Ko Chun-hsiung

Ko Chun-hsiung
柯俊雄
Ko Chun-hsiung in Taipei in 2007.
Born	Ko Chun-liang (柯俊良) (1945-01-15)15 January 1945 Kaohsiung, Taiwan
Died	6 December 2015(2015-12-06) (aged 70) Taipei, Taiwan
Nationality	Taiwanese
Alma mater	National Taiwan University of Arts Tokyo University
Occupation(s)	Actor, director, politician
Years active	1965—2015
Political party	Kuomintang Taiwan Farmers' Party (2007—2008)
Spouses	Chang Mei-yao ​ ​ (m. 1970; div. 2004)​ Tsai Qinghua ​ (m. 2005⁠–⁠2015)​
Children	Ko Yishan, with Chang Mei-yao Ko Pinyin, with Chang Mei-yao Ko Jianyu, with Tsai Qinghua Ko Zier, with Tsai Qinghua

Ko Chun-hsiung (Chinese: 柯俊雄; pinyin: Kē Jùnxióng; Pe̍h-ōe-jī: Koa Chùn-hiông; 15 January 1945 – 6 December 2015) was a Taiwanese actor, director and politician.^[1][2][3] He had been acting since the 1960s and had appeared in more than 200 films.

His career accolades included three Golden Horse Awards, two Asia Pacific Film Festival Awards for Best Actor, a Panama International Film Festival Award for Best Actor. In 2005, Chinese Film Association of Performance Art named Ko on the list of 100 Outstanding Artists in Chinese Film (1905 - 2004).

Ko was born in Kaohsiung. During Taiwan under Japanese rule, he attended Kaohsiung No.2 School and graduated from National Taiwan University of Arts, he also studied at Tokyo University and Saint John's College.

Ko began his career by appearing in small roles before 1965. He appeared in The Silent Wife later that year. In 1967, Ko starred as Feng Ze in Ching-Zue Bai's Lonely Seventeen, for which he won his first Best Actor Award at the Asia Pacific Film Festival. In 1974, Ko starred as Zhang Zizhong in the historical film The Everlasting Glory, which earned Ko his second Best Actor Award at the Asia Pacific Film Festival. In 1976, Ko acted in the historical film Eight Hundred Heroes directed by Ting Shan-hsi, playing the role of Xie Jinyuan, he won a Golden Horse Award.^[4]

Ko won the Best Actor Award at the 1979 Golden Horse Awards for his performance in A Teacher of Great Soldiers.^[5][6]

In 1981, Ko self-directed and performed in My Grandfather, which earned him a Best Actor Award at the Panama International Film Festival. In 1989, Ko starred as Duan Yihu, reuniting him with co-star Jackie Chan, who played Guo Zhenhua, in the romantic comedy film Miracles, which were highly praised by audience. In 1999, Ko filmed in Cao Cao, he received the Best Actor Award at the 36th Golden Horse Awards. In 2012, Ko participated in the Taiwanese-language television drama Feng Shui Family.^[4]

Ko became involved in politics in 1990.

In 1996, Ko stood unsuccessfully in the Provisional Legislative Council Election in British Hong Kong.^[7]

Ko defeated incumbent legislator Chang Tsai Mei in a July 2004 Kuomintang party primary,^[8] and represented Hsinchu City Constituency in the Legislative Yuan from 1 February 2005 to 31 January 2008.

In 2007, Ko joined the Taiwan Farmers' Party, but was not reelected in the 2008 legislative elections.^[9]

Ko was twice married. Originally wed to actress Chang Mei-yao in 1970, he became the father of two children, Ko Yishan (柯懿珊) and Ko Pinyin (柯品吟). They divorced in 2004, as Ko was involved in an affair with Tsai Qinghua (蔡清樺), who Ko married the next year. Ko's second marriage also produced two children, Ko Jianyu (柯鑒育) and Ko Zier (柯姿而). Chang, Ko's first wife, died in 2012.^[10]

Ko died on 6 December 2015 at Tri-Service General Hospital in Taipei, a year after being diagnosed with lung cancer.^[11] He was 70.

• Chun Hsiung Ko at IMDb
• O Chun-Hung at the Hong Kong Movie Database
• Ko Chun Hsiung at AllMovie