With three successful shows under his belt, Korean actor Song Kang is fast becoming a household name.
Whether it is for entertainment or to escape reality, it is pretty much standard these days: Much like you, I look through Netflix searching for the next series to binge, especially Korean dramas. After an exercise of endless scrolling, I came across Love Alarm and thought, “Oh great, another love triangle. That’s new.” But as I read the synopsis, it called out my name.
The story plays out in a normal high school, but at a time when love is announced in real time through an app. Yes, you read that right: announced. As I watched the characters, Hwang Sun-oh was the one who stood out to me the most. His face is enough to make you believe that Cupid hit you with an arrow. His unblemished skin glistens under the blazing Seoul sun, as if it’s his own natural spotlight. Intrigued, I decided to learn more about him.
Played to flawless perfection by Song Kang, the actor is not new to the world of Korean dramas. In fact, he’s had supporting roles in previous series such as When the Devil Calls Your Name, Touch Your Heart, and The Liar and His Lover. But the spotlight shone brighter for him when he finally got his breakout role as one of the leads in Love Alarm in 2019. After finishing the first season, I decided to take a breather from romance and veer into something a bit more adventurous. The show Sweet Home was making waves all over social media since it aired in December 2020, and not just in Asia, but the rest of the world, too. So, naturally, I gave it a shot.
The show follows a timid teenage boy, Cha Hyun-soo, who lost his parents and had to live on his own. Set in a post-apocalyptic dystopia, the world is suffering from a mysterious disease that turns humans into unthinkable monsters. A few minutes into the show, I noticed the actor playing Hyun-soo looked familiar. The expressive face, the striking features hidden behind disheveled hair, the luminous skin showing notably beneath dirt and dried blood, the sonorous voice. “This can’t be him, too?” I looked up the names of the cast, and the first name to pop up was Song Kang. Playing the role of Hyun-soo, he had completely transformed from the debonair Hwang Sun-oh of Love Alarm to the awkward yet brave Cha Hyun-soo of Sweet Home. At this point, I was even more captivated by his skills—and yes, his skin—as an actor.
From leading man to leading the way in gender-neutral skincare
With three huge Netflix hits to his name, Song Kang is not only a captivating leading man but an equally compelling force beyond the screen. He also leads in gender-neutral skincare as the face of Deoproce Philippines.
Aside from his impeccable acting, Song Kang’s flawless skin has been the talk of the town. Having been introduced as the latest endorser of Deoproce, both the brand and Song Kang share the value and importance of efficient skincare products, which is why the brand has chosen him as the new face of their Natural Green Caviar Line. “I’m in love with the facial cleanser,” he admits when asked about his favorite product from the line. “I use the cleanser even during days when I’m really busy. And when I wake up the next day, I feel my skin is very clean and moisturized.” And of course, no Korean skincare routine would be complete without a mask. “Among my skincare methods, my favorite is a facial mask. When I use the mask that contains vitamin C, I feel my skin has become brighter so I use it regularly. You should try it out, too!” he expresses enthusiastically.
The Natural Green Caviar Line from Deoproce offers a diverse set of products to complete your skincare regimen. It has a cleansing water, a facial cleanser, a toner, a vitamin C ampoule, a water cream moisturizer, and a skin-perfecting tint with SPF 30+. The whole line of products is made with green caviar, and Deoproce is the first to utilize this as a skincare ingredient. The seaweed is rich in vitamins A and C, and contains amino and Omega-3 fatty acids, which help boost collagen production and reduce fine lines. It’s also a great source of minerals that give the skin long-lasting moisture. Polysaccharides like fucoidan, which is a powerful antioxidant, also give the products anti-inflammatory benefits.
This new line from Deoproce is so effective that Song Kang is even recommending it to his co-stars. “Every time I use this product, I feel like my skin is getting better. It makes me think that I take good care of my skin. That’s why I want to recommend this product to other people. I especially wanna recommend it to my co-stars in Sweet Home,” he says. “I think after using the face mask pack, it will help relieve the stress of the skin after the actors put on heavy makeup.”
It is in this pocket of time to himself that he gets to exercise a bit of self-care, especially now that his star continues to rise. With more diverse roles to work on, it’s little wonder that he needs good skincare to match.
The man with a thousand faces
Shortly after Sweet Home, the second season of Love Alarm premiered just last March 12. Starring the same characters, the show follows their lives a few years after graduating from high school. Here, Song Kang plays Sun-oh in a more mature, more passionate manner. He was able to portray the remarkable transition of Sun-oh from a carefree high school boy to an independent man in just two seasons.
After the season ender of the series, I thought maybe we wouldn’t be seeing much of Song Kang until late this year or maybe even next year. So, it came as a surprise to me when he was starring in yet another much-awaited drama on Netflix, Navillera. It aired its pilot episode on March 22—just a mere 10 days after the second season of Love Alarm premiered. Here, the story focuses on the most unexpected tandem—23-year-old aspiring ballerino, Lee Chae-rok, and 70-year-old grandpa, Shim Deok-chul, who has always dreamt of being a ballet dancer. Together, they form an unlikely yet heartwarming friendship as they lift each other up and face the harsh realities of life.
Constantly hard at work perfecting his craft to reach his dream, while also struggling to make ends meet on his own, the breakout star is impressive in this role. In the sunlit ballet studio, the evocative expressions of his radiant face clearly convey the struggles of his character. Song Kang learned ballet for six months to give authenticity to the drama. He even remodeled his physique to mimic that of a professional ballet dancer. His arms are toned and strong, his legs flow fluidly from one position to another, and his movements are always as light as a feather. Truly, he has dedicated himself to the role as he has in his previous dramas. Consequently, this presence and dedication catapulted Song Kang into his current status as one of the most successful rising actors to watch.
Big dreams start with small habits
With the whole world’s eyes fixed on him, Song Kang proves that he deserves to be a household name. Three of his lead roles couldn’t be more different from one another. But like a chameleon, he adapts to each one and breathes life into them effortlessly. As an actor, he understands the characters well and puts his heart and soul diligently into his work. “To prepare for the role in Sweet Home, I think I looked at the script every day. Also, I thought about the character a lot,” he muses.
In two short years, Song Kang has filmed one drama after another. And he’s showing no signs of stopping. He may always have a lot on his plate, but he still takes time to do daily habits that keep him camera-ready. “The first thing I do when I wake up in the morning is drink water and the last thing I do before sleeping is cleanse my skin.” Whether he’s playing a high school boy or an up-and-coming ballet dancer, Song Kang always has a youthful yeppeo (which translates to “pretty” in Korean) glow to him. “I think the expression ‘yeppeo glow’ refers to your own healthy beauty and the inner glow inside yourself,” he explains. “Of course, good skin is one part of the ‘yeppeo glow.’ But what’s more important is your passion and the feeling of happiness that make the ‘yeppeo glow.’” Now, if you really want to know the secret to his envious skin, he also shared how he maintains his clear complexion. “After filming, I enjoy cleansing my skin thoroughly. For skin regeneration, moisturizing my skin is important to me. On the days of severe skin stress, I always remind myself to use a high-performance face mask.”
Setting a glistening, new milestone
As clear as his signature glass skin, Song Kang has a bright career ahead of him. From a high school heartthrob, to a beast-battling teenager, and now to an aspiring ballerino, you can never predict what role he will take on next. And that is precisely where Song Kang thrives the most.
Indeed, it is an exciting time for the young actor. There is a lot to expect, for sure, which definitely sets a precedent for his path to even more success. While the rest is still unknown, at least to us, what is clear is that he will continue to give nothing but the best to everything he will face and whatever he sets his mind to. But for now, we will just wait and see what is to come from the man they call Song Kang.
