So Ji Sub Pursues His Rapper Dreams

Having a career as a popular actor, owning some coffee shops, investing in films and having an entertainment agency may sound like more dreams than most people could ever hope to realize. So Ji Sub has done all of that. The star of "The Master's Sun" owns 51K Entertainment, has owned a Twosome Place café, and invested in the Academy Award-nominated film "Philomena."

But there was one more thing that he wanted to accomplish and it's a dream that he's had for a long time.

So Ji Sub is such a big hip-hop fan that he wants to be taken seriously as a rapper.

"Producing music is fun," he said at the press conference for "The Master's Sun." "Performing on stage is fun as well."

In fact, So Ji Sub might never have become an actor if it wasn't for hip-hop. He first began to model because it meant he could pose for a clothing advertisement with Kim Sung Jae of the hip-hop duo Deux. At the time he did not dream of acting. He was a shy kid only interested in hip-hop and swimming.

"I did modeling because I wanted to see Kim and also because it was the best way to earn good easy money," he said.

His modeling jobs led to acting in a variety of films and dramas but he has never forgotten his dreams of rapping.

Many fans of his acting are not even aware that he has performed as a rapper. In 2009, rapping under the name G, he contributed the tracks, "Lonely Life" and "Foolish Love" to the "Rough Cut" and "Cain and Abel" soundtracks. In 2011 he released the single "Pick Up Line" under his own name. In January 2013 he released another rap mini album "6PM...Ground," which also featured Younha. Four songs from the album were combined to make a 12-minute music drama. Park Shin Hye and Yoo Seung Ho starred in the music videos.

Now So Ji Sub is releasing a hip-hop album in collaboration with the group Soul Dive. The hip-hop trio consisting of Nuck, Zito and DTheo, made their debut in 2009 with the album "Mad Scientist & Sweet Monsters."

After the new album's release So Ji Sub plans to go on an Asian tour and meet fans. A concert and fan meeting will take place on June 28 in Taiwan. He will be in Kobe, Japan on July 18 and then in Yokohama on July 21.