Kang Dong-won

In 2000, when Kang was a first year university student, he was spotted on the street by a modeling agent. Thus began his modeling career, and he appeared on the catwalk for prêt-à-porter collections in Paris such as DKNY, Gucci and Hugo Boss, as well as for the local Seoul Fashion Artists Association (SFAA).[6]

After being cast in the music video for Jo Sung-mo's "I Swear", Kang began taking acting classes, leading to a change in career.[7] He made his acting debut on television in 2003, playing a doctor with a regional dialect in Country Princess (also known as Funny Wild Girl), and a chaebol's son in Something About 1%.[6][8] In 2004 he shot his first movie, the romantic comedy Too Beautiful to Lie, which was moderately successful.

Kang's first real breakthrough was in Temptation of Wolves, the film adaptation of Guiyeoni's teen internet novel.[9] Kang's popularity subsequently rose, extending to other Asian countries, especially Japan. He then briefly returned to television as an antihero in Magic, though it received low ratings.[6][8]

Kang's next roles were an inmate on death row in Maundy Thursday,[10] and the antagonist in Voice of a Murderer.[11] His two collaborations with auteur Lee Myung-se in Duelist and M further cemented Kang's status as one of the top young actors in Korean cinema,[7][12][13] earning him critical recognition for his stylish flair and diverse choice of roles.[6]

Kang said that he decided to play the mischievous titular character in the action fantasy Jeon Woo-chi: The Taoist Wizard because "he wanted to work on a fun movie, as he was emotionally drained while formerly having worked on several serious films.[14] The Choi Dong-hoon film turned into a holiday blockbuster, selling over 6 million tickets over the winter season despite opening in theaters only a week after the release of Avatar in Korea.[15][16] In 2010, he was cast opposite veteran actor Song Kang-ho in Jang Hoon's spy film Secret Reunion.[17] It became one of the biggest Korean box office hits of 2010, with over 5 million tickets sold. He then joined the Busan-centered omnibus Camellia, starring in Jang Joon-hwan's short film Love For Sale.[18] Kang's last project before enlistment was the psychic thriller Haunters.[19][20]

Kang enlisted for his mandatory military service on November 18, 2010, for four weeks of basic training at the Nonsan military camp in South Chungcheong Province.[21] This was followed by non-active duty as a public service worker at Seoul City Research Institute of Public Health and Environment. He was discharged on November 12, 2012.[22] On the day of his release, his agency uploaded a three minutes YouTube clip of him in various locations throughout the city, titled "Kang Dong-won in a Day."[23]

In 2013, Kang appeared in The X, a 30-minute spy thriller directed by Kim Jee-woon.[24]

In 2014, Kang returned to the big screen in Yoon Jong-bin's period action film Kundo: Age of the Rampant, playing an illegitimate nobleman's son who attempts to destroy a group of Robin Hood-like outlaws in 19th century Joseon Dynasty.[25][26] He next starred in My Brilliant Life, E J-yong's film adaptation of Kim Aeran's bestselling novel My Palpitating Life about a couple who must watch their son suffering from progeria grow prematurely old.[27][28][29]

In 2015, Kang reunited with Jeon Woo-chi co-star Kim Yoon-seok in Jang Jae-hyun's mystery thriller The Priests.[30]

In 2016, Kang played a young con artist in the crime film A Violent Prosecutor directed by Lee Il-hyung,[31] which became the second highest grossing Korean film of 2016.[32] He also starred in Um Tae-hwa's fantasy film Vanishing Time: A Boy Who Returned[33] and Cho Ui-seok's financial thriller film Master together with Lee Byung-hun and Kim Woo-bin.[34] After ending the contract with United Artist Agency,[35] Kang signed with a new agency, YG Entertainment in January 2016.[36]

In 2017, Kang made a special appearance as Lee Han-yeol in Jang Joon-hwan's historical film 1987: When the Day Comes.[37]

In 2018, Kang played a delivery man framed for the assassination of a politician in Noh Dong-seok's thriller Golden Slumber, based on Isaka Kotaro's novel of the same name.[38][39] His next project was Kim Jee-woon's science fiction action thriller Illang: The Wolf Brigade, which is a film adaption based on Jin-Roh: The Wolf Brigade, a Japanese animated thriller.[40][41][42]

In 2020, Kang starred in the Yeon Sang-ho's horror-action-thriller Peninsula, a standalone sequel to 2016 hit Train to Busan.[43] He then starred in the Hirokazu Kore-eda's film Broker where he played the role of Dong-soo – a man who was abandoned by parents, and now sells abandoned babies with his friend played by Song Kang-ho.[44] The film competed for Palme d'Or at 2022 Cannes Film Festival.

In December 2022, Kang ended his contract with YG Entertainment after about 7 years.[45]