Ken Jeong

Ken Jeong Bio

Kendrick Kang-Joh Jeong (born July 13, 1969) is an American stand-up comedian and actor. He rose to prominence for playing Leslie Chow in The Hangover film series and Ben Chang on the NBC sitcom Community, and he created, wrote, and produced the ABC sitcom Dr. Ken. A licensed physician, Jeong practiced internal medicine before transitioning to a full-time entertainment career that spans film, television, and stand-up.

Beyond acting, Jeong has become a familiar television personality as a panelist on The Masked Singer and as the host of I Can See Your Voice and 99 to Beat. He continues to balance comedy, hosting, and occasional voice work, maintaining a steady presence across networks and streaming platforms.

Early Life and Background

Kendrick Kang-Joh Jeong was born on July 13, 1969, in Detroit, Michigan, to South Korean immigrant parents, D.K. and Young Jeong. He moved to North Carolina at the age of four and was raised in Greensboro, where he attended Walter Hines Page High School. At Page, he participated in the regional quiz bowl, served on the student council, and played violin in the school orchestra, graduating in 1986 at the age of 16 and later receiving Greensboro’s Youth of the Year award.

Jeong began pursuing acting while a sophomore at Duke University, where he briefly considered majoring in drama while continuing his pre-med coursework. He graduated from Duke in 1990 with a Bachelor of Science degree and went on to earn his medical degree at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill in 1995. The summer before medical school, he took theater classes at the University of California, Los Angeles, an experience that helped shape his dual interest in medicine and performance.

Path to Acting

Jeong’s background in theater and improv started while he was still a medical student in North Carolina. He was a regular on the open-mic circuit in the Raleigh-Durham area, performing at Charlie Goodnights in Raleigh and Tootie’s Durham Comedy Club. He also emceed The Comedy Spot programming series on the Duke University campus in 1992 and 1993, opening for performers including Margaret Cho and Jeff Dunham.

After completing his residency at Ochsner Medical Center in New Orleans, Jeong won the Big Easy Laff-Off comedy competition in 1995. Judges at the contest, including NBC president Brandon Tartikoff and The Improv founder Budd Friedman, encouraged him to move to Los Angeles. He relocated in 1998, practicing internal medicine at a Kaiser Permanente hospital in Woodland Hills while performing regularly at The Improv and Laugh Factory, eventually landing television appearances on shows such as The Office, MADtv, Entourage, and Curb Your Enthusiasm.

Ken Jeong Career

Early Career (1995–2006)

Jeong’s professional stand-up career began in the mid-1990s, with early success at the Big Easy Laff-Off in 1995. Throughout the late 1990s and early 2000s, he built a steady résumé in comedy clubs and on television, including a 2002 spot on Comedy Central’s Comic Groove and appearances on Kims of Comedy. He made his film debut in Judd Apatow’s Knocked Up (2007) as Dr. Kuni, a breakout performance that allowed him to transition from medicine into full-time entertainment; he gave up medical practice in 2006, though he continues to hold his medical license.

His early film work also included supporting roles in Role Models, Step Brothers, Pineapple Express, All About Steve, The Goods: Live Hard, Sell Hard, and Couples Retreat. He began voicing characters in animated series such as Bob’s Burgers and continued to build a reputation as a versatile comedic performer across both film and television formats.

Breakthrough (2007–2013)

Jeong’s portrayal of the menacing Mr. Chow in The Hangover (2009) and its sequels, The Hangover Part II (2011) and The Hangover Part III (2013), established him as a major comedic film presence. He was nominated for two 2010 MTV Movie Awards for The Hangover, including Best Villain and Best WTF Moment, and was nominated for Male Breakout Star at the 2010 Teen Choice Awards.

On television, he played Ben Chang on the NBC sitcom Community, a role that ran alongside his film career. He also co-starred in Zookeeper and Transformers: Dark of the Moon, voiced Kim Ly in Turbo, and appeared in Michael Bay’s Pain & Gain. In 2010, he starred in an Adidas basketball marketing campaign as “Slim Chin” alongside NBA stars Dwight Howard and Derrick Rose, and in 2011 he hosted the Billboard Music Awards on ABC.

Notable Works and Milestones

Signature works for Ken Jeong include The Hangover trilogy, Community, and Dr. Ken, along with standout appearances in Crazy Rich Asians, Scoob!, and Tom & Jerry. He created, wrote, executive produced, and starred in the ABC sitcom Dr. Ken, which ran from 2015 to 2017. He also received a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame in 2023 and was awarded the Visionary Award by East West Players for raising the visibility of the Asian Pacific American community through his craft.

Ken Jeong Award Nominations

Ken Jeong has received multiple award nominations across his career in film and television, with much of his early recognition tied to The Hangover and his breakout as Mr. Chow. He earned two nominations at the 2010 MTV Movie & TV Awards, including Best WTF Moment and Best Villain, and was nominated for Male Breakout Star at the 2010 Teen Choice Awards for The Hangover.

Ken Jeong Awards Won

Ken Jeong has been recognized with several honors for his work across comedy, film, and television. His verified wins include the Streamy Award for Best Guest Appearance for Burning Love, the Visionary Award from East West Players, and the Sir Peter Ustinov Comedy Award presented at the Banff World Media Festival’s Rockie Awards in June 2026.

Ken Jeong Family

Ken Jeong was born to South Korean immigrant parents, D.K. Jeong and Young Jeong, and raised primarily in Greensboro, North Carolina. He graduated from Walter Hines Page High School and went on to earn degrees from Duke University and the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, supported throughout by his family background in academia and medicine.

Personal Life

Ken Jeong married Tran Ho in 2004. Tran Ho is Vietnamese-American and works as a family physician, and the couple has twin daughters born in 2007. Jeong and his family reside in Calabasas, California. He is a lifelong fan of the Los Angeles Dodgers, frequently appearing at Dodger Stadium as both a fan and an honorary member of the team’s in-park host crew, and he is also a devoted Duke basketball and football fan.