Song Kang: From Rookie to Star!

By Jae-Ha Kim
KOCOWA
April 27, 2021

“Sweet Home.” “Love Alarm.” “Navillera.” These three highly popular Korean dramas share something in common — or rather, someone. Song Kang is the male lead in each of these series, which did incredibly well with international audiences. In fact, the horror series “Sweet Home” became the first South Korean drama to enter Netflix’s Top 10 in the United States, as well as more than 70 other countries that offer the streaming service.

It may seem as if he popped out of nowhere. But the actor — who turned 27 (international age) on April 23 — has been working nonstop for the past four years, and his hard work is paying off.

Song Kang could’ve parlayed his model good looks into a string of pretty boy roles, but he has chosen parts that show off his impressive range.

His popularity sky rocketed in 2019 with “Love Alarm.” He portrayed a wealthy high school student named Sun Oh, whose best friend is the housekeeper’s son (played by Jung Ga Ram). Both boys end up falling for the same girl (portrayed by Kim So Hyun) and much of the first season deals with who she chooses as her true love. Fans were livid that the series was presented western style, with the eighth episode serving as the season finale. One of the joys of K-dramas is that almost every series ends with one season. By the time the second season aired earlier this year, many viewers had already forgotten the plot of the previous season.

In 2020, he filmed “Sweet Home,” where he portrayed a bullied high school student named Hyun Soo. Orphaned after his family perished in a car accident, he navigates his way through apocalyptic Korea, where humans battle beasts for survival. Once he’s infected, it’s initially unclear whether he will turn evil or whether his powers will be harnessed for good.

And his latest project is the heartwarming “Navillera,” which is based on a webtoon. He plays a young ballet dancer named Chae Rok, whose practical side says he should give up his art and find a way to make a more lucrative living. When a senior citizen (Park In Hwan) befriends him, his passion for dance is renewed.

Song Kang Factoids:

Name: Song Kang / 송강.

Born: April 23, 1994 in Suwon.

Education: Konkuk University, Department of Film Arts.

Where you 1st saw him: He played a guitarist who has a huge crush on his childhood friend (played by Red Velvet’s Joy) in the 2017 series “The Liar and His Lover,” which was based on a Japanese manga. He also had a supporting role in the 50-episode K-drama “Man in the Kitchen,” where he played the male lead’s stepbrother.

Fan meeting: His talent agency introduced him (and fellow actors Oh Seung Hoon and Lee Yoo Jin) at a fan meetup that they dubbed “Introduction to Rookies.”

Film role: He has one film role to his credit: 2018’s “Beautiful Vampire,” where he had the leading male role of a man who fell in love with a gorgeous vampire (played by Jung Yeon-joo).

Music Videos: It’s not a surprise that Song Kang’s good looks got him cast in music videos. He appeared in Suran’s “Love Story” and The Ade’s “Sweet Summer Night.”

Emcee duties: He made a big splash as one of the new host’s of “SBS Inkigayo” on Episode 945. (The other co-hosts were Seventeen’s Min Gyu and DIA’s Jung Chae Yeon.) In the intro, he showed off a little bit of his dance moves. They weren’t as complex or difficult as the ballet skills he had to showcase in “Navillera,” but he was clearly having fun. He stayed on “Inkigayo” until Episode 979.

 

Variety show debut: Song Kang was a cast member of the reality variety show “Village Survival, the Eight.” Their mission was to solve a mystery in a made-up village called Michuri. (Yoo Jae Suk of “Running Man” served as the village leader.) The winner would walk away with about $10,000 in prize money.

Song Kang has another K-drama set to air later this year. In “Nevertheless,” he plays a flirt who has no interest in getting involved in a long-term relationship … until he meets the right woman (Han So Hee), of course.

In the meantime, be sure to watch him  on “Village Survival, the Eight” and “SBS Inkigayo”  right here on KOCOWA. His K-dramas are awesome, but there’s something really special about watching Song Kang be himself, too!