Song Joong Ki is on the precipice of his highly anticipated Korean drama comeback with the KBS2 series, "Descendants of the Sun."
The upcoming action program marks his first television role since his compelling turn as Kang Ma Ru in "The Innocent Man," a heart-stopping melodrama also referred to by the title, "Bad Guy."
Before entering the military, Song embraces antiheroic roles like Ma Ru and Chul Soo, a feral boy with intriguing powers in "A Werewolf Boy."
In "Descendants of the Sun," he embodies the thrilling characteristics of Yoo Shi Jin, the captain of a United Nations (U.N.) peacekeeping mission to aid a fictitious foreign country.
Here are five Korean dramas and movies to watch before "Descendants of the Sun" premieres on February 24.
1. "A Werewolf Boy"
The 2012 supernatural romp, "A Werewolf Boy" is one of the most compelling Korean fantasy tales to hit theaters in the past decade. Song Joong Ki delivers a gripping performance as Chul Soo, a beastly and uneducated young man, who is likely the by-product of a government-sanctioned experiment.
While others are repulsed by his savage behavior, Sun Yi (Park Bo Young) and her mother (Jang Young Nam) extend their home to Chul Soo, under the assumption that he is one of the 60,000 children who were orphaned after the Korean War.
Over time, their relationship faces several obstacles, particularly when Ji Tae (Yoo Yeon Seok) becomes romantically interested in Sun Yi, threatening the tranquility of their small village.
"A Werewolf Boy" provides a story of undying love that is on-par with "Twilight," as Chul Soo obediently waits for Sun Yi to return when her family departs from the countryside.
2. "Sungkyunkwan Scandal"
"Sungkyunkwan Scandal" is a rare gem amongst the flourishing market of period dramas. The series combines the antics of a girl attempts to pass herself off as a "flower boy" with witty comedic timing and a setting that is anything but droll.
Park Min Young (Remember, Healer) leads the cast as Kim Yoon Hee, a young woman who assumes the identity of her brother, in an attempt to gain entrance into Sungkyunkwan, a prestigious institute of higher learning that continues to exist in present day.
Women were prohibited from attending Sungkyunkwan during the Joseon Dynasty, which sets the premise for hijinx, deep misunderstandings, and romance.
Song Joong Ki is Gu Yong Ha, a mischievous upperclassman who unwittingly threatens to expose the ruse of Yoon Hee.
JYJ's Yoochun (Rooftop Prince) heads the pack of handsome scholars as Lee Sun Joon while Yoo Ah In (Veteran, Six Flying Dragons) is Moon Jae Shin, the impatient roommate of Yoon Hee.
3. "Penny Pinchers"
Song Joong Ki and Han Ye Seul (Madame Antoine, Birth of a Beauty) previously appeared in "Will It Snow for Christmas," before taking on the 2011 film, "Penny Pinchers."
Song portrayed Chun Ji Woong, an unemployed slacker who received financial aid from his mother. Under the tutelage of Gu Hong Sil (Han Ye Seul), a frugal neighbor, he reforms his ways.
4. "The Innocent Man"
The 2012 KBS2 melodrama, "The Innocent Man," has few comedic moments, but the series highlights the emotional range of Song Joong Ki and his ability to dominate the attention of viewers.
Throughout the 20-episode run, he traverses a myriad of horrific experiences as Ma Roo, a young man who blindly accepts the responsibility for a murder he did not commit.
Moon Chae Won (Good Doctor) and Park Si Yeon (My Girl) deliver compelling performances as the despicable leading women of the series.
5. "Deep Rooted Tree"
"I only appeared in four episodes of this drama but thought it was more worthwhile and challenging than the lead role of a series," said Song Joong Ki, in a 2011 interview with Vogue Korea, when asked about his critically-acclaimed cameo in "Deep Rooted Tree."
He delivered noteworthy performances in early episodes of the period drama, as he embodied the conflicted emotions faced by the future king, who would be immortalized in Korean history as the creator of Hangul.
