 After proving his versatility in other genres, notably in the period thriller "Blood Rain" (2005) and the melodrama "My Son" (2007), Cha's popularity continued with the television series "Bodyguard" (2003), "City Hall" (2009), "The Greatest Love" (2011), and "Hwayugi" (2017).Cha dropped out of Sungkyunkwan University, and began a successful career as a fashion model in 1988.He was cast in the TV sitcom "New York Story", which would eventually pave the way for his debut in film.