On October 8, Mydaily reported that Song Hye Kyo had sparked widespread discussion online after uploading scenes from her 2010 film Love for Sale to Instagram. Alongside the images, she wrote, “Director Jang Joon Hwan. Please let me go back to my 20s for a little while.”
What particularly caught fans’ attention was that the photos featured romantic moments between Song Hye Kyo and her co-star Kang Dong Won. In Love for Sale, the two actors portrayed a couple deeply in love.
Recently, the production team behind singer Joo Hyung Jin’s music video “Autumn Night” also incorporated romantic footage from the film. As a result, audiences were once again able to revisit the intimate on-screen chemistry between Song Hye Kyo and Kang Dong Won.
Interestingly, Kang Dong Won himself reportedly suggested that Joo Hyung Jin’s team reuse the romantic scenes featuring him and Song Hye Kyo. The actor and singer are known to be close friends within the entertainment industry.
These developments quickly attracted attention because dating rumors involving Song Hye Kyo and Kang Dong Won had recently resurfaced on social media.
About two weeks earlier, Song Hye Kyo reunited with Kang Dong Won for a meal alongside actress Moon So Ri and director Jang Joon Hwan. The actress personally shared a rare photo from the gathering on her social media account. Their reunion subsequently reignited speculation about a possible romantic relationship between the two stars.
In the past, Song Hye Kyo and Kang Dong Won displayed impressive chemistry in two productions, Love for Sale and My Brilliant Life. For years, the two were surrounded by rumors that their on-screen romance had developed into real-life feelings.
At the time, various reports claimed that Kang Dong Won had developed romantic feelings for Song Hye Kyo and that the actress had also been attracted to him. Kang Dong Won had publicly expressed admiration for Song Hye Kyo’s beauty on several occasions. Some unverified accounts even suggested that he had confessed his feelings to her but was turned down because she feared a relationship might affect her career. However, neither star publicly confirmed these claims. Speculation about their relationship gradually faded after Song Hye Kyo began dating Song Joong Ki.
Song Hye Kyo was born in 1981 in Daegu, South Korea. Her parents divorced when she was young, and she was raised by her mother. In 1996, she won recognition through a modeling competition, opening the door to an entertainment career. The following year, she made her acting debut with a supporting role in the sitcom Soonpoong Clinic, gradually attracting attention from Korean audiences.
Her major breakthrough came in 2000 when she starred in the hit drama Autumn in My Heart, which propelled her to fame across Asia. Her gentle appearance and emotional performance left a lasting impression on viewers, particularly those who grew up watching Korean dramas in the 2000s.
Since then, Song Hye Kyo has continued to strengthen her position as one of South Korea’s leading actresses through successful productions including All In, Full House, That Winter, the Wind Blows, Descendants of the Sun, and The Glory.
Although she is not particularly tall, Song Hye Kyo has long been admired for her striking facial features, naturally elegant nose, and distinctive lips. Even without makeup, the actress frequently receives compliments for her beauty. Over the years, she has also appeared on TC Candler’s lists of the world’s most beautiful faces.
Meanwhile, Kang Dong Won was born in 1981 into a reportedly wealthy and influential family. According to various media reports, his father served as vice chairman of SSP, described as one of South Korea’s major shipbuilding companies. Despite his privileged background, Kang Dong Won has generally kept his family connections away from the spotlight throughout his entertainment career.
Kang Dong Won reportedly attended prestigious schools from a young age and has been described as having an IQ of 137. He graduated from Hanyang University with a degree in mechanical engineering. However, rather than pursuing a career in engineering, he eventually chose to enter the entertainment industry, where he quickly established himself as a rising star.
In 2000, while he was a university freshman standing approximately 186 centimeters tall, Kang Dong Won was reportedly scouted by a modeling agency on the street. He subsequently began working as a fashion model, appearing on runways in Paris for brands including DKNY, Gucci, and Hugo Boss, as well as participating in fashion events in Seoul. After appearing in Jo Sung Mo’s music video for “I Swear,” he became interested in acting and decided to take acting classes.
Kang Dong Won eventually left modeling behind and made his acting debut in the 2003 MBC drama Country Princess. In 2004, he entered the film industry with Too Beautiful to Lie, playing opposite Kim Ha Neul. His career gained significant momentum later that year with Temptation of Wolves, which earned him several acting honors, including Best New Actor at the Korean Film Awards and recognition at the Blue Dragon Film Awards, Golden Cinema Film Festival, and Baeksang Arts Awards. He has since appeared in numerous notable films, including Maundy Thursday, Peninsula, and The Priests.
Within Korean entertainment, Kang Dong Won is also widely regarded as one of the industry’s most handsome actors. Before his rise to fame, conventionally masculine appearances were particularly popular among leading men. However, his emergence helped popularize a softer, more delicate style of male beauty often described as the “flower boy” look. Characterized by youthful features and an elegant appearance, this aesthetic has remained influential among Korean actors and K-pop idols.
Sources: kenh14