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South Korean actor Song Kang has taken on a number of different K-drama roles in his career, yet there is one archetype that he still has not portrayed, and that he would probably excel at. K-dramas and Korean movies in general have garnered more and more popularity over the years, and actors like Kang have become common names. For projects like Love Alarm, Nevertheless, and Sweet Home, Kang has earned star status. Yet, Kang’s career is far from over and there’s another type of role that Kang needs to try in his next on-screen appearance.
So far, Kang’s K-drama career has mostly been made up of romances and a bit of fantasy. For example, in his breakout series, Love Alarm, Kang plays a wealthy and attractive high schooler who gets caught up in a love triangle. Nevertheless has him in a similar position, where he portrays a university student who is a well-known flirt and avoids getting into committed relationships until he meets the female lead. Even his darker series like Sweet Home label Kang as the hero of the story. Now that Sweet Home is over though, perhaps Kang’s type cast will change.
Song Kang Still Hasn’t Played A Villain In A K-Drama
Why Kang Has Never Played A Villain
Despite Kang’s impressive career on Netflix, the actor has yet to play a true villain. In just about every project Kang has ever worked on, he has portrayed good characters. Even if they are a bit misguided or have questionable intentions at the start of their story, they eventually grow and change. Without a doubt, they are heroes. The closest Kang has ever gotten to playing a villain was when he showcased Cha Hyun-su’s evil side in Sweet Home. This was definitely an interesting taste of what Kang can do, but was too brief to really count as a villain character.
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8 K-Drama Genres & Characters I Wanna See Song Kang Tackle After Sweet Home
From a ballet dancer to a demon who gets married, Sweet Home’s Song Kang has tackled a lot of roles already, so what’s next for the K-drama star?
The main reason why Kang probably has not been cast as a villain is because he is such a likable hero. Kang’s popularity has steadily grown with each show he has done, leading him to take on bigger and better roles. For the most part, he earned these roles because he proved he would be a good fit to play a heroic lead character. In this way, he formed a reputation for being a good guy. At the same time, though, this prevented audiences from seeing him as a villain, so he missed out on these types of roles.
Why Song Kang Would Be Great As A Villain In The Right Show
Kang’s “Good Guy” Reputation Could Be An Advantage
Kang should not simply play a villain because he’s never done it before. Arguably, he would be very good at it. Though his time as evil Hyun-su was short, Kang quickly proved that he has the acting chops to play a darker, more evil character. Furthermore, Kang’s role as the soul-stealing demon in My Demon was technically a comedy role, but offered a glimpse at Kang’s potential as a villain. As much as Kang can be sweet and good, he can also be suave, conniving, and cold. With the right role, Kang could make an outstanding villain.
In reality, Kang’s reputation as a good guy could make his transition into playing a villain even better.
In reality, Kang’s reputation as a good guy could make his transition into playing a K-drama villain even better. Audiences will not be expecting Kang to take on a more villainous role, so there’s an opportunity for a series to play on viewers’ expectations. Perhaps Kang’s character initially appears to be a nice person, but later, ends up betraying the main character. On the other hand, Kang could also play a hero that becomes a villain over time. Either way, Kang’s past roles could affect his potential change into an on-screen villain.
Romance K-Drama Leads Can Often Make For Great Villains
What Is Next For Song Kang
Kang is far from being the only K-drama actor who has gone from being a hero to a villain. Recently, in Squid Game season 2, Korean actors Lee Byung-hun and Gong Yoo were outstanding as the Front Man and the Salesman. Both actors previously played more morally upstanding characters, and even romantic leads, but quickly showed that they had the darkness inside them to portray more insidious characters. Even closer to home, Kang’s co-star, Go Min-si, played a captivating villain in The Frog.
Overall, Kang should be the next K-drama actor to dip his toes into playing a villain. Sweet Home ended with season 3 back in July 2024, leaving the actor open for his next project. Of course, Kang is notably serving in the military, so it may be awhile before he returns to acting. However, when Kang finally does come back to the screen, it would be amazing to see him in his darkest K-drama yet.
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