[CELEB] Song Kang continues to flaunt his good looks on the small screen

Television

Published: 14 Mar. 2022, 15:58 Updated: 14 Mar. 2022, 17:35

[CELEB] Song Kang continues to flaunt his good looks on the small screen

Song Kang [NETFLIX]

Actor Song Kang is no stranger to finding love on screen. In his prior series “Nevertheless,” (2021) on JTBC, he played foxy Casanova Jae-eon in college who fell in love with a fellow student Na-bi (played by Han So-hee). In currently-airing “Forecasting Love and Weather” also on JTBC, he is involved in an office romance at the Korea Meteorological Administration (KMA) with his boss Ha-kyung, portrayed by Park Min-young.

But the two characters are not as similar as they seem. In “Nevertheless,” Jae-eon's exceptional looks and good manners mean he attracts women wherever he goes, which becomes a sore point in his relationship with Na-bi. He also tends to shy away from sharing his intimate emotions or his personal life with her.

In “Forecasting Love,” his character Si-woo takes the opposite approach. He is a bulldozer when it comes to expressing his feelings. It is this straightforwardness that helps to melt the icy cold suit of armor that Ha-kyung wears at work.

Song Kang, above, is involved in an office romance at the Korea Meteorological Administration in JTBCS's "Forecasting Love and Weather." [JTBC]

“Forecasting Love” is the first-ever local drama series to take place at the KMA. At an online press event last month, the actor said that he was “refreshed by the narrative regarding weather” and that his character clicked with him because he felt innocent and “somewhat of an eccentric,” which is how his fans describe him.

Global fans who may have first come across the actor through Netflix Korea’s original horror series “Sweet Home” (2020) or romantic comedy series “Love Alarm” (2019, 2021) may think that he is another model-turned-actor due to his good looks, but the actor actually debuted through tvN drama series “The Liar and His Lover” in 2017 when he played the character of high school student Baek Jin-woo. He appears as a childhood friend of the main protagonist So-rim (portrayed by Joy of the girl group Red Velvet) who has a crush on her and the pair form a band called “Mush & Co.”

He took on his first lead role in romance film “Beautiful Vampire” with Jeong Yeon-joo. He played Lee So-nyeon, a handsome actor whose scent catches the attention of a 519-year-old vampire named Gye-ran.

In “Love Alarm,” the actor plays popular model Hwang Sun-oh who isn’t afraid to express his feelings. The series is based on a popular Kakao Webtoon by cartoonist Chon Kye-young and takes place in a world where an app automatically shares the user’s special feelings for someone and sends an alarm if that special someone is within 10 meters of them.

At an online press event for the series in August 2019, director Lee Na-jeong admitted that the actor’s good looks partly influenced him being cast for the role.

“I thought he was a model or a K-pop idol when I first saw him,” Lee said. “But he’s only been auditioning for acting roles [...] We were attracted to him because of his innocence and confidence.”

Song Kang features as the main protagonist Hyun-su in the webtoon-adapted horror series "Sweet Home" (2020-) on Netflix. [NETFLIX]

The actor subsequently featured in a number of webtoon-based drama series, including “Sweet Home” (2020-) adapted from the Naver Webtoon of the same title. He played the main protagonist Hyun-su, an outsider who bonds with the residents of the “Green Home” apartment complex to fight against people who turn into different monsters manifested from their deepest human desires.

In “Navillera” on tvN, also adapted from a popular Kakao Webtoon by cartoonist HUN, he appears as a ballet dancer named Lee Chae-rok who forms a strong bond with an old man named Sim Deok-chul, who one day arrives at a private ballet academy to fulfill his lifelong dream of learning ballet.

Song Kang, left, earned the approval of fans of the original Naver Webtoon for his portrayal of Jae-eon in romantic drama series "Nevertheless" which he starred in with Han So-hee. [JTBC]

The casting news of “Nevertheless,” went viral on social media as fans of the original Naver Webtoon thought Song Kang would be the perfect fit for the role.

“Forecasting Love and Weather” airs on JTBC every Saturday and Sunday. The series is also available on Netflix.

Song Kang

Date of birth: April 23, 1994
Zodiac sign: Taurus
Birthplace: Suwon, Gyeonggi
Debut: March 2017 through tvN drama series “The Liar and His Lover”
Agency: Namoo Actors

Song Kang debuted in acting through tvN drama series “The Liar and His Lover” in 2017. He appeared in various small roles on television until he began to earn international fans through Netflix Korea’s original romantic comedy series “Love Alarm” (2019, 2021) and horror series “Sweet Home” (2020-). The actor also earned popularity for his character in JTBC’s “Nevertheless,” which is adapted from the Naver Webtoon “I Know But” and revolves around a campus romance.

This information was confirmed by Namoo Actors on March 14, 2022.

BY LEE JAE-LIM [lee.jaelim@joongang.co.kr]