Kang Young-suk (; August 12, 1991), is a South Korean actor. In 2011, he made his debut as a musical actor in the production Hwarang. In 2014, he ventured into theater with his first play, titled B Adult Year. From 2017 onwards, he began by taking on minor roles and gradually worked his way up to more prominent supporting roles on television. He is known for his supporting roles in Should We Kiss First?, Revolutionary Love, 100 Days My Prince, Military Prosecutor Doberman, Insider, Mental Coach Jegal, Poong, the Joseon Psychiatrist, The Kidnapping Day, Welcome to Samdal-ri, and Queen Woo.
Early life and education During his time at Gaepo High School, Kang participated in sports but realized it wasn't his calling, leaving him unsure of his future path. It was during this period that he saw the musical Romeo and Juliet, igniting his curiosity about acting. Without hesitation, he enrolled in an acting academy and found it to be enjoyable. He devoted himself to his studies, often staying late to study scripts and even taking on cleaning duties. His hard work paid off, leading to his acceptance into the Department of Theatre and Film at Chungang University. He received support and faced no opposition from his parents as he pursued this path.
Career Kang Young-suk was initially disappointed when he couldn't find a suitable job, so he decided to explore audition opportunities. In 2011, he successfully landed a role in musical Hwarang after auditioning.The Musical Korea:
After being discharged from the military in 2014, Kang ventured into theater with his first play, titled B Adult Year. In the following year, he was recommended for auditions by friends for acting projects. While some may view his quick success in landing roles in the play Model Students (2015), the musical Bachelor's Vegetable Store (2015), and the musical Thrill Me (2015) one after another as luck, Kang attributes it to his diligent preparation and hard work in every audition. Kang's next role was Professor V, a genius physics professor who turns into a vampire in the musical Mama Don't Cry.
The play Old Wicked Song, which premiered in 2015, returned to the Dongsung Arts Center Dongsung Hall stage in September 2016. The story revolves around Mashkan, an eccentric professor with contrasting personalities, and Stephen, a pianist, who find solace and growth through music. The role of pianist Stephen was played by Kang and Lee Hyun-wook in double casting. Stephen, a talented pianist, struggles with inner turmoil and disconnects from the joy of music despite his skill.
This was followed by another musical, Black Mary Poppins. Set in Germany in the 1920s, it is a musical thriller that reveals the truth about four siblings involved in a fire and a mysterious murder that occurred in the mansion of renowned psychologist Dr. Gratzen, and the story of their missing nanny. Kang and Jeon Sung-woo played the role of Hermann, the second child, a painter with a masculine and free personality, but lonely and easily shaken. The musical was performed at Daehakro T.O.M Theater 1 starting on October 13, 2016.
In 2017, Kang was cast in the musical History of Fools in a triple casting as the main character, Seo Min-ki, alongside Park Si-hwan and Park Jeong-won.
The play Save the Earth, based on director Jang Jun-hwan's film of the same name, falls into the science fiction genre involving aliens. It is a psychological game between two characters: Byeong-gu, who has a deep wound in his heart, and Kang Man-sik, the person who inflicted the wound and holds the key to solving the problem. Kang, Park Young-soo, Jeong Wook-jin, and Key in the main role of Byeong-gu, took turns performing at Chungmu Arts Center's Black Theater from August 10 to October 22, 2017.
Filmography
Film Year Title Role Notes 2021 Waiting for Rain Bookworm 2022 The Test Takers Student 5 Short film When I Sleep Plane passenger Jang Hee-cheol 2024 Cabriolet Jeong Ki-seok 2025 The First Ride Kye Geum-bok
Television series Year Title Role 2017 The Bride of Habaek Revolutionary Love Jang Cheol-min 2018 Should We Kiss First? Min Woo-sik 100 Days My Prince Gwon Hyeok 2020 When My Love Blooms Kang Jun-woo 2021 Undercover Jeong Cheol-hoon 2022 Military Prosecutor Doberman Kang Ha-jun Insider Jang Seon-oh Mental Coach Jegal Go Young-to 2023 Poong, the Joseon Psychiatrist Jeon Kang-il The Kidnapping Day Jayden 2023–2024 Welcome to Samdal-ri Bu Sang-do 2024 Queen WooGo Yeon-u / Sansang of Goguryeo 2026 Reverse Woo-shik
Stage Musical +Musical play performance Year Title Role Theater Date English Korean 2011 Hwarang 화랑 Mu-rang-roSH Art Hall, DaehangnoAugust 20, 2011 - September 4, 2011 October 8, 2011 - October 23, 2011 2015 The Bachelor's Vegetable Store 총각네 야채가게 Yoon MinKEPCO Arts CenterNovember 13, 2015 - December 31, 2015 2016 Thrill Me 쓰릴 미 Na Yes 24 Stage 2 February 19 - June 12, 2016 Mama Don't Cry 마마 돈 크라이 Professor V Uniplex 2 May 1 - August 28, 2016 2016–2017 Black Mary Poppins 블랙메리포핀스 Hermann Daehak-ro T.O.M. 1 October 14, 2016 - January 15, 2017 2017 History of Fools 찌질의 역사 Seo Min-giYes24 Stage 3June 3 - August 27, 2017 2018The Man Who Had a Dream홀연했던 사나이 Seungdol-i Chungmu Art Center Middle Theater Black Box February 6, 2018 - April 15, 2018 2018–2019Those Days그날들 Sang-guCentum City Sohyang Theater Shinhan Card Hall BusanDec 23–30 Daejeon Arts Center Art HallJan 5–6 Blue Square Shinhan Card Hall BusanFeb 22–May 6 Gyeongsangnam-do Culture and Arts Center Grand Performance Hall GuriJune 7–8 2020 Charmy 차미 Oh Jin-hyuk Chungmu Art Centre Middle Theatre Black April 14 - July 5, 2020 2020–2021 Amadeus 아마데우스 Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart Gwanglim Art Centre BBCH Hall November 17, 2020 - February 28, 2021
Theater +Theater play performance Year Title Role Theater Date English Korean 2014 B Adult Year B성년 Hallway Hyehwa-dong Theater Experiment Room 1 July 3–13, 2014 2015 Model Students 모범생들 Min-young/Myung-jun Daehakno Free Theatre May 8 – August 2 2016 Old Wicked Songs 올드위키드송 Stephen Dongsung Art Centre Dongsung Hall September 24 - October 23, 2016 2016–2017 Old Wicked Songs 올드위키드송 Stephen Daehak-ro Dream Art Centre 1 November 8 - January 22 2017 Model Students 모범생들 Myung-jun Daehak-ro Dream Art Center 4 June 4, 2017 - August 27, 2017 Save the Earth 지구를 지켜라 Byeong-gu Chungmu Art Center Middle Theater August 10 - October 22, 2017 2018 The Miracle of Namiya General Store 나미야 잡화점의 기적 Kohei Yes24 Stage 1 August 21 to October 21 2019 Another Country 어나더컨트리 Debbienish Interpark Uniplex May 21 - August 18, 2019 R&J 알 앤 제이 Student 2Lee Hae-rang TheaterJune 28 - September 29 The History Boys 히스토리보이즈 DaykinDoosan Art Centre Yeongang HallSeptember 20 - October 27, 2019 The Legend of Georgia McBride 조지아 맥브라이드의 전설 Casey Uniplex 2nd Theater November 27, 2019 – February 23, 2020 2020 Another Country 어나더컨트리 Guy Bennett Seogyeong University Performing Arts Centre SKON 1 June 10 - August 23, 2020 2021 R&J 알 앤 제이 Student 2 Lee Hae-rang Theater February 5, 2021 - May 2, 2021
Awards and nominations +Awards and nominationsAward ceremonyYearCategoryNominee / WorkResultAPAN Star Awards2022Best New ActorMilitary Prosecutor DobermanInsider
References
External links
Kang Young-seok - playDB