When he was in high school, Lee Jong-hwa practiced several martial arts, including tae kwon do and kendo, and planned to become a professional Judo competitor. However, he had to put those dreams aside after sustaining an injury to his ankle, and chose to go into the entertainment industry instead. In December, 2015, Lee Jong-hwa auditioned for Our Neighborhood Arts and Physical Education. He was chosen from an audition for judo and was announced as the new ace due to his professional judo skills. He won many matches against many experienced judo practitioners. Lee Jong-hwa is an active member of Dream Team, setting a record of 2 meters and 60 centimeters in the high jump competition. In January 2016, he was confirmed as a cast member of “Law of the Jungle in Tonga”. In May of 2016, he was on the fourth season of “We Got Married”, where he was paired up with model Kim Jin-kyung. In October 2018, it was announced that he’d signed an exclusive contract with King Kong by Starship, to promote as an actor under his real name.
Profile and Facts About Lee Jong-hwa
Lee Jong-hwa’s Full Profile
Interesting Facts About Lee Jong-hwa
He was born in Busan, South Korea. He has an older brother and an older sister. Education: Weebong Elementary School, Busan Dongji High School His specialty is acrobatics. In high school, he planned to become a professional Judo competitor. Due to an ankle injury he had to give to Judo competitions decided to pursue a career in entertainment. He was a trainee for 2 years (2012-2014). He enjoys reading a lot. His hobbies are cooking, window shopping, and reading. He was a backup dancer in Lee Hyori’s “Bad Girls” music video and in the promotions. Jota changed his position in Madtown from a rapper to vocalist. He likes organizing his closet, cleaning his room, and cleaning his shoes. (Self-written profile) Early in January 2016, It was confirmed Jota would be a cast member of the Law of the Jungle in Tonga. In May 2016, Jota joined the fourth season of We Got Married, appearing with model Kim Jin-kyung. Jota likes BigBang’s Taeyang (in fact all of the members like him). He thinks his main charm point is that his appearance is sexy, but he’s actually more cute. Jota’s ideal type: A girl without double eyelids, but with charm.
Lee Jong-hwa’s Debut with Madtown as Jota
Jota debuted as a sub-rapper and lead dancer with the South Korean boy-group Madtown in October 2014. He later changed his position in the group from rapper to vocalist. The group made their official debut on October 9 on M Countdown.
MADTOWN’s Jota Proves Why He’s a Master At Judo On “Cool Kidz On The Block”
MADTOWN’s Jota yet again shows he has judo skills that could rival those of a professional athlete! On August 23 2016, KBS 2TV’s “Cool Kidz on the Block” featured a judo tournament as the fourth part of its 2016 Rio Olympics Special. Before the actual tournament began, Jota ended up facing Jin Hae Sung and Seo Dong Won from the opposing judo team in two separate, special matches. The winner of those matches was determined by whoever was the first to score any points during an unlimited amount of time. First, the young idol faced Jin Hae-sung in fierce battle. In the beginning, the two were neck-and-neck as they both try to grab for each other. However, Jota quickly took advantage of the situation when his opponent slightly lost his center of balance, and gained half a point by using a judo move to sweep Jin Hae-sung’s feet out from under him. Even more impressively, the idol won the match in only 55 seconds. For the second special match, Jota was up against Seo Dong-won, who’s revealed to be skilled in not only judo, but also muay thai and wrestling, as well. Constantly attacking his opponent’s center of balance, the idol once again won the match by quickly attacking with one of the specialty throws utilized in judo and gained a full point.
Kim Jin-kyung and MADTOWN’s Jota’s First Meetings on “We Got Married”
When they were the new couple on We Got Married, MADTOWN’s Jota and model Kim Jin-kyung had their first meeting in an extreme way! Jota and Kim Jin-kyung’s first meeting aired on May 14, 2016, on the MBC television station. It featured Kim Jin-kyung wearing a dress and Jota wearing a tuxedo for their wedding, but before they met, Jota had to plunge down, paragliding from the top of the mountain to meet his virtual wife, who was waiting for him below. Jota said that he loved extreme sports and did not look scared at all when he glided down to meet his wife. He shouted enthusiastically, “I came to meet you! Where are you?!” However, once he came down, he was disappointed to find that his wife was not there waiting for him. In the interview, Jota said, “This looks like a place arranged for a wedding, but there is no bride.” Then, Jota found Kim Jin-kyung’s mission card at the table and knew who his virtual wife was, but there was no sign of her. When Jota tried to find his wife, he suddenly heard a scream and looked around, trying to figure out where it had come from. “No!” said Jota, who was surprised. The scream had come from Kim Jin-kyung. At the interview, Kim Jin-kyung said that she decided to take part in the paragliding, too, because she felt bad if her virtual husband was the only one who had to do it. Kim Jin-kyung fell when she hit the ground, but Jota approached her and took her hand to help her up. The two then greeted each other and shook hands before Jota helped her release the knee protectors that she used for her trip down the mountain. In the interview, Kim Jin-kyung said, “He came near me, and I thought he would only shake hands with me, but he helped to remove my knee protector. Instead of his face, the first thing I saw was his action. Before we really say hello, he even cares about me. So I think he’s really reliable.”
Jota and Kim Jin-kyung’s Moments on We Got Married
MADTOWN Announces Official Disbandment!
On November 8, Seoul Central District Court decided to rule in favor of MADTOWN in the group’s lawsuit against GNI Entertainment for their case of artist neglect. With the court decision, MADTOWN was no longer bound by the terms of their contract. GNI Entertainment couldn’t enforce contract terms, nor could they interfere in the group’s entertainment activities. As previously reported, the seven MADTOWN members filed lawsuits against their agency in August, requesting the cancellation of their contracts. The group initially debuted under a different company, J.Tune Camp, but was ‘sold’ to GNI Entertainment when J.Tune Camp decided to close in December, 2016. Before the group had the opportunity to promote under its new agency, the CEO was arrested for fraud. The group members had to finance each other to live and performed at several events at their own expense. Sun Jong-moon, a lawyer representing the MADTOWN case, said, “We are grateful for these positive results, which will give freedom to their members. And it seems that each member will choose their own path for the future.” The attorney previously stated on 7 November that the group would likely disband. And on the same day, MADTOWN announced that their official disbandment, saying that each member would carry out individual activities and find other ways to take their careers. They are grateful for the support given by fans, to date.
