Ken Jeong

Who Is Ken Jeong?

Ken Jeong, born on July 13, 1969, in Detroit, Michigan, is a multi-talented actor, comedian, and licensed physician. The son of South Korean immigrants, Jeong pursued an academic path early on, earning an undergraduate degree from Duke University and a medical degree from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. While completing his residency in internal medicine in New Orleans, Jeong nurtured his passion for comedy, performing stand-up on the side.

His big break came in 2009 with his role as the eccentric Mr. Chow in the blockbuster film The Hangover. This role catapulted him into the spotlight, leading to a recurring role on the NBC sitcom Community, where he further solidified his comedic reputation. In 2015, Jeong created and starred in his own sitcom, Dr. Ken, which was loosely based on his real-life experiences as a doctor-turned-comedian.

Early Life and Education

Ken Jeong, born Kendrick Kang-Joh Jeong on July 13, 1969, in Detroit, Michigan, spent his formative years in Greensboro, North Carolina. His father, D.K. Jeong, was a professor at North Carolina A&T State University. Jeong attended Walter Hines Page High School, where he was actively involved in student council and played in the school orchestra. He graduated at the age of 16, showing early academic promise.

Although Jeong had a passion for comedy, with comedic influences like Bill Cosby and Jim Carrey, he followed his parents’ advice to pursue a more traditional career path in medicine. He completed his undergraduate studies at Duke University in 1990 and earned his medical degree from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill in 1995. Jeong has attributed his sense of humor to his father, as he shared in an interview with USA Today.

From Medicine to Comedy: The Journey of Ken Jeong

While completing his residency in internal medicine at Ochsner Medical Center in New Orleans, Ken Jeong found time to pursue his passion for theater and comedy. It was in New Orleans that he won the prestigious “Big Easy Laff-Off,” a competition judged by NBC president Brandon Tartikoff and Budd Friedman, founder of the Improv comedy clubs. Both encouraged Jeong to move to Los Angeles to chase his dreams of working in entertainment.

For seven years, Jeong balanced his medical career at Kaiser Permanente with his burgeoning comedy career, performing at renowned venues like the Improv and Laugh Factory in Los Angeles. These experiences helped him gain recognition, leading to appearances on ABC’s The View and earning him the title of “The Funniest Doctor in America.”

Reflecting on his unique path, Jeong shared with LA Weekly the words of his medical school counselor: “You will be a great doctor because you are a great comedian, and you will be a great comedian because you are a great doctor.”

Early TV and Film Roles

Ken Jeong’s career in television began with several notable appearances, including roles in Curb Your Enthusiasm (2000), HBO’s Entourage (2004), NBC’s The Office (2005), and ABC’s Boston Legal. His breakthrough in feature films came with his role as a witty doctor in Judd Apatow’s 2007 hit Knocked Up, which helped propel him into the spotlight.

Following this, Jeong secured roles in films such as Role Models, Step Brothers, and Pineapple Express (all released in 2008), as well as All About Steve (2009).

Breakthrough: ‘The Hangover,’ ‘Community,’ and ‘Dr. Ken’

In 2009, Jeong landed his defining role as Mr. Chow, an eccentric and unpredictable gangster, in the sleeper-hit comedy The Hangover. Starring alongside Bradley Cooper and Zach Galifianakis, the film became one of the highest-grossing R-rated comedies of all time, establishing Mr. Chow as an iconic comedic character. Jeong reprised the role in The Hangover Part II (2011) and The Hangover Part III (2013).

Jeong’s television career soared after the success of The Hangover. From 2009 to 2015, he was a series regular on the NBC hit comedy Community, where he played the quirky and unpredictable Señor Chang. Building on this success, Jeong created, wrote, and executive produced Dr. Ken, a sitcom loosely based on his life as a doctor before transitioning to comedy. The show aired on ABC from 2015 to 2017.

‘Crazy Rich Asians,’ ‘The Masked Singer,’ and Other Projects

Jeong continued to make a name for himself in both television and film. He appeared in popular series such as Hot in Cleveland and Fresh Off the Boat, and lent his voice to animated shows like BoJack Horseman. On the big screen, he starred in Ride Along 2 (2016) and the groundbreaking rom-com Crazy Rich Asians (2018).

In addition to acting, Jeong hosted the 2011 Billboard Music Awards and starred in television specials, including 2017’s A Christmas Story Live!. In 2019, he took on a new challenge as a judge on The Masked Singer, an adaptation of a popular Korean singing competition show. That same year, he returned to his stand-up comedy roots with a Netflix special.

Jeong has also been a prominent figure in various advertising campaigns, representing brands like Pepto-Bismol, Coke Zero, and the American Heart Association.

Personal Life

Ken Jeong is married to Tran Ho, a Vietnamese-American family medicine physician. The couple has twin daughters, Alexa and Zooey. Jeong nearly turned down his iconic role in The Hangover due to Tran’s battle with a rare form of breast cancer at the time. Fortunately, she later made a full recovery.