Do You Think Korean Actor Song Kang’s Acting is Awkward?

There are two sides to every story, and when it comes to actor Song Kang's acting, opinions can vary widely. Some think he is a sophisticated and reliable actor, while others criticize his performances as awkward and lacking in expression.

Supportive View: Refined and Reliable

Those who support Song Kang believe his acting is refined and never appears awkward in his roles. One viewer comments, 'Not in the least. He is a refined actor. He never appears awkward in any of his acting roles. Its easy to follow the story line because he’s precise and goes with the flow. He does his job very well. No awkwardness in his acting for sure.'

Critical View: Awkward and Unnatural

However, there are those who believe Song Kang is one of the worst Korean actors due to his lack of skill and expression. One commenter argues, 'As some extremely familiar with kdramas, I can say with confidence he’s one of the worst Korean actors. Skill-wise though he’s just above the level of a dead fish. He’s extremely stone-faced and lacking in expressions.'

Personal Experience: Emotional Disconnect

One fan, albeit a very emotional one, shares their personal experience: 'I really dont like his acting… I’m a very sensitive person and I’m crying very easily but for some reasons I’ve never felt anything for his characters which is really very surprising if you know how emotional I am. I kind of dropped 2 of his dramas bc I didn’t feel anything for the main leads… but I’m not gonna lie I also dropped them bc I wasnt convinced by his acting.'

Analysis: Navillera – Facing Criticism

Recently, while watching TV series Navillera, the fan got fed up with Song Kang's acting and sought criticism online. Despite finding more support than negativity, some common criticisms emerged, such as awkward acting, off-vocalizations/pronunciations, and wooden expressions.

Facial Expressions in Navillera

The discussion turned to Navillera specifically, where the fan praised the webtoon version of the character but was disappointed by Song Kang's portrayal. 'Facial expressions — I had the overall impression that he wasn’t very expressive in his role and I was feeling disappointed because Chaerok the character he plays in the webtoon was not like this. His character is rather stoic yes but there should still be some subtle expressions — eg. small signs of annoyance, exasperation, urgency, hesitation, bashfulness — and not just a blank face. Song Kang’s face was blank for the majority of the series with his big round eyes with the exception of a few negative expressions before and after he’s shouting and the occasional rare smile. I really liked the character in the webtoon version so this emotionless portrayal was a letdown for me.'

Portrayal of Anger and Shouting Scenes

Another area of criticism was his portrayal of anger and shouting scenes, particularly with his character's interaction with an elderly ballet instructor. The fan notes, 'In Navillera, his shouting scenes with the old man learning ballet Deok-chul Park In-Hwan came across to me as uncomfortable, harsh and abrupt in an almost rude fashion. I think there are at least 2 reasons: 1 Regardless of whether he was yelling out of frustration as a teacher trying to be tough on his student or fear pulling him away from oncoming cars or concern or anger — he always had the same face. The viewer understands from the context but we need to SEE it as well otherwise it feels very unnatural. 2 When he starts yelling it’s very loud and sudden. When coupled with the lack of variation in his expressions… this type of apparently inappropriate volume is really uncomfortable I find because it feels disrespectful.'

Professional and Personal Aspects

Despite the criticism, it's worth noting that Song Kang is a hard-working actor. 'The interviews with his co-actors are also positive, saying he was very willing to absorb instruction and critique, so I’m sure he’s a great guy. But I definitely think his acting, especially with facial expressions, needs A LOT more work before his character portrayal can be considered natural and engaging.'

Song Kang's growth as an actor is surely exciting, and he has a long journey ahead to refine his craft and win over more viewers. People will certainly hope to see his improvement in the future, and his journey as an artist is something to follow closely.