Nangon Jun

From Clumsy Media

Current revision as of 11:22, 6 January 2022

Nangon Tae Jun (born September 3, 1995) is better known by his current stage name Nangon Jun or previously as Min Nangon is a South Korean model and actor. His career began as an online model for various internet clothing stores and later was signed on exclusively by Gmarket. After appearing in a number of endorsements his popularity experienced a sharp rise and enabled him to make an entry into the entertainment industry as an actor.

In 2012 he made his anticipated acting debut in the musical drama What's Up? and after several months of activities announced his decision of an indefinite hiatus to focus on school. In August 2013 he announced his return after high school graduation through his first movie production, Gyeongju and a cameo appearance in the hit drama Wang's Family. In June 2014 it was revealed that he was successful in gaining a position at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology and will be going on an indefinite hiatus once again.

He is currently dating gymnast Son Yeon Jae and is widely known as being the younger brother of model-actress Kei Nangon.

Background Information

Birthname: 남궁민준 / Namgung Min Jun / 南宮民俊
Nationality: South Korean
DOB: September 3, 1995
Height: 187cm
Associated Acts: Gentleladies, Coffee Musicians
Graudate: Seoul Science High School (2010-2013) || MIT (2014-current)
Management: 싸이더스HQ (Sidus HQ) (2010-2012) || Clumsy Media (2010-2022)

Early Life

Min Nangon was born September 3, 1995, in Mungyeong, Gyeongsangbuk Province, South Korea as Nangon Tae Jun to a prestigous social family. He is the fourth child to Nangon Min Kyu, the national football coach of Korea (from 1999-2009) and Ryu Hwae Jin, a professior majoring in mathematic science who later taught at the world-reowned Seoul National University. His siblings are Nangon Su Koon, Nangon Hwae Joo and Nangon Hwae Ji (model actress; stage name Kei Nangon).

Much like his sister, Nangon has been academically acclaimed since an younge age, especially so in the area of science and took an interest in space engineering since an young age. By the age of six he was able recognised to be well beyond his years and academically was fit to be in grades in school at least four years higher, and one year later he was identified with asperger’s syndrome. Despite this he was determined to not skip any grades and be in the same age peer group in order to be benefited soically and undergo medical treatment. He ultimately recovered after consecutive monthly hospital and counselling for almost eight years, but in an 2012 interview admits he still suffers "minor autism in speech delivery and socialisation skills" as a side effect.

For a while he tried to avoid the subject of mathematics and science in order to feel more "normal and average" and instead concentrated on learning foreign languages, specialising in Japanese and Chinese. He attended the Busan Foreign Language High School for almost two years until he eventually found the environment "unchallenging" and applied for Seoul Science High School, the country's most academically achieving school, to which he was successfully accepted and graduated from three years later in 2013.

Career

2009-2011: Modelling, television appearance and debut

Nangon made his entertainment debut by appearing on the show M'net Scandal in 2009, being the boyfriend of a make-believe couple with female idol group T-ara's member Qri. He later revealed himself in an interview that he had absolutely "no intention of becoming famous" and after the show conclude he refused many company's approach. Shortly after, under the influence of his sister Kei Nangon he was determined to become a model, and shortly after was street scouted by an agent. He signed an modelling contract the next year and began modelling for Gmarket actively. Overtime his popularity was able to rise due to his modelling photos making their way online.

He secured his first active fan base and appeared in another two television shows; Invincible Youth for a special two episode cameo and Ulzzang Generation as a recurring member. He also appeared in idol group SHINee's music video Hello. Seeing the positive response as well as the climbing popularity of his sister, he decided to advance into the mainstream industry. In September 2011 his sister's company Clumsy Media announced signing Nangon as an artist and will be officially starting his activities very soon. He went on to endorse his first ever clothing brand Big Pai along with his sister and made additional music video appearances in Hot Summer of idol group f(x) and solo singer Ram's single music video I May Die Like This. He made his official acting debut in the 2012 released musical drama What's Up?.

2012: Indefinite hiatus and national student role model

Following the steady rise of his popularity Nangon secured a role in the tvN teenage romance drama Shut Up: Flower Boy Band as a main cast, but he was unable to take it on due to his school schedules. His role was offered to label-mate Jeong Ui Cheol and Nangon instead did a cameo appearance. His continuous commerical activities proved to be a burden on his studies, as a result Nangon took a months long hiatus from the industry in order to concentrate on school. After almost nine months of silence Nangon announced he will be making another cameo appearance in the drama The Wedding Scheme.

In September 2012, the national education organisation issued a warning to Nangon's company, claiming his contract is unfit for a active student. In the news they reported Nangon is taking on way too many activities a year and due to his academically high achieving results, he should not be active in the entertainment industry but instead pursuing his studies seriously. They later asked for his contract to be terminated legally and to put an immediate stop on all his current activities. It was later found out in order to film for his schedule Nangon had almost missed out a chance to represent Korea at the 2012 International Mathematical Olympiad. Since he's of the top 0.5% achieving students in the country his school later decided they had no choice but to report this to the education ministry.

On October 15, Nangon formally announced he will be quitting the entertainment industry and that his contract has been "put to an indefinite stop" and would return to school with the aim of "graduating with positive results". Immediately after he represented the country at the 53rd International Maths Olympiad, with the earliest exam started in July at Mar Del Plata, Argentina among with ten other representatives at Korea. He resumed the exams of Biology held in Singapore, Astronomy held in Korea and Linguistics held in Slovenia.

Results from the Olympiad were revealed on December 14, and he was able to finish third place for Biology and fourth place for Linguistics while coming second for Astronomy. Nangon has placed an average of fourth place among all of his exams, making him among the top fifteen students all around the world. It was also confirmed Korea has beaten The People’s Republic of China as the grand winning country this year, the first ever feat for Korea. China had previously win for four consecutive years and Nangon along with second place winner worldwide Kim Ahn Zo's top five position secured a winning for the country.

2013-current: Return, second education hiatus and retirement

In July 2013, Nangon ultimately graduated from Seoul Science High School in second place and was awarded with extradionary achievements and was voted by his peers as the student body representative. He was awarded with a scholarship to Seoul National University at the National Student Achievements ceremony, being invited for the second time as he scored the top 0.2% results in the nation for his university entrance exams. Following these achievements Nangon is now publicly recognised as the model student in Korea and is one of the most well known students in the country for the most amount of national awards won for academic achievements.

Nagon revealed on his official fan cafe in August that he had sat for the United States' SAT exam and will be applying for education opportunities overseas. Subsequently his previous agency announced his contract is being renewed and he will be making a return to the entertainment industry. In October it was revealed that he had received an offer from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) but denied it as a definite future destination at the time. Nangon then starred in his first movie production, Gyeongju and had a cameo appearance in the hit drama Wang's Family.

In June 2014, he was offered a role in the MBC drama Night Watchman's Journal but turned down the opportunity. Two days later it was revealed that he had decided to accept the position offered by MIT and will be going on an indefinite hiatus once again.

Nangon announced his official retirement from the entertainment industry on December 20, 2021.

Filmography

Dramas

• [What's Up?], (SBS), 2012
• [Shut Up: Flower Boy Band] (cameo), (tvN), 2012
• [The Wedding Scheme], (tvN), 2012
• [Wang's Family] (cameo), (KBS2), 2014

Movies

• [Gyeongju], (CJ Entertainment), 2014

Modelling

• G-Market, (Gmarket Inc.), 2010-2014
• Big Pai Clothing, (G.E Media), 2011-2012

Variety Shows

• M'net Scandal, (MNET TV), 2009
• [Invincible Youth], (KBS2), 2010
• [Ulzzang Generation], (SBS2), 2010-2012
• [God of Cookery], (MBC), 2012

Music Videos

• "Hello" - SHINee, (SM Entertainment) , 2010
• "Hot Summer" - f(x), (SM Entertainment) , 2011
• "I May Die Like This" - Ram, (UNK Media) , 2011

In the media

The 2013 hit drama Good Doctor starring Joo Won and Moon Chae Won written by Park Jae Bum was inspired and loosely based on Nangon, after the writer read an interview of the model actor where he briefly mentioned the impacts of being associated with such a rare medical condition - asperger's syndrome and autism. However, the main character Park Si Shi On suffers from savant syndrome and a developmental disability instead. His characteristics and personality was modelled on the younger self of Nangon which he personally provided descriptions of.

Personal life

Family members

• Nangon Su Koon is the eldest out of the four siblings (including Nangon) and is a highly acclaimed public environmental professor at the Seoul National University. Upon graduating from the Seoul Science High School he was invited to become a research member under the Oceanography Unit at the Korean Ocean Research and Development Institute. He is currently teaching at the College of Natural Sciences. Within the family he has become the second to teach at SNU and the first to attend SSHS, followed by Min Nangon.
• Nangon Hwae Joo is Nangon's older sister and second eldest within the siblings. She is widely recognised in Korea as an award winning medical scientist. In 2012 through an interview with High Cut magazine Nangon revealed she has been working as a project manager in the Biomedical Research Institute division ever since 2008 at the Korea Institute of Science and Technology. She is also serving as a head organiser at the KIST Gangneung branch.
• Kei Nangon is Nangon's younger brother, real name Nangon Hwae Ji. She is one of the most popular and influential celebrity figures in the entertainment industry of Korea. The pair were originally known in the industry for having a great family relation together. Kei Nangon publicly supported her brother's debut despite afterwards revealing at first she opposed it. However, they took a turn and had a stiff relationship in 2011 when they openly argued on the streets together about some unknown matter, the news caught front page attention for two days. It was suspected the argument had been about his relationship with idol, singer and actress Ji Yeon, who Kei Nangon has long disapproved of. They have since recovered their bond.

Friendships

• Qri, real name Lee Ji Hyun is a idol, actress and model of the popular girl group T-ara. Despite their difference in age of eight years they have been friends since 2009, shortly atfer she made her debut into the entertainment scene, meeting and becoming close on the set of a television show. Despite never announcing their friendship to the public many fans were able to find evidence such as photos and fan accounts proving the two's close interactions.
• Jung Joon Young (also known as Jun Min) is a guitarist and musician as well as the leader of band Gentleladies. They were able to become friends through the introductions by his sister Kei Nangon and has remained to be close ever since. Nangon has actively supported Jun Min in public, such as attending his show during an episode of Super Star K.

Relationships

Nangon has been rumoured to have dated idol group T-ara's member Ji Yeon and Lotte Girl's Choi Soo Jung. He has denied dating both individuals.

• Son Yeon-jae is a South Korean rhythmic gymnast. She is a member of the South Korean national gymnastics team, based in Taereung, Seoul. she is the 2010 Asian Games bronze medalist, and is managed by the IB Sports agency. On March 14, 2013 a rumour started online about the pair dating, having met and became friends over a year ago. Nangon confirmed the report shortly after. The news received many attention due to their celebrity status and Nangon being one year younger than Son and a high school student at the time. On August 27, 2016 it was announced through a joint statement that the pair had decided to end their relationship due to their busy personal commitments.
• Park Hye-min is a South Korean attorney from Kim & Chang. On September 1, 2018 Nangon's agency announced their relationship and revealed the pair have recently become engaged with an unscheduled wedding date. Park is a graduate of Seoul National University and reportedly their relationship began through the introduction of Nangon's older brother who is a Senior Lecturer at the university. The pair married on April 14, 2022 with a reception at Park Hyatt Seoul.

Awards

• 2011 - South Korea National Student Achievement Award - General Studies
• 2011 - South Korea National Student Achievement Award - Mathematical Science
• 2012 - BFBA Best Model - Oustanding National Model Student Achievements
• 2013 - South Korea National Student Achievement Award - Senior General Studies
• 2013 - South Korea National Student Achievement Award - Senior Mathematics
• 2013 - South Korea National Student Achievement Award - Senior Science
• 2013 - South Korea National Student Achievement Award - Student of the Year