Song Joong Ki’s versatility and boyish charm are frequently mentioned in the same sentence – he is a scene stealer who has not limited himself to genres, instead choosing stories and characters that have showcased his varied repertoire as a performer. In “Descendants of the Sun,” he played a fearless and charismatic captain, an innocent medical student who falls in love in “The Innocent Man,” and a suave, calculating mafia consigliere in “Vincenzo.”
Song Joong Ki is back on the small screen with fantasy drama “Reborn Rich,” which continues to generate buzz and dominate ratings, proving his status as one of the most bankable stars. Yoon Hyun Woo, the loyal secretary to an influential conglomerate family, is treacherously murdered after being falsely accused of embezzlement. Hyun Woo is reborn as the family’s youngest son Jin Do Joon, plotting his vengeance and uncovering secrets along the way. Song Joong Ki’s innate ability as a method actor to make reel look real is once again reaffirmed, as he gets his character and the drama’s tone perfectly with skillful ease.
So, let’s go back in time and revisit five Song Joong Ki K-dramas that demonstrate his versatility as a scene-stealing actor!
“Descendants of the Sun”
“Descendants of the Sun,” which features a star-crossed relationship between a soldier and a surgeon, is an all-time favorite of many, and it has a lot to do with Song Joong Ki, who plays captain Yoo Shi Jin aka “Big Boss,” the leader of the special task team Alpha. Yoo Shi Jin is the ultimate cool poster boy. He’s a swaggering, quick-thinking, gallant soldier with a strong bro code. He is a formidable foe as well as a true comrade. Plus, Yoo Shi Jin and Seo Dae Young (Jin Goo) have one of the best bromances. If they aren’t willing to take the fall for someone else, the boys can be pranksters, using their wit and magnetism to get themselves out of sticky situations.
Yoo Shi Jin is a romantic at heart, as he charms Dr. Kang Mo Yeon (Song Hye Kyo) despite her disdain for the dangerous nature of his job. When Mo Yeon asks him to choose between Korea and her, he simply responds that she is his priority while Korea trusts him. He is the type of man who will take a bullet for love while also sacrificing himself in the line of duty!
Song Joong Ki deftly brings out the many facets of Yoo Shi Jin. He’s a stoic officer who reveals his human side after confronting his one-time ally-turned-foe, Daniel Spencer (Jasper Cho). He’s also a man who goes against protocol to save a life and a sensitive lover who respects his girlfriend’s decisions. If this isn’t the perfect man, who is?
“Vincenzo”
“What exactly is an apostle of justice?” I’m just trash picking up other trash. I can’t stand trash that stinks worse than I do.” Meet Vincenzo Cassano, the suave, astute, and cunning consigliere whose innocent boyish face conceals the harsh reality of his cunning ways.
Song Joong Ki plays Vincenzo, a villain who embraces his role with style. He is a skilled manipulator who can turn anyone into a pawn in his game plans. However, things do not always go as planned, and he becomes a vigilante for a motley crew of tenants led by lawyer Hong Cha Young (Jeon Yeo Been), bringing down a corrupt conglomerate led by the dangerous and psychotic Jang Joon Woo (Taecyeon).
As a man who is averse to displaying emotion or remorse, the only indication of his rage is a slight frown and him flicking his lighter, which is his signature style before and after a dangerous mission. You definitely don’t want to mess with him. Song Joong Ki, on the other hand, gives you glimpses into Vincenzo’s shrouded, gentle side, whether it’s through his reunion with his biological mother, seeking comfort in the warmth of a bunggeoppang (fish-shaped pastry), befriending a pigeon, or feeling the first stirrings of love. Vincenzo is not attempting to redeem himself; he is simply a man displaying his many characteristics: the good, the bad, and the ugly, depending on which side you are on. And Song Joong Ki brilliantly portrays Vincenzo Cassano with such a go-for-gold performance that I can’t blame you for rooting for him.
Reborn Rich (2022)
Yoon Hyun Woo works as a secretary for the Soonyang chaebol family, which runs the lucrative Soonyang Group business empire founded by Jin Yang Cheol. During a power struggle between Jin Yang Cheol’s children for control of the empire, Hyun Woo is betrayed and murdered on the orders of an unknown chaebol family member. He miraculously awakens as a child inside the body of the family’s youngest member, Jin Do Jun.
When Yoon Hyun Wo realizes what has happened, he plans to use his new “identity” to stage a hostile takeover of the group – and punish those who killed him. Will, however, the cold-blooded and money-hungry CEO of Soonyang Group, who firmly believes in primogeniture, be so easily won over or conquered? Will Hyun Woo be able to seize control of Jin Yang Cheol’s children? And what role will a tenacious public prosecutor known as “Soonyang Group Grim Reaper” Seo Min Young play in all of this?
Arthdal Chronicles
What could be better than one Song Joong Ki? Song Joong Kis twice! It’s one of the main reasons to watch this show, which incorporates a previously unexplored genre in K-dramaworld. “Avatar” meets “Game of Thrones” in “Arthdal Chronicles,” a visually captivating and engaging fantastical drama about the struggle for power, palace intrigues, prophecies, and mysticism. Set in the mythical land of Arth during the Bronze Age, weak indigenous tribes are trafficked by the strong and powerful who conquer their land and torture their people. Song Joong Ki plays Eun Seom and Saya, long-lost identical twin brothers, one of whom is a commoner and the other a royal. Eun Seom is a brave heart and free spirit who has endured a difficult life, but he champions his people’s cause and protects the woman he loves. Saya, on the other hand, grew up lonely despite her wealth, and she is cold and not afraid of violence or cruelty.
The actor masterfully portrays the contrast between his two characters. There’s Saya in his royal robes, who exudes a crafty and impersonal vibe, and Eun Seom, raw and rugged in his rustic appeal, who is all heart. As usual, multi-hyphenated Song Joong Ki casts his spell with this drama, engulfing you in his myriad color drama verse.