Best Jang Ki-yong dramas and movies, from The Atypical Family to Kill It

Directed by: Kim Kyu-tae

Cast: Jang Ki-yong, Zo In-sung, Kong Hyo-jin, Sung Dong-il, Lee Kwang-soo, Lee Sung-kyung, Do Kyung-soo

In 2014, Jang Ki-yong made a brief appearance in It’s Alright, This is Love, which served as a pivotal point in his acting career despite not having any lines or dialogue. The plot revolves around an author and DJ battling OCD and a haunting past, and a rookie psychiatrist. Their relationship starts off on a rocky note with frequent disagreements and misunderstandings, typical of most Korean dramas, but hate eventually gives way to love.

Directed by: Yeo Woon-hyeok

Cast: Jang Ki-yong, Jin Ji-hee, Kang Min-ah, Hyeri, Stephanie Lee, Lee Min-ji, Choi Duk-moon

The 2014 series, also known as Seonam Girls High School Investigators, is a coming-of-age mystery drama that focuses on a disparate group of five students. These students create their own detective club to tackle various school issues, ranging from bullying and suicide to abortion. The plot primarily revolves around Ahn Chae-yul, an academically gifted student who joins a less competitive public school after failing to get into a top-ranked academy. In the series, Jang Ki-yong portrays Ahn Chae-joon, the highly intelligent older brother of Chae-yul.

Directed by: Kim Jin-min

Cast: Jang Ki-yong, Lee Hyun-woo, Joy, Lee Jung-jin, Hong Seo-young, Choi Min-soo, Sung Joo

The Liar and His Lover is a youthful drama that blends romance and music in equal measure. It brings to life the story of Yoon So-rim, a high school student and aspiring singer, whose destiny alters dramatically once she crosses paths with Kang Han-gyul, a music composer who used to be a bass player in a rock band. In this drama, Jang Ki-yong assumes a supporting role as the drummer of Crude Play, a fictional boy band in the series.

Directed by: Ha Byung-hoon

Cast: Jang Ki-yong, Jang Na-ra, Son Ho-jun, Heo Jeong-min, Han Bo-reum, Lee Yi-kyung, Kim Mi-kyung

In the 2017 drama Go Back Couple, directed by Ha Byung-hoon, we follow the story of Choi Ban-do played by Son Ho-jun and Ma Jin-joo played by Jang Na-ra, a married couple struggling to navigate through the difficulties of their relationship. A mystical event sends them back in time to their 20-year-old selves, providing them with a chance to potentially alter their future. Will they still opt for each other, or will they decide to part ways? Watch out for Jang Ki-yong’s performance as Jung Nam-gil, a well-liked student from a wealthy family who takes an interest in Jin-joo.

Directed by: Kim Won-suk and Kim Sang-woo

Cast: Jang Ki-yong, Lee Sun-kyun, IU, Ko Du-shim, Park Ho-san, Son Sook, Ahn Seung-kyoon, Kim Young-min

My Mister revolves around the lives of three middle-aged brothers, focusing particularly on Park Dong-hoon who is played by the late Lee Sun-kyun, an engineer whose life spirals downwards after discovering his wife’s betrayal. He encounters Lee Ji-an, a young woman in her 20s who is grappling with life’s hardships. Their paths intersect and they form a unique bond, supporting each other through their respective struggles. In this drama, Jang Ki-yong takes on the role of Lee Kwang-il, a loan shark who harboured feelings for Ji-an during their youth.

Directed by: Choi Joon-bae

Cast: Jang Ki-yong, Jin Ki-joo, Heo Jun-ho, Kim Kyung-nam, Seo Jung-yeon, Lee Da-in, Yoon Jong-hoon

Come and Hug Me marks Jang Ki-yong’s debut as the main lead, this drama is a 12-year spanning romantic mystery series. It tells the story of Yoon Na-moo and Gil Nak-won, two childhood friends who, despite their contrasting personalities, fall deeply in love. However, their relationship comes to a sudden halt when a horrific tragedy befalls their families, severing their bond forever. Years later, both living under new identities, they cross paths once more, forcing them to confront their lost love and the associated emotional trauma.

Directed by: Son Yong-ho

Cast: Jang Ki-yong, Kim Sang-joong, Ma Dong-seok, Kim A-joong, Gang Ye-won, Kim In-woo, Jo Dong-hyuk

In the 2019 film, The Bad Guys: Reign of Chaos, a high-security prisoner transport vehicle is involved in an accident, leading to the escape of several high-risk criminals. In response, the police assemble a special crime investigation unit composed of inmates to recapture the escapees. This unique team includes Park Woong-cheol (Ma Dong-seok), who is notorious for taking down 30 people single-handedly, the cunning con artist Kwak No-soon (Kim A-joong), former detective Ko Yoo-sung (Jang Ki-yong), and the legendary detective Oh Goo-tak (Kim Sang-joong).

Directed by: Nam Sung-woo

Cast: Jang Ki-yong, Nana, Roh Jeong-eui, Lee Jae-won, Jung Hae-kyun, Jo Han-chul, Ji Il-joo

Following her successful pursuit of a serial killer, Detective Do Hyun-jin, portrayed by Nana from the K-pop girl group After School, encounters the unassuming veterinarian who doubles as an assassin, Kim Soo-hyun, brought to life by Jang Ki-yong. Hyun-jin’s intuition about Soo-hyun uncovers a shocking truth she never anticipated. United, they work to unravel a puzzle that connects their histories.

Directed by: Jung Ji-hyun and Kwon Young-il

Cast: Jang Ki-yong, Lim Soo-jung, Lee Da-hee, Jeon Hye-jin, Lee Jae-wook, Ji Seung-hyun, Kwon Hae-hyo

Search: WWW is a drama that captures the professional and personal lives of three strong, independent women who are leading figures in the world of web portal businesses in South Korea: Bae Ta-mi (played by Lim Soo-jung), Cha Hyun (played by Lee Da-hee), and Song Ka-kyung (played by Jeon Hye-jin). The drama is not just about their successful careers but also showcases what goes on in their lives outside of work, particularly, their romantic lives. Jang Ki-yong plays the character of Park Mo-gun, a music producer who becomes smitten with the protagonist, Bae Ta-mi, adding a captivating romantic storyline to the drama that will make everyone swoon.

Directed by: Jin Hyung-wook

Cast: Jang Ki-yong, Jin Se-yun, Lee Soo-hyuk, Jung In-gyeom, Choi Kwang-il, Kim Jung-young, Kim Jung-nan

Born Again takes on the intriguing themes of destiny and rebirth, presenting them within the framework of an endlessly repeating love triangle. Jang Ki-yong portrays the role of a solitary individual who is reborn as a student in the medical field. Co-stars Jin Se-yeon and Lee Soo-hyuk complete the love triangle. The drama skillfully weaves between their past and present lives, gradually revealing the intricate story that connects them.

Directed by: Nam Sung-woo

Cast: Jang Ki-yong, Hyeri, Kang Han-na, Ko Kyoung-pyo, Kim Do-wan, Bae In-hyuk, Choi Woo-sung

Have you ever imagined living with a gumiho (a nine-tailed fox from Korean mythology)? In the drama, directed by Nam Sung-woo, who is known for iconic K-dramas like Weightlifting Fairy Kim Bok-joo, Kill It, Love in Contract, and others, the plot revolves around Lee Dam (played by Hyeri from Girl’s Day). Lee Dam unintentionally swallows the magic pearl of Shin Woo-yeo (portrayed by Jang Ki-yong), a 999-year-old gumiho, leading to a unique living arrangement as they try to resolve the predicament. According to the lore, a human who ingests a gumiho’s pearl is destined to die within a year, while the gumiho who loses the pearl forfeits his only opportunity to become a human.

Directed by: Lee Gye-byeok

Cast: Jang Ki-yong, Chae Soo-bin, Krystal, Lee Woo-je, Lee Kyoung-young, Jo Han-chul, Kim Mi-kyung

In the relatable film Sweet & Sour, Jang Ki-yong portrays the character of Jang Hyeok, an employee in a corporate setting. He finds himself in a dilemma as he attempts to maintain his routine relationship with his girlfriend, Dae Eun (played by Chae Soo-bin), while simultaneously developing new emotions for his colleague, Bo Yeong (played by Krystal). The outcome? A whirlwind journey of relationships filled with heart-fluttering scenes.

Directed by: Lee Gil-bok

Cast: Jang Ki-yong, Song Hye-kyo, Choi Hee-seo, Jang Hyuk-jin, Sehun, Kim Joo-hun, Yoon Na-moo, Yura

The romantic drama Now, We are Breaking Up boasts a star-studded cast and provides an insider’s look into the Korean fashion industry. The story revolves around Ha Young-eun, played by Song Hye-kyo, who is a driven team manager at a leading fashion brand. Jang Ki-yong stars Hye-kyo’s love interest as Yoon Jae-guk, a wealthy, self-employed photographer who seems to have everything one could wish for. The cast also includes K-pop stars Sehun from EXO and Yura from Girl’s Day.

Directed by: Jo Hyun-tak

Cast: Jang Ki-yong, Chun Woo-hee, Ko Du-shim, Soo-hyun, Park So-yi, Oh Man-seok, Moon Woo-jin

In The Atypical Family, the main character, Bok Gwi-ju, portrayed by Jang Ki-yong, and his family possess unique supernatural abilities. Bok Gwi-ju has the power to revisit his past, but only the joyful moments. Despite his ability, he is unable to alter the past and can merely relive those happy times. However, he suffers from depression, which leads to the loss of his special power. His family members also lose their unique abilities due to modern day problems such as sleeping disorders, eating disorders, and smartphone addiction. Unexpectedly, a woman named Do Da-hae who is played by Chun Woo-hee, becomes entangled with Bok Gwi-ju and his family. She starts to cohabitate with them, instigating a significant transformation in their lives.