Jang Dong-yoon, an actor under Dongyi company, gained widespread recognition for his roles in School 2017 and The Tale of Nokdu. In 2015, he made headlines when he heroically apprehended an armed thief in a convenience store, earning praise from the Seoul Metropolitan Police Agency. This act of bravery boosted his popularity, leading to numerous casting offers and ultimately paving the way for his successful acting career.
With a growing collection of movies and dramas, Jang Dong-yoon continues to show his versatility as an actor in each role. Now let’s look at a few of his K-Dramas that show his unique charms!
The Tale of Nokdu
Set in the Joseon Dynasty, Jang Dong-yoon plays the character Nokdu, a skilled swordsman living on an island. After a group of female assassins attacks his family, Nokdu chases one of them to a women’s only village. So, disguised as a woman, he goes undercover to discover more about the women’s only village. He is joined by the headstrong Dongju played by Kim So-hyun, a kisaeng (women who were trained to be courtesans) in training on a quest for revenge.
The Tale of Nokdu gained immense popularity, becoming Jang Dong-yoon’s most popular role by far. So much so that he received praise from netizens for his androgynous beauty and superb acting skills. Plus, he won the Excellent Actor and Best Couple Award at the 2019 KBS Drama Awards!
Daily Dose of Sunshine
Learn more about mental health and the daily lives of nurses and doctors with Daily Dose of Sunshine! Although Jang Dong-yoon isn’t the main male lead, his performance in this show is as commendable as his fellow castmates.
Park Bo-young leads the series playing warm and kind-hearted nurse Jung Da-eun. She is best friends with Jang Dong-yoon’s character Song Yu-chan, a bright character that masks the deep pain he feels. After the first few episodes, it is revealed that Yu-chan has panic disorder, which is displayed in the show as being unable to breathe and drowning underwater. Moreover, the filming of the underwater scene was safely executed thanks to him being a certified lifeguard. Overall, Jang Dong-yoon’s performance adds an extra layer to the stigma of mental health issues and how to approach them with empathy.
My Man is Cupid
Fall in love with Jang Dong-yoon as he plays the Cupid fairy Cheon Sang-hyuk!
After several years of matchmaking with his cupid’s arrows, Sang-hyuk accidentally shoots himself with his own arrow. He then falls in love with Oh Baek-ryeon, an unlucky girl when it comes to love played by After School’s Nana. Jang Dong-yoon portrays Cupid as someone closed off from humans, yet still compassionate and protective towards them. Feeling responsible for everyone’s red thread of love, he makes sure that everyone experiences the love they deserve.
So for those waiting to be hit by Cupid’s arrow, My Man is Cupid is a must-watch!
Oasis
Let’s go back to the past with Jang Dong-yoon in Oasis!
Set against the turbulent backdrop from the 1980s to the 1990s in South Korea, three friends fight to protect their dreams, friendship, and first love. In this historical K-Drama, Jang Dong-yoon plays Lee Doo-hak, a smart and driven boy who grew up in poverty. Despite his family’s financial struggles, he falls in love with Seol In-a’s character Oh Jung-shin at first sight.
Because she transferred to his school, a love rivalry arises between Doo-hak and his friend Cheol-woong to win her affection. However, this isn’t the only conflict they deal with as three friends fight against injustices as political events escalate around them. For Jang Dong-yoon’s performance here, he earned the Excellent Actor and Best Couple Award at the 2023 KBS Drama Awards.
Like Flowers in Sand
Witness the strength of sports and the spirit of never giving up in Like Flowers in Sand!
Watch as Jang Dong-yoon transforms into a hardworking ssireum (Korean traditional folk wrestling) wrestler in his small-town team. In this youth sports drama, Jang Dong-yoon plays Kim Baek-du, a prodigy born into ssireum royalty. Despite his glory days and his family’s golden ssireum history, Baek-du is down on his luck and thinks of retiring.
However, upon the return of his childhood friend Oh Yu-gyeong, played by Lee Joo-myoung, he feels more motivated than ever. As Yu-gyeong signs up to be the team manager, Baek-du feels inspired not to give up on his ssireum dreams. This is Jang Dong-yoon’s latest K-Drama, for which he trained hard, so be sure to add it to your watchlist!
Which Jang Dong-yoon K-Drama is your favorite? Let us know on our Instagram and Twitter!
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