Every Song Kang K-Drama, Ranked Worst To Best

Summary

• Song Kang’s acting versatility shines in roles from troubled high schooler to passionate ballet dancer.
• His heartthrob reputation and acting abilities are clear in a variety of leading roles on Netflix.
• Kang’s rise to fame showcases his potential to continue growing in the entertainment industry.

K-drama audiences will be very familiar with actor Song Kang, famous for his leading man roles in Netflix’s most popular romance K-dramas. While he might have started as the main love interest in several of Netflix’s most popular romances, Kang’s performances are not just about his good looks. He has gone on to star in a variety of roles, ranging from a troubled high schooler in Love Alarm to a passionate ballet dancer in Navillera, showcasing his impressive acting versatility. From his heartthrob reputation to his outstanding acting abilities, it’s not hard to see why Kang is a K-drama star.

As he goes on to play more incredible and versatile roles, his future in the entertainment industry continues to grow brighter.

Song Kang made his acting debut with The Liar and His Lover in 2017, and just two years later, he landed his first leading role in Love Alarm. Later, Kang continued to star in other leading roles, like in Sweet Home and My Demon, some of the best Korean dramas on Netflix. Kang is called the “son of Netflix” due to how many of his roles air on the platform. Some of his K-dramas are watched globally. As he goes on to play more incredible and versatile roles, his future in the entertainment industry continues to grow brighter.

10 Touch Your Heart (2019)

A delivery man

Even the smallest roles can leave a lasting impression in a K drama, and Song Kang’s appearance in Touch Your Heart is no different. The K-drama follows a former actress, Oh Jin-shim, who becomes a secretary to a lawyer to gain experience for a major television role. Eagle-eyed viewers will spot Song Kang making a small cameo as a delivery man in episode 13. Unfortunately, Kang only makes an appearance in one episode and doesn’t play a role in the overall story of the show.

However, even in his limited role, it’s clear that Kang is going to be a star. Additionally, it’s his appearance in the show that makes the protagonist realize their true feelings for each other. Since he’s so handsome, Kang’s deliveryman character catches the eye of the female lead, making her love interest jealous. Up until this point, he hadn’t cared about her, but his new feelings of jealousy sparked something deep inside him. This plot point only works because Kang is so dynamic and charming in the few moments audiences see him.

9 The Liar And His Lover (2017)

Baek Jin-woo

Song Kang made his debut acting appearance in the K-drama The Liar and His Lover. The show follows a love story between a heartbroken music composer living under a hidden identity and his student, a talented singer. The drama is based on the popular Japanese manga Kanojo wa Uso o Aishisugiteru by Kotomi Aoki. Kang plays a small role as the guitarist of the band and So-rim’s childhood friend, who secretly harbors feelings for her. Even though his role is limited, his acting, particularly when it comes to yearning, was a glimpse into his future as a leading man.

The Liar and His Lover
is great for audiences who enjoy K-dramas with music.

It’s interesting to look back at Kang’s early career and get a glimpse of how his typecasting and witness the foundation for his becoming a romantic lead. Out of all of Kang’s characters, Baek Jin-woo is one of the more sensitive and wistful. These are qualities that Kang will take with him in other work throughout his career. Additionally, The Liar and His Lover makes good use of its ensemble cast, giving ample time for the viewer to get to know them.

8 Man In The Kitchen (2017-2018)

Kim Woo-joo

Man in the Kitchen is a 2017 K-drama also known as Man Who Sets the Table. After failing to land a job at a major company, Lee Roo-ri (Choi Soo-young) flees to Guam to escape her life and the pressures of her strict father. There, she meets Jung Tae-yang (On Joo-wan), a free-spirited nomad who teaches her a new, open-minded perspective on the world. Song Kang plays Taeyang’s stepbrother, Kim Woo-joo, who cares for his sister, Eun-byul, throughout the show. It’s one of Kang’s first acting roles, and sadly, he’s only a small part of the show.

It’s a mark of Kang’s current level of fame and notoriety that his less prominent roles are still remembered.

Although Man in the Kitchen came out the same year as The Liar and His Lover, Kang does a great job differentiating his characters, even though they’re similar types. It’s a mark of Kang’s current level of fame and notoriety that his less prominent roles are still remembered. It’s exciting to get sneak peeks of Kang in The Liar and His Lover, but it’s the amazing work of the lead actors that makes the TV series stand the test of time.

7 When The Devil Calls Your Name (2019)

Luka

In the 2019 K-drama When the Devil Calls Your Name, Song Kang plays Luka, the assistant to Ha Rib (Jung Kyung-ho). The show follows Ha Rib, a man who sold his soul to the devil. Ten years after the deal, the contract is about to expire, and Ha Rib desperately tries to negotiate a new deal, offering his life as collateral. Kang’s performance doesn’t particularly stand out in the show, but he does speak some lines in Serbian as Luca. Kang also demonstrates his acting chops in several emotional and moving scenes, particularly in those he shares with Jung Kyung-ho.

K-dramas that draw upon fantastical elements while maintaining their emotional realism will always stand out among the competition because they appeal so well to a wide range of audience members. There was significant pressure on Kang to perform well, as he was working alongside a veteran in the industry. Additionally, as Luka has fewer scenes, Kang needed to steal the show every moment he had to make the audience invested in his story. Thankfully, he succeeds at every turn.

6 Sweet Home (2021 – Current)

Cha Hyun-Su

For those drawn to action and adventure,
Sweet Home
delivers, putting its characters into unbelievable situations and dangerous ordeals.

Song Kang stars as Cha Hyun-Su in Netflix’s Sweet Home. The show blends drama and horror in a world where people can suddenly transform into terrifying monsters. Kang’s character is especially unique as he can control his monstrous abilities and becomes a type of hybrid. After the first season’s success, there was plenty of buzz to see Kang return in season 2. Unfortunately, Kang’s character disappeared halfway through season 2 for several episodes, confusing the audience. However, though Sweet Home season 4 isn’t happening, season 3 provides more scenes with Kang.

While Sweet Home has been a breakout success for both Kang and Netflix, its gory and graphic violence isn’t for everyone and can be a turnoff to some audience members. However, for those drawn to action and adventure, Sweet Home delivers, putting its characters into unbelievable situations and dangerous ordeals. Now that Sweet Home has ended, it will be interesting to see if Kang takes on further roles in the thriller genre or if he’ll stick to his roots in romance.

Song Kang’s Hyun-su had a bigger role in season 3 compared to season 2.

5 Nevertheless, (2021)

Park Jae-eon

Netflix’s Nevertheless, is notorious for being a seriously steamy K-drama. Based on the webtoon of the same name, the show follows Park Jae-eon (Song Kang) and his friends-with-benefits type relationship with Yu Na Bi (Han So-hee). Hot on the heels of his success on Love Alarm, Kang demonstrates just why he is Netflix’s new golden boy. The show features several spicy scenes, and Kang and So-hee have great chemistry. However, the show drew controversy from fans for perpetuating and romanticizing toxic relationships. The series also deviates from the webtoon’s original ending, which left some fans disappointed.

Despite its criticisms, it’s easy to see why Nevertheless, became such a hit for Kang, as Park Jae-eon is charming and a bit of a bad boy, which is a classic romance genre combination. It’s exciting to see K-dramas, and TV shows in general, that aren’t afraid to treat their characters as adults. Since Nevertheless, is set in college, it does an excellent job showing the emotional highs and lows of the relationship between Park Jae-eon and Yu Na Bi and that they’re mature enough to explore their physical connection as well.

4 Love Alarm (2019-2021)

Hwang Sun-oh

Song Kang landed his first main role in Netflix’s Love Alarm in 2019. In the show, Kang stars as Hwang Sun-oh, a handsome high-school student who falls in love with Kim Jojo (Kim So-hyun) and finds himself in a love triangle with his best friend. The show is set in a world where an app can notify you if someone loves you. Impressively, Kang beat out 900 people for the role, and Love Alarm became one of Netflix’s top releases. The show established Kang as a new leading man and featured one of the best love triangles in K-drama.

It’s difficult to imagine what Kang’s career would have been like if he wasn’t selected to play Hwang Sun-oh, but thankfully, he was, and his career took off from there. Love Alarm is a deep interrogation of what it means to love someone and how it feels to conceal these feelings. Love triangles are a popular romance trope for a reason, but Love Alarm pushes the boundaries of what a love triangle can be, seeing the relationships span years.

Love Alarm
is based on a webtoon of the same name.

3 Forecasting Love And Weather (2022)

Lee Shi-woo

The show is a heartwarming story that likens love to be just as, if not more, unpredictable than the weather.

Forecasting Love and Weather is a 2022 workplace K-drama following the romance between two employees at the Korea Meteorological Administration. Song Kang plays Lee Shi-woo, a young reporter who falls in love with his superior, Jin Ha-kyung (Park Min-young). The show is a heartwarming story that likens love to be just as, if not more, unpredictable than the weather. Kang brings great depth and grounding to his character, and he and Min-young have great on-screen chemistry. It’s a lovely story about how relationships can be as volatile as the weather, with both sunny and stormy days, and features fantastic performances.

Kang has one of the most fun parts in Forecasting Love and Weather, as Lee Shi-woo is a source of light and excitement in Jin Ha-kyung’s life. The pair have excellent chemistry, something vital to making any K-drama work, and make their courtship compelling even when the audience knows they’re destined to be together. Reporting on weather might not seem like the most high-stakes career in the world, but this perception is changed by Forecasting Love and Weather, which makes it incredibly thrilling.

2 My Demon (2023)

Jeong Gu-won

Song Kang’s new K-drama, My Demon, is a fun, light-hearted, romantic K-drama. Kang stars as Jeong Gu-won, a 200-year-old demon with supernatural abilities who enters a contract marriage with the chaebol heiress Do Do-hee (Kim Yoo-jung) after his powers transfer to her. To secure the inheritance of her mother’s empire, Do-hee agrees to the union. Kang and Kim Yoo-jung’s chemistry is palpable, and they bounce off each other wonderfully in their scenes together. Kang’s humorous demon character plays wonderfully well against Kim Yoo-jung’s stoic heiress. The drama makes for a fantastically engaging watch, perfect for light-hearted viewing.

It’s impossible not to blush whenever Kang steps onscreen as Jeong Gu-won, as he embodies the classic heartthrob every love interest should be. It’s always fun when a series flips the script on romance and has the couple get married first and then fall in love, and this is exactly what happens in My Demon. Additionally, as the episodes progress, it soon becomes clear that the connection between the pair isn’t just chemistry but a bond that goes back centuries.

1 Navillera (2021)

Lee Chae-rok

he emotional depth, along with the impressive performances, make this show a must-see for those seeking a K-drama with meaningful storytelling and gripping characters outside of romance.

Navillera tells the story of 70-year-old Shim Deok-chul (Park Inhwan), who pursues his lifelong dream of learning ballet. He meets Lee Chae-rok (Song Kang), a 23-year-old dancer with financial struggles, and their relationship evolves into a touching parental bond. Song Kang impressively learned ballet to play the young ballet dancer. Taking a break from romantic leads, Kang demonstrates his growing versatility as an actor and his passion and dedication to his roles. The emotional depth, along with the impressive performances, make this show a must-see for those seeking a K-drama with meaningful storytelling and gripping characters outside of romance.

Navillera shows that Kang is capable of much more than just being a romantic lead and that he’s a strong dramatic actor who could easily transition to films in the future. His dancing and physicality are a huge part of the role, and Kang stepped up in this K-drama to embody the nuance of his character with ease. Additionally, it’s fantastic to see him have a scene partner who isn’t a love interest, allowing Kang to explore new territory in his work. Navillera will surely go down in history as one of Kang’s most complex performances.