Oh was born and raised in Mokpo, South Jeolla Province.[2] He dropped out of his e-Business Management course at Anyang Industrial Technical School and at the age of 22, moved to Seoul on his own to pursue a career in acting.[3] He first found work as a commercialmodel, then made his acting debut in 1998 with a minor role in the film Kka (Naked Being).
Despite starring in a few movies (notably the erotic two-handerLa Belle in 2000), Oh would become better known for his work in television. He soon earned heartthrob status among fans for his handsome face and well-defined muscles,[4] but critics initially dismissed him as just another model-turned-actor with attractive looks but little talent. In 2004, Oh established his acting credentials in A Second Proposal, about a divorcee getting another chance at love; he won Best Supporting Actor at the KBS Drama Awards. He next starred in Couple or Trouble (2006), a Hong sisters-penned romantic comedy series inspired by Overboard about a handyman who gets his petty revenge on an amnesiac heiress by lying to her that she's his live-in girlfriend so that she'll help take care of his three nephews. Couple or Trouble received high ratings and praise for its stars' acting, and Oh took home two popularity prizes at the MBC Drama Awards.
This was followed by more leading roles in Autumn Shower (2005) as a man who falls for the best friend of his comatose wife, Get Karl! Oh Soo-jung (2007) as a pro-golfer who wants to get back at the ex-girlfriend who dumped him when he was overweight and unsuccessful, and Single Dad in Love (2008) as a mixed martial arts fighter whose young son has been diagnosed with a brain tumor; but these series drew lackluster ratings.[5]
In 2009, he played a smart yet socially inept underperformer whose wife will do anything to help him climb the corporate ladder in Queen of Housewives; despite being outshined by his other costars, Oh proved his willingness to look foolish in the service of comedy (similar to his turn in the 2005 series Super Rookie).[6][7] Oh then reunited with Single Dad in Lovetelevision director Kwak Jung-hwan in his most high-profile, critically acclaimed series yet: historical dramaThe Slave Hunters (2010).[8] Using his physicality to great effect, Oh portrayed a Joseon military general who becomes a runaway slave and his performance garnered him an Excellence Award at the 2010 KBS Drama Awards.[9][10]
On January 9, 2007, Oh's ex-girlfriend, a bar hostess identified only by her surname Lim and bar name "Anna," killed herself shortly after they broke up. Oh said although he loved her, Lim was the one who ended their two year relationship because she didn't want to get in the way of his career.[18] Lim's bereaved family and friends, however, insisted that Oh broke up with her on January 3, and the hurt drove her to suicide.[19] A TV program later interviewed Lim's relatives and with their permission, entered her bedroom, and some of Oh's personal items were shown on camera, such as his screenplay and photos. After the show was aired, the TV station was severely criticized by the public for compromising the privacy of the people involved.[citation needed]
Oh married Eun Bo-ah on April 12, 2014, at the Shilla Hotel. Eun works in the fashion industry.[4][20][21][22][23] They welcomed their first child, a daughter named Oh Seo-heun (nicknamed "Jibong"), on Dec 30, 2015. [citation needed] Both he and his daughter have been cast members of reality program The Return of Superman since 2016.[24] They welcomed their second child, a son, on August 18, 2018.[25]
^Park Seo-yeon (July 18, 2022). "오지호, 현 소속사 이엘파크와 재계약.."믿음과 신뢰 바탕"(공식)" [Oh Ji-ho, renewed contract with current agency EL Park.."Based on trust and trust" (official)] (in Korean). Herald POP. Archived from the original on July 18, 2022. Retrieved July 18, 2022 – via Naver.
^Jeong Hee-yeon (March 4, 2022). "서효림-오지호-김승수-윤채경, 영화 '인드림' 캐스팅 [공식]" [Seo Hyo-rim - Oh Ji-ho - Kim Seung-soo - Yoon Chae-kyung, cast in the movie 'Indream' [Official]] (in Korean). Sports Donga. Archived from the original on March 4, 2022. Retrieved March 4, 2022 – via Naver.
^Jang Woo-young (December 28, 2022). "[단독] 오지호, '재벌집' 신작 '가면의 여왕' 출연…김선아와 재회" [[Exclusive] Oh Ji-ho appears in 'Queen of the Mask', a new work of 'The Chaebol's House'... Reunion with Kim Sun-ah] (in Korean). Osen. Archived from the original on December 28, 2022. Retrieved December 28, 2022 – via Naver.
^Hong Se-young (October 27, 2021). "오지호vs수빈vs유재환, 역대급 '지옥의 조' (쿡킹)" [Oh Ji-ho vs Subin vs Yoo Jae-hwan, the greatest 'Joe of Hell' (Cooking)] (in Korean). Sports Donga. Retrieved October 27, 2021 – via Naver.
^Ahn, Ha-na (August 25, 2022). "오지호 MC발탁, '퍼펙트 라이프'서 현영과 호흡" [Oh Ji-ho selected as MC, working with Hyun-young in 'Perfect Life'] (in Korean). MBN. Archived from the original on August 28, 2022. Retrieved August 28, 2022 – via Naver.