LEE JOON GI
AND
SONG KANG
INTRIGUINGLY LINKED
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The world loves Asian Icon, Lee Joon Gi, who holds immense mass
appeal. There is no shortage of handsome or talented South Korean stars but
the gorgeous multihyphenate Lee Joon Gi has long been considered to be the
greatest male superstar. From the first time Gong Gil appeared on the screen
in 2005, Lee’s image has resonated with local and international viewers more
than any other actor. Are there any younger stars who could follow in his
footsteps?
Lee had won several awards for The King and The Clown,
which had been instrumental in propelling him into international fame and
popularity. Portraying the effeminate role of Gong-gil was a huge risk and
out of his comfort zone but it was a chance of a lifetime. It was a huge
gamble but it proved to be a turning point in his life. Recently, when a video clip of Lee Joon Gi and Song Kang surfaced on the Internet, it caught the attention and piqued the interest of many fans. The interaction between them awakened natural curiosity. Is Song Kang the lucky star
fated to follow in the footsteps of Lee Joon Gi?
https://www.instagram.com/p/CPBNPONnRgz/ Both actors are from NamooActors. Coincidentally, Song
Kang had recently starred in a drama which has similar themes as the movie that
Lee Joon Gi starred in many years before. Lee and the younger actor took on interesting roles in a production where a young, strong, healthy and vibrant man in the peak of
his life is juxtaposed with a physically weaker, older man. While it may sound a little strange, the young man becomes a trainer and mentor to the older man.
In 2006, Lee Joon Gi starred in the film, Fly, Daddy,
Fly, in which he portrays Go Seung Suk, a student well-known for
his martial arts skills.
Roped in by a middle-aged man to be his boxing coach, he drills and trains the older man as if he is preparing him for the Olympics. The determined man is driven to take revenge on a spoilt, rich high school boxing star who has sexually assaulted his daughter and he wants Go Seung Suk to train him in order to teach the arrogant and incorrigible brat from a well-connected family a lesson he would never forget.
In the film, the toned, taut and slender 27-year old Lee demonstrated his martial arts skills, particularly, his tornado kicks and boxing techniques which were stunning. So was his performance. Lee, whose eye expressions conveyed all his emotions, excited the viewers. The young star had also spiced up his gorgeous image with an incredibly sexy and trendy hairstyle. It was so long ago; the superstar should try growing his hair longer again now that he is older. His legions of devoted fans would be enthralled. A different era. A slightly different style. A new image. 
  Lee won the Most Popular Actor Award at the 43rd
Baeksang Arts Awards in 2007 for Fly, Daddy, Fly. Lee, whose
repertoire of martial arts skills includes black belts in Taekwondo,
Taekkyon and Hapkido; Thai boxing, Muay Thai, Brazilian Jiujitsu,
Wing Chun, Chinese staff fighting, Parkour et cetera, has always shown
his exceptional acting and martial arts skills in his films and dramas.
 In the 12-episode 2021 drama, Navillera, Song Kang plays a male ballet dancer who wants to compete in a ballet competition. An elderly man in his winter years, who is suffering from Alzheimer’s, wants to fulfil his pathetic fantasy of becoming a ballet dancer and most astonishingly, dancing on the stage. Happily, both the old man and the young ballerino fulfil their dreams on the stage.
 The 40-year old Lee Joon Gi and the 27-year old Song Kang have similarities. Both are handsome, passionate and exceptionally talented. Furthermore, they are masculine, physically strong and have powerful, hyper-flexible bodies. And, they are awesome to behold - they effortlessly move their bodies in the air as if they were feathers. Song Kang is passionate about his career and took ballet
lessons; he did six months of hard training for his role in the drama. Like
Lee Joon Gi, Song Kang’s physical strength is impressive. His flying leaps
and pirouettes in Navillera must have been the result of months of
training and rehearsals. The lift at the end of his ballet performance in the
final episode is incredible.
What’s the real story behind Lee Joon Gi’s extraordinary feats? His various interviews give revealing insights into how Lee Joon Gi had rigorously trained in various martial arts since young. He has always successfully and effectively incorporated different martial arts moves in his movies and dramas that have thrilled the audiences.
It was in Lee Joon Gi’s unforgettable 2018 legal-action drama, Lawless
Lawyer that he demonstrated the full spectrum of his acting, martial arts
and athletic skills.
Lee not only lights up the screen with his presence but also hypnotises the audience with his acting performance. Portraying Bong Sang Pil, the titular Lawless Lawyer with a sexy swagger, he is serious yet humorous and comedic in his role. His crying scenes are unbearable; his tears seem so genuine that the audience have been reduced to tears.  In two stunning scenes, Bong Sang Pil makes impressive and unforgettable leaps; one is from a staircase and the other, from a nightclub stage. He soars spectacularly like an eagle; it is a sight to behold. It is just incredible. Graceful, yet so powerful and
masculine. Absolute magic. It is as if magic dust has been sprinkled on him.
In the drama, his dazzling repertoire of fighting styles, which comprises jumping, leaping, turning, kicking, boxing, punching, pirouetting and fighting, show that he is a master of his craft. Lee’s passion, dedication and physical prowess have captivated many hearts; the audience appreciate the many years of hard work, determination, perseverance and discipline to get to this impressive level.  https://twitter.com/i/status/1400307496254849025
The hugely successful drama, though not nominated for any award, must have made a ginormous impact on the drama world because some scenes, including an action scene and some filming techniques, had been plagiarized by another drama. Imitation is the sincerest form of flattery.   Critics lauded Lee's role in Lawless Lawyer as a ‘once in a lifetime role’. It doesn’t need much to jog our memories. On the night he won the
2018 Best Male Asian Star award at StarHub Night of Stars in Singapore,
Lee Joon Gi was made an Asian hero. Lee looked his handsomest. His
Singaporean (and global) fans went wild. His triumph in Singapore was
special; it created a moment in time that people, particularly his global
fans, associate with happiness, pride and justice.  Lee Joon Gi was a nominee for Best Actor for his outstanding performance in Flower of Evil while Song Kang was nominated for the Best New Actor award for another drama at the 57th Baeksang Awards which was held on 13 May 2021.
 Lee never fails to impress; he also fascinates with another tour de force performance in Flower of Evil, a masterpiece drama that challenges conventions. It is also another ‘once in a lifetime role’ for Lee who has distanced himself from other actors and pushed boundaries in the complex role of Do Hyun Soo, a psychologically unstable character. Lee's brilliant and unforgettable performance has been lauded by local and global critics.
   The passionate, determined and hardworking multihyphenate Lee Joon Gi, an actor with a happy and positive personality, is the bright spark in the lives of his fans. He gives them a reason to smile every day. Lee Joon Gi and Song Kang seem to be intriguingly-linked; if Song Kang sets his mind to following in Lee’s footsteps, who would be able to stop him?
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