Song Joong-ki: Ten Facts You May Not Know About The ‘Descendants Of The Sun’ Star
Song Joong-ki has become a global star. The South Korean actor and television personality has surged to worldwide popularity after his stellar work in Descendants of the Sun, the recently concluded K-drama which explored the romantic relationship between a soldier and a doctor. Descendants of the Sun not only went on to set major records after becoming one of the highest grossing Asian television shows of all time, it also propelled its leading stars, Song Joong-ki and Song Hye-kyo, into the public imagination all around the world.
With rumors suggesting that the South Korean star could soon be making his way to Hollywood, we thought it would be interesting to shed a light on some of the lesser known moments of his life. So here are ten facts about Song Joong-ki which you may not know.
Sit back, and get to know more about your favorite star, which would give you just the edge you need when playing Song Joong-ki trivia with your friends!
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10. Song Joong-ki wanted to be an athlete when he was in elementary school
As mentioned earlier in the article, it appears that Joong-ki was aware of his booming potential quite early in his life. But it was not quite as an actor, but as an athlete. Song Joong-ki is an accomplished skater, and as Ten Asia reports, he represented his hometown Daejeon thrice in the National Games when he was in school.
9. Song Joong-ki’s parents did not want him to enter the entertainment business
While the Descendants of the Sun star might have known that he was destined for great things early in his life, his parents were against him joining the entertainment business. Instead, they wanted him to study harder and earn a college degree, which, as you might already know, Song Joong-ki did with ease.
8. Song Joong-ki scored the highest possible grades in all subjects in high school
The South Korean star, in keeping with his parents’ wishes, scored 380 points out of 400 on his national college entrance and entered the prestigious Sungkyunkwan University, according to Korea JoongAng Daily.
7. Song Joong-ki does not have social media accounts
Sorry fans, but this is just the way Song Joong-ki likes it. By his own admission, Joong-ki is not tech-savvy at all, and as a result does not keep keep any social media accounts.
Considering the Hallyu — or the Korean Wave — owes much of its recent popularity to internet and social media, it is pretty ironic that Joong-ki would want to maintain his distance from it. But such as it is, Song Joong-ki presents a huge contrast to his American counterparts, most of whom are not only tech-savvy, but are pretty much always updating their social media profiles when they are not working!
6. Song Joong-ki believes that the military had a positive influence on his life
Song Joong-ki completed serving his mandatory military service just before he joined the cast of Descendants of the Sun, and as Drama Fever reports, he reckons that the military experience had a positive impact on his life.
“I have learned so much in my everyday life as Song Joong Ki (let alone as the actor Song Joong Ki). I believe that is reflected in my acting.”
5. Song Joong-ki once admitted that he would be willing to date women older than him, sparking rumors that he was dating his Descendants of the Sun co-star, Song Hye-kyo
During a fan meeting in Thailand, Song Joong-ki admitted to Parent Herald that he would be willing to date older women, sparking rumors that he was dating his co-star, and the second half of the #SongSongcouple, Song Hye-kyo.
However, they soon quashed the rumors, but confessed that they found it amusing that the world wanted to see them as a pair.
4. Few people know this, but Song Joong-ki is also an author
In 2010, he published a book which served as a beauty guide for men, called Beautiful Skin Project.
Within a month of the publication of the book, it hit the number one on the bestseller list. So don’t be surprised if you get to know that Song Joong-ki is thinking of penning another book in the future!
3. Song Joong-ki used to smoke during his college days, but later quit both cigarettes and alcohol for his health
When he was majoring in Business Economics at the behest of his parents, the Descendants of the Sun star took to smoking several cigarettes a day. However, he later admitted to having quit smoking for the benefit of his health. Smart decision, that!
As Asia Times reports, the Song Joong-ki wave is sweeping across Asia after the overwhelming popularity of Descendants of the Sun, and the South Korean actor is now the face of more than 30 brands across the continent. One of the reasons for his ever-increasing popularity is attributed to his humble nature, something Song Joong-ki admitted comes naturally to him.
“I don?t try to hide who I am when I appear in public places, act or attend interviews. If I do, it makes the gap even wider. I like it best when someone says I?m the same on television, on camera or off camera. This makes it easier for me.”
1. As much fame as Song Joong-ki has attained, he knows that popularity fades eventually
Song Joong-ki never wanted a meteoric rise in his fame, as he confessed during a 2012 interview.
“It’s inevitable that popularity fades. That’s why I must always be prepared. I don’t want a meteoric rise in popularity,” Joong-ki had said.
And yet, Song Joong-ki is now the face of of not only K-dramas around the world, but also Korean popular culture itself. May that long continue.
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[Photo by Kin Cheung/AP Photo]
