9 Of Jang Ki Yong's Best Roles To Date
Jang Ki Yong began his acting career “by accident,” as he was sent to the set of “It’s Okay That’s Love” where he realized he was playing a small role in it as Lee Sung Kyung‘s boyfriend. It was total fate that brought Jang Ki Yong into the K-drama world and we’re only lucky for it. He has given viewers countless performances, making his fans eager to watch his upcoming projects. While we wait for his upcoming drama “Now, We Are Breaking Up” (literal translation) and say farewell to him for now as he embarks on his new military adventure, let’s have a look at some of his past projects that are worth talking about.
Disclaimer: List is in no particular order.
1. “Go Back Couple”
“Go Back Couple” is about the couple Ma Jin Joo (Jang Na Ra) and Choi Ban Do (Son Ho Jun) who have outgrown their love for each other. They have two young children but are often found fighting about everything and resenting each other. At the moment when they are both feeling heartbroken and hopeless, the two wake up and find that they have traveled back in time to when they were college students. It is at this time that Jin Joo meets Jung Nam Gil, played by Jang Ki Yong, and he falls head over heels in love with her.
“Go Back Couple” is the drama that put Jang Ki Yong on the map. His portrayal as the cold, athletic, but oh so charming Nam Gil sunbae was to die for. He won over the hearts of many viewers as they couldn’t help but swoon over how much he wore his heart on his sleeve for Jin Joo. His persistence and earnestness in his feelings for the female lead made the second-lead syndrome bad, but it also put Jang Ki Yong in the much-deserving spotlight.
Start watching “Go Back Couple” here:
2. “My Mister”
“My Mister” stars Lee Sun Gyun as Park Dong Hoon and IU as Lee Ji An. Dong Hoon is a married man in his 40s who goes through a lot of stress as a result of work and family. Ji An is a young woman who has had to go through a lot of traumatic experiences, and as a result, has lost a lot of hope in life. The two meet in the workplace and form a very unusual bond where they seem to understand each other.
In the midst of Ji An trying to sort through her life and figuring out how to support her family, Ji An has an enemy by the name of Lee Kwang Il (Jang Ki Yong). The two have a deep rooted history with each other, and Kwang Il is making sure that Ji An pays for what she did to him and his family. Seeing Jang Ki Yong play a villain role was definitely not expected, but he was so perfect at conveying the pain and ruthlessness of his character. His performance in this particular series is one of his best ever.
Watch “My Mister” below:
3. “Come and Hug Me”
Chae Do Jin (Jang Ki Yong) and Han Jae Yi (Jin Ki Joo) both fall in love with each other in high school. They are each other’s first loves, and there is nothing in the world that Do Jin wouldn’t do for Jae Yi. Unfortunately, Do Jin’s father is crazy and ends up killing Jae Yi’s entire family. He isn’t able to kill Jae Yi, but this tears Do Jin and Jae Yi apart. When the two grow up, they find a way into each other’s lives again, but Do Jin’s murderous father is getting out of jail and wanting to finish the job he started by killing Jae Yi.
Jang Ki Yong as Cha Do Jin was able to show versatility in this one role. He was tough, loving, and the chemistry he had with his co-star Jin Ki Joo was unforgettable. Cha Do Jin is a character with a lot of pain and baggage, and Jang Ki Yong was able to express it easily, making viewers sympathize with the tragic story of his character. In particular, the scenes where he comes face to face with his father were so intense and emotionally packed, but Jang Ki Yong was able to deliver, making it one of his more memorable roles.
Start watching “Come and Hug Me” now:
4. “Kill It”
Jang Ki Yong stars as Kim Soo Hyun, a veterinarian by day and an assassin by night. Do Hyung Jin (Nana) moves into the same building that Soo Hyun’s animal hospital is in, and she tries to befriend him. Soo Hyun’s cold exterior doesn’t stop Hyun Jin from approaching him and turning to him for help. Soon, the two realize that their childhoods are intertwined with each other and that they are both trying to discover the same secrets.
Jang Ki Yong had mentioned in an interview that he was intrigued by this particular role because it has such contrasting characters of a veterinarian and an assassin. The duality in the character made him feel like it was a challenge that he had to overcome to become a better actor. This is a feat that Jang Ki Yong was definitely able to accomplish, as his character drew in so much empathy and compassion from the viewers despite him being an assassin. His character had so much depth, and it made the ending that much more heartbreaking.
Start watching “Kill It” here:
5. “Search: WWW”
Bae Ta Mi (Im Soo Jung) is a successful career woman who works at a web portal company. She is known all around the city, and there’s no stopping her success. But then she meets Park Mo Gun (Jang Ki Yong), and he falls completely in love with her. He’s willing to call her out when she’s being guarded, and he challenges her to give love a chance. Mo Gun is exactly what Ta Mi needs, and she fights hard to not give in.
Jang Ki Yong in “Search: WWW” was everything. His character Park Mo Gun, who was willing to do whatever it took to win the heart of the woman he so sincerely loved, was not only unforgettable, but people also couldn’t help but start to take Jang Ki Yong seriously as an actor and potential star. They were enamored by not only the earnestness of his character, but by how much he could captivate his viewers with a simple line or gaze.
You can watch Jang Ki Yong in “Search: WWW” here:
6. “Bad Guys: Reign Of Chaos”
“Bad Guys” is originally an OCN series that also stars Kim Sang Joon. This movie is a spin-off of it, and the premise is very similar. Oh Goo Tak (Kim Sang Joong) forms a team of elite prisoners who are capable of helping him retrieve dangerous prisoners who have escaped. One of these team members is Go Yoo Sung who is played by Jang Ki Yong.
This movie was Jang Ki Yong’s first time in a movie, and it was the perfect role for him. Despite Jang Ki Yong’s boyish looks and sweet smile, he pulls off the bad boy look off really well. So when word got out that he would be playing this former cop who is out to catch some really bad guys, fans were pretty excited. If you like the brooding type that likes to kick some serious butt, you’ll love him in this role.
7. “Sweet & Sour”
Jang Ki Yong’s second role in a feature film was as Jang Hyuk in the romantic comedy “Sweet & Sour.” Hyuk and Jung Da Eun (Chae Soo Bin) have been dating for quite some time. He’s loyal, in love, and willing to do anything for his girlfriend. Hyuk then gets a job opportunity at a company that is far from where his girlfriend lives. He believes he is committed enough to commute back and forth from his work and still have dates with his girlfriend until, that is, he realizes it’s much more tiring and difficult than he could have ever imagined.
Jang Hyuk is a character that Jang Ki Yong has never done before, but it was fun seeing him do something different. Jang Ki Yong is great at not playing the conventional roles all the time, which keeps his fans on their toes. Although his character wasn’t the most likable in this particular movie, it did show his versatility as an actor. He also managed to have sizzling chemistry with both Chae Soo Bin and Krystal!
8. “The Boy Next Door”
“The Boy Next Door” is based on the popular webtoon titled “Handsome Men.” The 15-episode series stars Choi Woo Sik as Park Kyu Tae and Jang Ki Yong as Sung Gi Jae. The two are neighbors, and they quickly discover that they can’t stand each other. What they don’t know is that there is a very fine line between love and hate. After a fateful situation causes the two to have to live with each other, they become mistaken as being lovers.
If you’ve watched interviews of Jang Ki Yong, you know that he has a great sense of humor. In this particular role, his ability to not take himself so seriously manages to help him look at ease throughout the series, which makes the whole series enjoyable to watch. The banter and bickering he has throughout with Choi Woo Sik will make you laugh and smile, making the bromance in this series the highlight. It’s a short, feel-good series that is an easy watch.
9. “My Roommate Is a Gumiho”
Shin Woo Yeo is not your average main lead. He’s a professor, a 999-year-old gumiho, and he’s desperately in love with Lee Dam (Hyeri). In fact, he’s so in love with Lee Dam that he’s willing to become human just so he can be with her. At first, the two meet as a result of Dam swallowing Woo Yeo’s fox bead. In order to figure out a solution in getting the bead back out and not risking her life, the two decide to move in with each other. Here ensues a complicated relationship.
This series is Jang Ki Yong’s most recent project. He took on a fantasy genre, which is something he has dabbled in before, but in this particular series, he was also able to show a lot of different layers through his character. Shin Woo Yeo is complex, deep, and very introspective, which is a character that Jang Ki Yong isn’t all too used to playing. Despite this, in very Jang Ki Yong fashion, he was able to show so many different emotions and was able to tug at the heartstrings by the end.
Start watching “My Roommate Is a Gumiho” here:
Hey Soompiers, what is your favorite Jang Ki Yong role? Let me know in the comments below!
binahearts is a Soompi writer whose ultimate biases are Song Joong Ki and BIGBANG but has lately been seen obsessing over Hwang In Yeop. Make sure you follow binahearts on Instagram as she journeys through her latest Korean crazes!
Currently watching: “Police University,” “Hometown Cha-Cha-Cha,” and “Hospital Playlist 2”
All-time favorite dramas: “Secret Garden” and “True Beauty”
Looking forward to: Won Bin‘s return to the small screen
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