When he was young, Korean American actor Tim Jo was an extremely quiet and introverted boy who was almost “invisible.” The Texas-born star considered himself an extreme minority in the communities where he was raised and had only one person to speak Korean with — his mother. However, his life took a 180- degree turn after he went on a church trip to Korea when he was 16.

“It was there that a new spirit was birthed inside me,” Jo recalled in a recent email interview with The Korea Times.

“I immediately fell in love with my culture, people, and country. In Korea, I finally learned to love myself. As soon as I came back to the U.S., I no longer wanted to be silent. I no longer wanted 토토 to keep my thoughts, my art, and my creativity to myself. I began to feel an unbelievable urge to express myself. Suffice it to say, I eventually found that outlet through acting.”

Jo made his acting debut in 2009 with the film, “The 2 Bobs,” and has since appeared on numerous works, including the American musical romantic comedy drama film, “Bandslam” (2009), and the sitcom, “The Neighbors” (2012-14). But as a minority, his acting journey was a not walk in the park.

“In the U.S., most main roles are written with white being the default race,” Jo said. ” If you are a minority, you have a lot fewer opportunities to play characters of depth and are usually given supporting roles. In Korea, I understand there are archetypes as well — the handsome leading man, the cute boy, the gangster. In the U.S., however, the biggest challenge is that my archetype is the color of my skin. It is my responsibility to not be deterred by this fact and in turn continue to focus on my unique artistry that is not defined by the color of my skin, but rather the voice of my soul.”