Marcus Chang (Chinese: 張立昂; born 28 May 1983) is a Taiwanese actor and singer-songwriter. He made his acting debut with the film Café. Waiting. Love (2014). He is best known for his leading roles in the television series Back to 1989 (2016), Behind Your Smile (2016-2017), and Lost Romance (2020).
Early life and education
Chang was born on May 28, 1983 in Taipei, Taiwan. He has a younger brother named Jarvis (born 1986). At the age of 13, Chang was sent to boarding school and began his studies at St Peter's College in Auckland, New Zealand. In 2005, he graduated from the University of Auckland with a bachelor’s degree in Performing Arts,[1] specializing in Popular Music, and minored in Jazz Piano. He also studied Audio Engineering at the SAE Institute in Auckland.
After graduating in 2006, Chang returned to Taiwan to pursue a career as a singer.[2] In 2007, he participated in One Million Star, a Taiwanese televised singing competition. Chang began his one-year mandatory military service in 2008 and was discharged in 2009. In 2012, he appeared in advertisements for CPC Corporation and Asia-Pacific Interactive Service.[3]
After appearing in several commercials, Chang was scouted by producer Angie Chai and signed with her management company, Star Ritz. In 2014, he made his acting debut in Giddens Ko’s film, Café. Waiting. Love, where he portrayed the mysterious and handsome crush of Vivian Sung’s lead character.[4] In 2015, he was cast in the television series To the Dearest Intruder.
Chang’s breakthrough came in 2016 when he landed his first lead role in the television series Back to 1989, where he played Chen Che, a man from 2016 who accidentally travels back in time to 1989. His performance earned him widespread popularity in Taiwan and the Best Potential Award at the 5th Sanlih Drama Awards. Following this success, Chang continued to captivate audiences with leading roles in the television series Behind Your Smile (2016-2017) and Between (2018). In 2019, he made cameo appearances in the film Nina Wu and television series Let’s Go Crazy on LIVE!
In 2020, Chang reunited with Vivian Sung in the romantic-fantasy series Lost Romance, where he played dual roles: He Tianxing, a calm and reserved CEO in the real world, and Situ Aoran, a charismatic and domineering CEO in a fictional romance novel world. He received praise for his ability to effectively distinguish between the two contrasting characters.[5]Lost Romance was named the “Most Popular Taiwanese Drama of the Year” by DailyView.[6] The on-screen chemistry between Chang and Sung was widely praised, with many fans expressing hopes for future collaborations.[7][8] Chang’s role in Lost Romance further expanded his fanbase, particularly among international audiences, and earned him the Asian Star Prize at the 16th Seoul International Drama Awards in 2021.[9]
In 2022, Chang faced a significant health challenge when he was hospitalized for 11 days due to a collapsed lung, requiring emergency treatment and an extended recovery period.[10][11] After regaining his health, he made his return to acting in 2023 with the television series Trick or Love. In 2024, while attending the casting press conference for his upcoming television series A Controversial Entertainer in Tokyo, Japan, Chang revealed that he had been struggling with a collapsed lung for some time. The condition later recurred, resulting in pneumothorax. This health issue led to a hiatus in his career as he took time off to focus on his recovery.
Music career
Beyond acting, Chang has pursued a music career, releasing his debut extended play (EP), Zero (±1), on August 31, 2018, under Sony Music Taiwan. The EP reflects his dual identities as an actor and musician.[12] Following the success of his debut EP, his second EP, Oxymoron, was released on December 26, 2019. He has held two solo concerts at Legacy Taipei.[13] Chang has also contributed to the soundtracks of his television series, with notable songs including “Lose to You” “Tonight I’m Here,” and “Talk to Me” from Lost Romance.
^Li Jia Hong (12 April 2018). "忍了十年！張立昂終於開口「還愛妳」《三明治女孩》曝光". STAR SETN (in Chinese). Archived from the original on 17 October 2020. Retrieved 16 October 2020.
^Ahn Tae-hyun (21 October 2021). "대상 '아이를 찾습니다' 3관왕…송중기·수지 한류 연기자상 [SDA 2021](종합)" [Grand Prize 'Looking for a Child' 3 crowns... Song Joong-ki and Suzy Hallyu Actor Award [SDA 2021] (Comprehensive)]. News 1 (in Korean). Naver. Retrieved 21 October 2021.
External links
Wikimedia Commons has media related to Marcus Chang.
