In 2019, Song Kang got the lead role in the Netflix original K-drama, Love Alarm, which ended up being integral to his acting career. Before starring in Love Alarm, Song Kang had roles in other K-dramas such as The Liar and His Lover, Touch Your Heart, and When the Devil Calls Your Name. Based on the webtoon of the same name by Chon Kye-young, Love Alarm focuses on how an app that can detect if someone in a 10m radius is in love with a person affects the people who use it.
When the K-drama was released, it was praised for having a unique premise that isn’t usually employed in shows about romance. Song Kang and the other cast members of Love Alarm give an incredible performance in the show, so it’s no wonder that it helped the “Son of Netflix” gain popularity. While Love Alarm’s primary plotline is romance, the show also delves into other themes like the effects of social media and navigating complicated friendships.
Love Alarm Was Song Kang’s First Netflix K-Drama (& His First Leading Role)
Song Kang Has Shown That He Is Capable Of Starring In Multiple Genres
Love Alarm’s Hwang Sun-oh was Song Kang’s first leading role. Love Alarm follows Sun-oh and Lee Hye-yeong, two best friends who are in love with Kim Jo-jo. Unfortunately for the best friends, Jo-jo is in a relationship, but that doesn’t stop Sun-ho from kissing her. Using the Love Alarm app, Sun-ho tries to prove that Jo-jo also has feelings for him despite saying otherwise. Hye-yeong and Sun-oh drift apart because of Jo-jo, who ends up with the former, but the two friends find closure by the show’s conclusion.
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Sun-ho is a rich teenager who finds himself in a difficult situation when he falls for the girl his best friend also has feelings for, even though he won’t admit it. While Sun-ho is a typical K-drama romance lead, he is still a multilayered character navigating a difficult relationship with his mother and a complex dynamic with his best friend. After starring in Love Alarm, Song Kang has appeared in several other romantic K-dramas, but his role as Sun-ho is what put him on the map.
Love Alarm Was Also Netflix’s First Original K-Drama
Netflix Has Several Successful K-dramas
K-dramas were popular years before they became a Netflix staple. So, it makes sense that the streaming platform would capitalize on this by creating their own original Netflix K-dramas. Love Alarm was the first K-drama to be commissioned by Netflix. However, the zombie horror, Kingdom, premiered first. Love Alarm was released on August 22, 2019, while Kingdom debuted earlier the same year on January 25. In a way, the two K-dramas set the tone for what to expect from Netflix original K-dramas since they received positive reviews from both critics and audiences.
The Netflix library includes original K-dramas like Hellbound, Squid Game, The Glory, Sweet Home, All of Us Are Dead, and The Silent Sea.
Since the release of Love Alarm, there have been several Netflix original K-dramas that ended up being incredibly successful. Netflix original K-dramas don’t only include romantic shows, but they are spread across several genres. The Netflix library features original K-dramas like Hellbound, Squid Game, Sweet Home, All of Us Are Dead, and The Silent Sea. The streaming platform doesn’t only include K-dramas that it had a hand in creating, but also includes other popular K-dramas that originally aired on South Korean broadcast channels, such as Alchemy of Souls, Boys Over Flowers, and Business Proposal.
Song Kang Has Since Become The “Son Of Netflix”
Song Kang’s K-dramas Are Hits On Netflix
Despite being a relatively new actor whose acting career started in 2017, Song Kang has gained a reputation as one of South Korea’s best actors. Known as the “Son of Netflix” due to how his K-dramas have become global hits, Song Kang has proved that he can shine in several genres. While Love Alarm and Sweet Home are Song Kang’s only Netflix original K-dramas, the actor’s other shows are made available for international audiences on the streaming giant’s platform.
Although there are several reasons that Song Kang is dominating Netflix, one that explains his success is that he is usually the primary protagonist in the K-dramas he stars in. Apart from his Netflix original K-dramas, Love Alarm and Sweet Home, Song Kang’s other series on the streaming platform include Navillera, Forecasting Love and Weather, Nevertheless, and My Demon, all of which have become global sensations. Song Kang’s next project is currently a mystery as he is completing his military service, but if it will be anything like his previous K-dramas, then audiences can look forward to another great show.
Love Alarm is a South Korean television series based on the popular webtoon by Chon Kye-young. Set in a world where a mobile app alerts users when someone within a 10-meter radius has romantic feelings for them, the show follows Kim Jo-jo, a high school girl who becomes embroiled in a complicated web of relationships and social hierarchies as she navigates the consequences of the Love Alarm app.
- Release Date
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August 22, 2019
- Cast
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Kim So-hyun
, Jung Ga-ram
, Song Kang
, Go Min-si
, Lee Jae-eung
