In 2000, the year he turned 19, while studying mechanical engineering at Hanyang University, he began working as an ad model after being scouted on the street.
The breakthrough yearThe year he turned 22, he made his drama debut in MBC’s Country Princess. That July, he played the male lead in Something About 1%. Yonhap wrote in an August article that he was a former model who had risen to stardom through the two dramas. In December, he received the Best New Actor award at the MBC Drama Awards.
His first film, Too Beautiful to Lie, opened in February 2004 and Temptation of Wolves in July, and in August he began SBS’s Magic. Duelist opened in 2005. Star News called Temptation of Wolves his breakout film in an article that year, and in December a premium box set for the Japanese market was announced.
In 2007, Lee Myung-se’s M opened. Jeon Woo-chi: The Taoist Wizard opened in December 2009. Secret Reunion opened in 2010, and in November he entered the Army training center, then served as a public service worker. He was released from service in November 2012.
In 2014, Kundo: Age of the Rampant and My Brilliant Life opened. The Priests opened in 2015. A Violent Prosecutor and Master opened in 2016.
In December 2017, 1987: When the Day Comes opened. Golden Slumber and Illang: The Wolf Brigade opened in 2018. Yeon Sang-ho’s Peninsula opened in 2020.
In 2022, he appeared in Hirokazu Kore-eda’s Broker. He played the lead in Dr. Cheon and Lost Talisman in 2023. The Plot opened in 2024, and in October the Netflix film Uprising was released. In 2025, he appeared in Disney+’s Tempest. In June 2026, Wild Sing opened.
Gang Dong-won (born Jan 18, 1981) made his drama debut in MBC’s Country Princess on Mar 12, 2003, the year he turned 22, and became known as the male lead of MBC’s Something About 1%, which began on Jul 6, 2003, the year he turned 22. His first film, Too Beautiful to Lie, opened in 2004, the year he turned 23.
Ages are by calendar year (the year minus the birth year), birthdays aside.
02 / QUICK ANSWERS
Q & AFrequently asked
- How old was Gang Dong-won when he debuted?
- In 2003, the year he turned 22. He made his drama debut in MBC’s Country Princess, which first aired on Mar 12, 2003. In 2000, the year he turned 19, he had begun working as a model after being scouted on the street.
- How old was Gang Dong-won when he became famous?
- In 2003, the year he turned 22. He played the male lead in MBC’s Something About 1%, and in an August article Yonhap described him as a former model who had risen to stardom through that drama and Country Princess. Star News, in a 2005 article, called Temptation of Wolves (2004, the year he turned 23) his breakout film, so the benchmark differs by outlet.
- What was Gang Dong-won’s first film?
- Too Beautiful to Lie, which opened on Feb 20, 2004, the year he turned 23. He appeared with Kim Ha-neul and played Hee-cheol, a pharmacist in a rural town.
- Did Gang Dong-won do military service?
- He entered the Army training center on Nov 18, 2010 and, after four weeks of basic training, served as a public service worker at the Seoul Metropolitan Government Research Institute of Public Health and Environment. He was released from service on Nov 12, 2012.
- How old is Gang Dong-won?
- Born in 1981, he turns 45 in 2026 (45 as of Oct 3, 2026).