You know an actor is one of a kind when he can nail villainous roles, and Kim Young-kwang is among them. Here are his top 3 K-Dramas as a villain that stays rent-free in every fan's mind.
But something about him being a red flag….
No, we are not romanticizing those characters, but as much as he nailed the romance genre, Kim Young-kwang blows your mind when he gets into negative roles. Literal chills down your spine! That is why NewKdrama will list three K-Dramas where Kim Young-kwang played negative roles and highly recommend you head over to watch them too!
1. Trigger (2025)
Trigger stars Kim Nam-gil and Kim Young-kwang, and takes place in a near future where South Korea, a gun-free country, is no longer so. Civilians begin to grab their hands onto it, causing an uproar and chaos in the country.
Kim Young-kwang's role:
He plays the character Moon Baek, the real mastermind behind the mayhem. He was not only abandoned as a child but also became a victim of organ harvesters and ended up as a member of a mafia group in the US to get revenge on the country that abandoned him.
He introduces guns, meticulously delivers them to the civilian’s doorstep. These people are specifically those tormented by life, making them ready to pull the trigger.
Kim Young-kwang fulfills the essence of Moon Baek. There is something unhinged about him, making Moon a brutal villain. While at the same time, he has a broken and abandoned side, which attracts sympathy from the viewers. You may want to read these Articles:
Truly, this performance deserves applause. What do you think?2. Somebody (2022)
The 2022 stars are Kim Young-kwang, Kang Hae-rim, Nana, and Kim Soo-yeon as the lead cast. The Netflix series follows the story of Kim Sum (Kang Hae-rin), a developer who creates a dating app called Somebody, but things go downhill when a notorious serial killer begins using the app to lure his prey.
Kim Young-kwang's role: He is among the most manipulative predators. He picks out a specific detail from his victims, and pretends to be so to make sure that they are compelled to match with him. Even when he talks to them or meets them, he remains in character till they lower their guard. Yun-o is absolutely psychotic; he takes pleasure in hurting others, and there isn’t much history to justify his actions.
Despite this, he still delivers a soft side when he starts falling for Kim Sum, believing that she is just like him. This makes his end emotional, yet we don’t sympathize with him. Kim Young-kwang delivers this unhinged character perfectly on-screen, leaving us in chills.
3. Evilive (2023)
This dark thriller stars Shin Ha-kyun, Shin Jae-ha, and Kim Young-kwang. It tells the story of a struggling lawyer, Han Dong-su (Shin Ha-kyun), who gets involved in the world of crime after witnessing a murder committed by a notorious gangster, Seo Do-young (Kim Young-kwang).
Kim Young-kwang's role:
In Evilive, Kim Young-kwang plays the role of Seo Do-young. This character has a similar outline to Moon Baek. He was also taken in by a gang leader, and he soon grew into power within the gang. The two are dedicated to their goals, cannot tolerate betrayals, and they would never hesitate to pull the trigger.
Despite so the two characters are a world apart in personas. Seo Do-young has a blank expression most of the time. He is intimidating, and his whole behavior ensures that everyone is reminded of his higher position.
Unlike Moon Baek, we don’t see him having “fun”; he handles things with seriousness and even stresses over how things might turn out. You may want to read these Articles:
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What is even more fascinating is that all these roles feature him as a psychotic or cold-hearted murderer, yet these characters are so different, and that is the beauty of his acting.
He makes sure to play the character as it is; each has a different persona, and it's not like you are seeing the same thing over and over again. It is very rare to see actors excelling in both negative and positive roles, but Kim Young-kwang never fails to disappoint. Which is also the reason why I think he is underrated, like he has given us great projects, yet his name isn't as popular as it should be.
Have you watched any of his dramas that you love? Let us know which one is your favorite, and for more updates and suggestions, visit us often!
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