in another part of Star Trek Into Darkness.

In the multi-episode thriller Sleepy Hollow, John appeared in seven episodes as Andy Brooks, a police officer. In the comedy project of 2014 Selfie, he played the lead role of Henry, a marketing executive who coaches Karen Gillan's character in social skills.

John Cho on the Set of the TV Series Selfie

According to Zoomboola.com, from 2015 to 2017, the actor starred in the picture Grandma, thriller Zipper, and in some other films. In the comedy-drama Columbus, John played the lead; he played a middle-aged man who rediscovers meaning in his hometown. In the thriller Gemini, he appeared as a police detective. In the comedy-drama A Happening of Monumental Proportions, John joined a brilliant company that included Keanu Reeves, Katie Holmes, Jennifer Garner and Allison Janney. In 2017, John joined the cast of the horror series The Exorcist, in which he portrayed a child psychologist, Andrew Kim. Ben Daniels, Geena Davis, Kurt Egyiawan, and a Mexican star, Alfonso Herrera, also starred in the project.

John Cho in Searching

In 2018, Cho appeared in two major releases. The first one was the science fiction thriller The Grudge, in which the actor worked with Nathan Bexton, Nathan Bexton, and Peter Greene. The second one was the detective psychodrama Searching, in which John portrayed a father trying to find his daughter.

Other Projects

John's lifelong passion for music reveals another side of his creative talents. During his Berkeley years, Cho formed a band called Left of Zed with Brian Sepp and Aaron Wilhelm. John served as the band's lead singer. He sang songs that combined indie rock, industrial, and Britpop.

Viva La Union – Chinese Baby

Fans of the Harold and Kumar saga have likely heard John's song "Chinese Baby" from the self-titled album. In 2007, members decided to change the band's name. Viva La Union became its new official name. John felt this new name better captured their civic activism and protests against racism, isolation, and ethnic division.

Private Life of John Cho

While John has been named among Hollywood's most attractive actors multiple times, his romantic life has remained relatively private. Since 2006, he has been happily married to South Korean actress and director Kerri Higuchi. Viewers probably remember her as a doctor Elizabeth Chen in Grey's Anatomy.

In 2008, the couple had a son, and five years later - a daughter. After becoming a mother, Kerri largely stepped away from her film career to focus on raising their children and supporting John's projects.

John Cho Now

Currently, John is working on a new Star Trek installment. The premiere date of the fourth part is scheduled after 2021. He's also involved in several other projects that were released in 2020. Andrea Riseborough, Jacki Weaver, and Demian Bichir joined John as costars in the horror drama The Grudge. He also joined the cast of The Twilight Zone reboot.

A Frame from the TV Series The Twilight Zone

In 2020, the cartoon Over the Moon was released, where John voiced the role of the father of one of the heroes. At the same time, he worked on the voice acting for the cartoon Wish Dragon and a role in the TV series Cowboy Bebop.

John Cho: latest news and articles

Creators of "Cobra Kai" to Film New Installment of Cult Comedy "Harold & Kumar" — What We Know

18 Jun 2025

Patricia Allen

John Cho has a very nice and beautiful family. In general, I really like celebrity family men, of whom there are so few in Hollywood.

2021-05-16 10:14:20
Christopher Harris

«Harold & Kumar Go to White Castle» is not a bad film series. John Cho is a real professional.

2021-05-12 13:55:50
Josephine Carroll

Wow, just now I find out that John Cho starred in «Charmed»!

2021-03-24 22:07:55
Eric Griffin

For a Korean, he has a very good height, otherwise most Koreans are short

2021-02-17 22:34:32
Shirley Figueroa

Love Popular Korean Actors and Singers!!! John Cho is one of my favorites :))

2021-02-17 14:32:47