Chun studied chemistry at Inha University but dropped out to pursue acting.

[2] Chun's acting career began in 1983 when he auditioned at Munhwa Broadcasting Corporation (MBC) and was selected.

His first roles were mostly in miniseries and one-off telemovies (similar to KBS's Drama City).

He came to prominence with viewers in the long-running KBS drama Love on a Jujube Tree (ko),[3] which garnered him the Baeksang Arts Awards for Best New Actor in the television category in 1992.

[5][6] His portrayal of a bankrupt and down-on-his-luck man who has a complex relationship with his wife and their four adult children in My Golden Life won critical acclaim from both critics and viewers and earned him the Daesang (Grand Prize) at the 2017 KBS Drama Awards and a string of award nominations.