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Kang Ji-hwan’s post-Money interview and photo shoots

Ah, that time after an actor wraps a drama and finally has time to give tons of interviews and shoot photo spreads… Kang Ji-hwan recently finished up his weekend revenge-and-money-and-corruption drama Incarnation of Money, and we’ve got a slew of interviews and photos, like the cover he recently shot for May’s issue of The Star magazine.

In that magazine and in other interviews he’s given recently (I’m condensing several into this post), he talked about how he felt about the drama, his legal battles with his former management company, and his plans for the future.

About Incarnation of Money, he said, “I worked hard, and it feels good to receive acknowledgement and positive feedback. Maybe it’s because I’ve done a lot of romantic comedies, but I had a desire to take on a straight drama, and I was able to really do that this time. I was able to show a new side of myself in a genre I’ve wanted to try, and I’m happy about that.”

Kang has been in legal disputes with his former management company for the past several years, and proceedings had gotten pretty bitter as they tried to block him from working. It’s why he had to drop out of Faith (before they reworked it into the Lee Min-ho version), and the ex-management company tried hard to keep him out of Incarnation of Money as well. Aside from the legal disputes, his image took a hit.

He said, “It was so frustrating. An actor has to act, but because of outside factors I wasn’t able to. I had practically given up on hopes of acting in a drama. But the director and writer called me, and I was so thankful.” The producers stuck with Kang Ji-hwan as well, stating that no other actor would do, and in the end he was able to continue filming. “When I started working on the drama, I went into it determined, with gritted teeth,” he said.

About his acting: “My goal all this while was to receive recognition for my acting. I wanted to show people by the end of this drama that Kang Ji-hwan was an actor who could act well. I’m satisfied with the result.” His character, as he describes Lee Cha-don, “was not just one character. It went from comedy and melo, action to even thriller. I felt a lot of pressure, that my character would be swinging back and forth within a serious drama.”

What I like best about Kang Ji-hwan, though, is his ability to turn on a dime and hit different emotions and tones within a scene, so I think on that score he was a solid pick for the role. If I had to make a criticism it’s that he sometimes goes too far (which can work to hilarious effect in comedies like Coffee House), but I can’t accuse him of having limited range.

Another thing I dig about Kang is his candidness in admitting that he wants to be liked, that he wants to hear praise. I mean, I guess it would be cooler for actors to ignore fame and popularity and not seek out the limelight, but it’s refreshing to hear somebody admit that they like reading positive comments about themselves. It’s adorkable; he reminds me of the guy who used to be a nerd and then got hot in later life, who still has awkward tics.

He said, “Usually when I’m doing a drama I do tend to visit various fan sites. I want to indulge in some praise. [Laughs] Actually, reading hateful comments makes me unable to concentrate on the project, so to avoid those potential danger traps I stuck to fan sites. But with this drama, I went searching for comments on other articles and sites. It was a source of comfort and support to see that there were a lot of positive comments, which helped me through tough times.”

Asked why he doesn’t leave many comments when he purports to read his fan sites daily, Kang laughed, “If I commented too often my mystique would fade.” HA. You big dork.

 
And here are a few photos from other shoots, just because. You’re welcome.

Via SBS Entertainment, My Daily

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I would probably make the same face if people made me read a french newspaper which dated back the 1940's. The accesories for this photoshoot are totally random...

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LOL I had the same reaction, like, the SAME reaction. I was like "What the heck, why does it have to be a post-war Figaro newspaper?"

Kang Ji Hwan looks nice though!

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Lol. Had the same reaction. I bet it's a prop used and reused for photoshoots and even for filming. ^^

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25th of February, 1949!

Well he was quite good at speaking in Lie to Me.
Brushing up his reading skill, maybe?
Anyway, it's way hotter than the shoot of Kim Soo-Hyun "reading" Le Canard enchainé :p

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speaking French*

He's ALWAYS good at speaking :D

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paper? what paper? i forgot to look at the props cause i was immersed in the guy! <3

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lol exactly! :D Something about this guy is so sexy!!

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Ugh I absolutely love Kang Ji Hwan. He is wonderful.

I love him more than Lee Min Ho /hidesfromfangirls

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I'm too old to love LMH so I'm with ya!

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Makes me wonder what Faith would have been like if he had been able to keep the role.

It probably would have still sucked, but maybe in a watchable way...

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and if they didnt throw their budget out of the window before even starting.
i still think faith had a lot of potential and great ideas (the ice-lake-dream parts?), it just ended up being generally unlucky.
i also wouldve liked if he couldve kept that role, it might have influenced the project beyond his character even because it wouldve saved them alot of organisational trouble.
that french newspaper photo is totally cool. random, but still... the green glasses go really well with it

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Yes, Lee Min Ho was not the biggest problem (Kim Hee Sun was worse in terms of miscasting ... beautiful yes, talented NO) for sure.

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I know right, if it had been with Kang Ji hwan I bet it would have been epic. I saw a trailer of Faith with Kang Ji hwan instead of Lee Minho and it does differ from each other. But, now we can only say what if...

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SyMrcMdcT6E&hd=1

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yes i like the teaser of faith in kang ji hwan version than lee min ho, may be i will watch that drama

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While I liked Faith as it was, I really want to see this "other drama," perhaps as a movie?

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thanks so much for linking that trailer soxxy15. it was awesome! i watched the lee min ho version and the action scenes can't compare with those shown in this trailer. looking forward to another drama with kang ji hwan. incarnation of money was excellent, park sang min is mesmerizing as the second lead. however, kang displayed such a range of emotions and growth as an actor. loved him in capital scandal also.

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I wonder that too.

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+1

LOL.

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+2
^^

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I'm with you there!! I would have watched Faith if he has been in that drama!!

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I love Lee Min Ho but I wonder what Faith would've been like with Ji Hwan shi.

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Ah, so lovely. I need pretty after a weekend of studying death and disease. Thanks a bunch for sharing.

He just gets this look on his face that speaks of gleefully naughty, uh, things. Love looking at this man, but not enough to watch Incarnation all the way through though. I guess that means I love Lee Min Ho more (winks @Joy).

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Dude's very good-looking. He's also a good actor but I've always been put off by his dramas due to their scripts or executions. Incarnation was alright; it had interesting premise, some interesting characters, and some excellent episodes but it suffered from spotty writing and characterizations. Kang Ji Hwan seriously needs to start picking better scripts (although I couldn't blame him for wanting to work with the writer-director duo of Giant and History of the Salaryman; don't know what happened to them this time).

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I would love to see him in a compelling fusion sageuk.

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His "best" work other than Incarnation of Money would be Be Strong Geum Soon. Fantastic writing on that drama, really should check it out. It just gets better and better with each episode, and the ending is beautifully written.

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I agree. I think he's one of the best looking actors out there, even better looking than Lee Min Ho! Only thing is his voice: it sounds nasal, like an elf.
Can't say I liked any of his dramas so far. Lied To Me was bleh, but that's the best out of all of them.

It's awful that his management company got revengeful like that. I don't think that would have happened in the U.S. (at least so blatantly). That's so unprofessional and immature. Let the guy work, for cryin' out loud.

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Okay, I thought I was the only one who thought he was good looking... but then there's his voice. Lol.

And I love his flower pants... but for me.

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He's one handsome man. I loved Incarnation of Money too. One of the few dramas I actually finished watching.

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Me too, I like KJH in this type of witty, whip-smart role. Yet he has so much heart, too.

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I like him, too. Better to have to reign in an actors overdoing it than to try to coax more out of them. He does strike me as more theatrical and would likely do really well on the stage. Either way, I enjoy him and wish, like others, that he would choose better projects to show what he can do. His ability to perform physical comedy like John Ritter (Three's Company) is hilarious and I find myself rewinding those parts over and over. lol

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Oh yes ! Kang Ji Hwan is a good stage actor and I think he shines most there. I've watched his play 'Cafe In' on you tube and gotta say it's one of my favorite among his works.

Honestly he moves his head too much when he acts but his acting style works really well on stage.

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1) Loose the flower pants, thank you very much!
2) I really like Kang JH versatility in his roles/ his acting. Also I really really really like him PERIOD. I cant beleive that there was a time where I couldn't stand him even if it was a very very short time.

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Oh! I forgot the most important thing : he looks very good in ALL the pictures.
OK I need to calm down like right now...

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YES! Very very good *sigh*

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I wonder if he reads this site because it is Kang Ji-wan fan site for sure. I love this actor to bits,

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Ahh, KJH, through this drama I discovered the best actor to portrayed Queen Myeong Seong.. ^^

Love him since Capital Scandal, still love him to date.
Hope he won't make us wait too long to see him in another fab drama.

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He's been my eye candy for the past week. Some more photos
http://couch-kimchi.com/2013/05/01/kang-ji-hwan-is-still-a-sexy-mofo/

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This dude is so hot, practically oozing with charm!

At first, I thought the actor in real life would be arrogant and stiff. I don't know, it was just a vibe I got from him at first. But I had no idea he's such an honest dork! I love it! I would praise him all the time if I knew he liked receiving compliments so much, heehee. I can imagine him sitting behind his laptop while checking his fansite, going "Aww shucks, *blush* stop it you~"

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Thanks javabeans for the pretty!! Need my KJH fix after the end of Incarnation of Money which i loved. I loved him since Capital Scandal!! Looking forward to more of KJH...

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He's one of the few really handsome actors that I like. Usually, i go for very feminine guys. But....yeah, Kang Ji Hwan is mega-watchable....

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I am the opposite - i am not too much into "pretty" or "flower boys" type. Perhaps that is one of the reasons that I like KJH.

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I agree- directors who want pretty boys to boost their ratings would not pick KJH. That's why he got so few really excellent roles to play- because casting always wants to get the hottest, best looking guy for the best projects. I think of KJH as an underdog- not the best looking, a little bit like a mutt on the street, but plucky and spirited, completely lovable. And the directors who can look beyond appearance to focus on acting talent would only work with great actors like KJH, for example, the team behind Incarnation of Money.

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3rd photos make me think about him as Hong Gil Dong ^^

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awwwww... Hong Gil Dong sunglasses!

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I liked Incarnation of money a lot and he was totally awesome in it.....giving a wide range of emotions..

But for me, I loved him in Coffee House.....he really made that character interesting and unconventional....

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hot! hot! hot!

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My No.1 and always will be...

I wish the original 'Faith' could be re-scripted, call it by a different title and they get KJH to resume his role. That trailer was thrilling and KJH was awesome in it.

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He was and still is the first korean actor that I fell in love with (before slew of other actors followed!!!) and frankly speaking he is really a good actor as well, able to portray range and variety of emotions and acts. and like one one of the commentators said Lee Min Ho is way too young for me and but Kang is perfect for me. so I will have him any day....yum..slurp!!

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One of my favorite actors! I love him.

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I've been having my suspicions about his legal troubles for a while and now it seems even more likely things are as they seem. He wanted to break away from the funny rom-com image, but his agencies were afraid of losing money from him actually wanting versatility.

It does not feel like a coincidence that both series which they tried to stop him from doing where epic and darker works which would showcase his dramatic qualities instead of mainly his comedic ones.

I'm glad he made it through and glad the 'Incarnation of Money' team also fought to keep him. See, all it takes is some perseverance and not being bullied into giving up. I wish more people in the industry would fight for themselves and each other. I hope this series gets him more attention and many good offers now. Looking forward to the future.

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Incarnation of Money wasn't quite my cup of tea, but am glad that he's doing well and I'm sure there's only up to go for him in his career right now. Let it be known to future agencies/drama productions that good talent like this shouldn't be wasted via such petty legal disputes.

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He has a certain vulnerability to him when it's shown onscreen it's beautiful. Which is why I love 90 Days to death. I think he likes doing melos too ....If he does then he's in luck because kdramaland is in the mood for melodramas. And I think he's the perfect man for it.

OT: Just realized the new links on DB. Thanks !

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His best melo drama has got to be Be Strong Geum Soon. If you stick with it (he doesn't appear in the first few episodes, but then he's a huge part of the story) you'll be "handsomely" rewarded with one of the most thoughtfully written dramas I've ever seen. And the ending will make 160+ episodes worth your time. It's a drama worth diving into. It has a story that will move you and enlarge your heart.

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To me he is like a Korean version of Leonardo Di Caprio. Much like Leo, he is one of the finest actors of his generation but unfortunately underrated. He should have won some serious acting awards by now.

Kang Ji Hwan is not the type that I consider as seriously handsome (though he is still an eye candy), but I strongly admire him for being a good actor, an actor who loves acting and takes pride in what he does.

As much I kind of enjoy Lie To Me, I think he was absolutely brilliant in Incarnation of Money and boy I'm glad and thankful that the director, writers (teehee... it's a team of incredible writers behind Giant and Salaryman) and producer stood by him in his time of great turmoil. I was waiting for the drama to hit past 20% rating, sadly it was up against rating monsters from KBS which proved to be impossible.

I pray that SBS would consider to acknowledge his talent by awarding him those Best Actor gong this year end. He deserves it.

Hope to see more of Kang Ji Hwan in a hugely explosively successful dramas in nearest future. Wish you best of luck and undying support, Ji Hwan Oppa.

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After being blown away by him in Incarnation of Money, I searched to find him in another really good drama, and finally found it in Be Strong Geum Soon. This is his first break-out role, ratings over 40%, huge hit, great cast, great screenwriting. He comes into the main character's life slowly, so bear with the first few episodes as everyone's settling into their roles. He is not only excellent as usual, but there's also the plus of his extra hotness in this drama (he was late twenties here) You will see he has a gorgeous neck and powerful arms and porcelain skin and pink lips. But not only that, the story is so well-written, no wonder it was so popular. Rarely will you meet a drama that wraps up so nicely, and paces itself with perfect timing and planning, no crazy stunts, etc. A drama worth your time savoring.

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my eyes hurt! so much prettiness. for someone who is very hunky, he seems to not minding looking ridiculous and goes all the way to make his character believable. i'm enjoying incarnation of money so much.

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Me love KJH! Oppaaaaa....

At least this one is older than me. Hehe. Definitely more love for KJH than LMH, if that's the comparison going on here. Hee hee. I think Faith diminished my LMH love. KJH makes me love him even in terrible dramas...his acting and charm still shine through.

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Very handsome. i do not like his voice either.

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mine?

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All I gotta say is you had me at Kang Ji-hwan! The man is gorgeous (and I have no issues with his voice whatsoever ).

In fact, some friends and I challenged ourselves to come up with our Top 10 favorite/hottest Korean male actors and he made it into my top 5: http://robinnystrom.wordpress.com/2011/07/10/top-10-challenge/

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He has Hobbit-like feet in that pic where he is sitting on a stool. HAHA! But I still love him :-)

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Ah, i love him! What a sweetie!

I love it that he triumphed in IOM. Always good to succeed when one's enemies/former management are wishing one ill.

I also love it that he visits fan sites. I totally understand how seeing bad reviews can block one's work and how being praised can spur one on. Loving. Sarangae.

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I'm a fangirl of just one actor, and that is Kang Ji Hwan! He's everything I admire in an actor. So genuine and honest and unafraid to be different. I used to be bothered about his voice, but now I love hearing it. He's an inspiration wrapped in a hot package! :3

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I like his voice too, it's very refreshing. very comforting. very unique to him. of course, we all like tall actors with deep voices, but tenors are also very beautiful, too. look up his singing at fan meetings on youtube. he's actually got a really beautiful voice for music, too. I like him just the way he is, his voice shows vulnerability and softness.

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Lee Cha Don was like a tailor fit role for Kang Ji Hwan. He was able to prove his versatility as an actor but I still hope to see him doing a romcom-action type role in a drama as he was so damn good in that genre and making his viewers lol :)

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I think what I admire about him the most, is that he is such an versatile actor. From romantic hero to dork. Dramatic, funny or slapstick he can pull it all of. And that's really something.

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I really enjoyed him in Incarnation of Money. He is adorkable! LOL as the Queen of Joseon....still has that weird and funny image in my brain!

I'm glad he's free of his legal entanglements. Hope to see him soon in another movie or drama. I think he's hasn't disappointed me is his acting performances yet, but I think he still needs to find a role that will put him in the A team class of actors.

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Dang I love this man. I even suffered through LTM for him.

But, I really like IOM so far...I'm way behind, only on ep 15, but I think he's awesome in this....I can't imagine anyone doing any better.

And, he's so adorable, besides.

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READ THIS KJH-ssi... You're still FINE as wonderful wine.

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KJH is and always will be my favourite Korean actor. I just think he has fantastic on-screen charisma. I love his voice and his smile. He's a wonderfully versatile actor. My favourite drama's with him are Capital Scandal and Hong Gil Dong.
Unfortunately he's also been in some dreadful drama's (like Lie To Me and Exhibition of Fireworks), but he's never bad in them. It's always the writing, directing etc. that's at fault.

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It's not too late to discover his treasure of a drama in Be Strong Geum Soon, after all, it's the drama that started it all and propelled him into the spotlight. Great story, hard to find such a well-written and well-paced script these days that also manages to end well, not rushed, not too corny, but just perfect, just right, exactly what it should be. Check it out, you won't regret it.

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Don't forget - there was Be Strong, Geum Soon too :)

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AMEN!!! lol, I spent so much time recommending that drama on this forum because so few people mention this drama, one of his best.

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I suffered Lie to me too, just because of our Ji Hwan...The moment he is onscreen, everything else shines along with him.♥♥ His voice is unique, soooo sexy and mischievous
Also I want to say Life is unfair because There is only One Kang Ji Hwan and many many of us who want him to be our sobangnim...♥♥

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Well done Kang ji,
I think Gong Yoo is in the same page They are trying to do roles in dramas,They have talent and versatility.

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Luv acting Kang Ji Hwan very much. He has a good character and can do anything about act. The best act he has, in LIE TO ME, with Yoon Eun Hyee, because they have a great chemistry and they have a good acting too. I don't see Korean Drama like that, it' s so funny, and romantic. i always re run the DVD. . . ;). After that, i watch his drama again, but not as good as Lie To Me. If Kang Ji Hwan have a popular drama again, make it with Yoon Eun Hyee. . . w e are waiting for. . .

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See him shine in Be Strong Geum Soon! He's so good looking and strong. Great drama, he was very lucky to be cast in this role. The script is excellent. The drama is lucky to have found him, too. Win-Win situation.

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I love Kang Ji-hwan.

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I'm so glad that you're a fan of KJH. He's my #1 fave actor because of his acting skills. I do agree, he goes overboard at times in his comedy but I love it. That's his style. I don't think he's the greatest looking but he has charm, charisma and the guy sure can kiss too! I think he's adorkable too. Looking forward to his upcoming movies, hope they come out in the U.S. or at least with Eng subs!

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Good acting! Refreshing, fantastic facial expressions shown in different scenes (whether serious, humorous, vengeance etc..) in all of his dramas watched. Hope to see more of KJH in other dramas. I've enjoyed both his LTM and IOM dramas and the chemistry with his leading ladies. Congrats!!

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How about Be Strong Geum Soon? If you liked Lie to Me, you will adore him to pieces in this drama, his first leading role. Plus, the story is very good.

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