Born in Ulsan, South Korea, Jang Ki-yong was in high school when he first had the dream of coming to the capital city of Korea, Seoul, and becoming a model. After graduating from high school, he moved to Seoul and enrolled in a musical theater program at a local university, and while he was originally rejected from his first choice modeling agency, he did not give up and, less than two years later, was preparing to make his debut in a fashion show. While being named one of the biggest fashion rookies that year, he ended up stumbling into the acting world, and made his first appearance in the popular drama It’s Okay, That’s Love.
Ever since then, Jang has continuously appeared in Korean dramas and shows, despite having such a brief role with no lines in It’s Okay, That’s Love. He continued to be cast in dramas, but it wasn’t until 2019 that he began to have his career breakthrough in acting. Not only has Jang appeared in some of the biggest Korean dramas in the late-2010s, but he has established himself as one of the better-known Hallyu actors working on the scene. While we wait for his next projects as he returns from his mandatory military service, revisit his career so far with these television shows.
10 Now, We Are Breaking Up (2021)
Now, We Are Breaking Up tackles the subject of the fashion world through the prism of a fashion design team leader (played by Song Hye-kyo) and a fashion photographer (Jang) who’s the brother of her ex-boyfriend. When they meet personally and professionally, it will begin a dance between them that will remind them of their trauma, as well as their shared past.
What Makes It Great
Although Now, We Are Breaking Up can become quite repetitive and has some pacing issues as it approaches its sixth episode, the series has an interesting premise while taking place in the fashion world. The main characters maintain their professional careers alongside their relationship, creating some interesting interactions throughout the course of the series.
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9 Come and Hug Me (2018)
Released in 2018, Come and Hug Me is one of the more underrated releases of that year in the Korean drama world. When two people, who were once childhood loves, meet again as adults, it will change their lives for the better. While their story as youths had a sad ending, it seems like their hopes and dreams have shifted throughout the years, lining up their trajectories in some of the best ways possible.
What Makes It Great
This series seems like the typical romance from its premise, but there are excellent mashups of genre contained within the show — crime, in fact, plays into a good portion of the show’s plot. The show can be quite the painful love story at times, keeping us on the tips of our toes as we continue binge-watching through every episode.
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8 Born Again (2020)
The title of this iconic Korean drama, Born Again, reveals quite a bit about the series and what it has to offer. Reincarnation plays a critical role in this series, as it begins in the ’80s, when three individuals find themselves in completely different circumstances, whether it’s parents, medical problems, or criminals. Each becomes tangled in the story of reincarnation throughout the years, creating quite a compelling love triangle.
What Makes It Great
Some shows fall into the trap of the trope of reincarnation, making it seem like a useless plot point that simply exists to drive the premise further. However, this show utilizes it well, and ups the stakes with each of the characters throughout the years. However, if one goes in with high expectations, then they might be set up for disappointment watching this series.
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7 Go Back (2017)
In Go Back, Jang Ki-yong plays a supporting role as a character who studies in the same department as the female lead. The show is about a middle-aged couple struggling with their lives and son. When they both wake up one day as university-aged students, they decide to make fun of their circumstances and enjoy living life as youths for a bit.
What Makes It Great
Go Back typically doesn’t come to people’s minds when discussing Korean dramas, although it should be appreciated more. The series strikes a good balance between serious and lighthearted at times, and it goes through all the core emotions many can relate to throughout. Often people reflect on what they would do if they were suddenly young again, and this show demonstrates what one couple would do.
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6 The Liar and His Lover (2017)
Lee Hyun-woo and Park Soo-young star in The Liar and His Lover, which came out in 2017, and was acquired by Netflix for streaming in 2019. In the series, Lee portrays a talented composer, and, while hiding his identity, meets a student that’s equally talented in singing. As she pursues a career in the music industry, she gets help from the composer while not realizing who he is.
What Makes It Great
The Liar and His Lover is one of those kinds of shows that hits really well when looking for a sweet drama that doesn’t have a ton of depth for it. When in need of a decent drama that has some cute romantic moments and comedic timing, this is the perfect show to fill that need.
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5 Search: WWW (2019)
One of many dramas that tackles the subject of the workplace and balancing a professional life with romance, Search: WWW came out in 2019. Three middle-aged women are working at companies that are leaders in their industry: web portals. When tensions increase and drama goes down between rival companies, they will have to navigate the fallout.
What Makes It Great
Search: WWW elevates the typical workplace drama by giving it an interesting premise with web portals and the behind the scenes of this kind work. By focusing on older women who have careers, it shows how women can deal with these kinds of problems in their everyday lives, dealing with the pressure of their existence in tandem with work drama.
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4 My Roommate Is a Gumiho (2021)
Jang Ki-yong portrays the only male gumiho, or nine-tailed fox, in My Roommate Is a Gumiho. Just as he’s about to hit one thousand years of being alive, he meets a human girl who accidentally swallows his precious bead. He moves her into his home in order to protect the bead, but throughout the course of the series, they end up falling in love.
What Makes It Great
The series tackles a beloved subject in Korean folklore: the gumiho. While Jang’s character is often stoic, the series focuses more on the romance and comedic elements than the fantasy ones, making this a digestible show for those who don’t have a deeper knowledge of Korean folklore and the creatures that inhabit the peninsula.
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3 Touch Your Heart (2019)
Yoo In-na and Lee Dong-wook reunite in the drama Touch Your Heart, starring together after portraying a couple in the beloved Goblin. In this show, Yoo portrays a struggling actress who, after a major scandal, begins work with a prominent no-nonsense lawyer (Lee). While he sees her as a nuisance at first, their relationship evolves over the course of the series.
What Makes It Great
Touch Your Heart is a drama that shouldn’t be taken seriously, and when it brings together the main couple, it shows why fans love Lee and Yoo together. Overall, it’s a lighthearted show that doesn’t need much to keep it going, and we can’t help but to root for the main couple as they slowly get together.
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2 My Mister (2018)
In My Mister, IU/Lee Ji-eun portrays a young woman who’s barely getting by in life. Stuck with a ton of debt and taking care of her sick grandmother, she finds solace in one of her supervisors, who’s also miserable with his existence (Lee). Over the course of the series, as they commiserate over the circumstances of their lives, they learn how to help each other overcome the various problems that continuously pop up in their daily routines.
What Makes It Great
The series demonstrates the power of listening and finding refuge with others, and what happens when we open our hearts to another person. While many might ignore their coworkers and their various problems, the two main characters learning that they’re in similar situations shows that many might not know what someone else is going through.
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1 It’s Okay, That’s Love (2014)
Back in 2014, Jang Ki-yong had a brief appearance in It’s Okay, That’s Love, and despite having no lines or dialogue, it made his career as an actor. The series tells the story of an author and DJ who has person with OCD spectrum disorder and a traumatic past. When he meets a psychiatrist working within her first year of a fellowship, the two constantly fight and don’t understand each other, but as we know with Korean dramas, hate often turns into love.
What Makes It Great
It’s Okay, That’s Love has a main character struggling with mental illness, and it addresses the problems and stigmas many people navigating these illnesses have in their daily lives. While the plot might be a little bit rocky at times, there is important work being done with these kinds of dramas.
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This story originally appeared on Movieweb
