Actor Kang Ki-doong engraved yet another “life character” through JTBC’s weekend drama Surely Tomorrow. With a unicorn-like presence, he deeply touched viewers’ hearts and firmly claimed the title of the drama’s “healing force.”
In Surely Tomorrow, which concluded on the 11th, Kang Ki-doong played Cha Woo-sik, an actor who graduated from the theater club “Jirimeolyeol” and the husband of Park Se-young (played by Lee Joo-young), becoming the character responsible for the warmth of the drama. Even within the intertwined relationships with Lee Gyeong-do (Park Seo-joon), Seo Ji-woo (Won Ji-an), and Lee Jung-min (Jo Min-guk), he was always a figure who gently embraced the narrative with his kind smile and comforting words.
In particular, the truth behind Cha Woo-sik’s death revealed in the final episode delivered a major shock to viewers. It was revealed that the mysterious death ending shown in Episode 11 belonged to Cha Woo-sik, bringing renewed focus to his final moments. Even as he met his death in a burning theater, his calm narration to Lee Gyeong-do, who was overseas, conveyed the sincerity of a man who remained a friend until the very end, leaving a profound aftertaste.
“Gyeong-do… this performance felt really good.”
Cha Woo-sik’s final line, spoken even amid the flames, was completed through Kang Ki-doong’s restrained emotional acting. The voice holding back tears and the trembling breath overlapped, instantly breaking down the viewers’ hearts.
Kang Ki-doong portrayed Cha Woo-sik in a three-dimensional way, naturally moving through his 20s, 30s, and 40s. The Cha Woo-sik in his 20s, expressed with curly hair and an innocent expression, radiated lively charm, while the versions of him in his 30s and 40s, shown through romance and marriage with Lee Joo-young, presented the very definition of a realistic couple filled with everyday life. His acting, shifting between sweetness and playful bickering, brought automatic smiles to viewers.
Among the members of Jirimeolyeol, Cha Woo-sik was always “on Gyeong-do’s side.” Even in sharp conversations, he showed unconditional trust and support toward Park Seo-joon’s character, functioning as a breathing space within the drama’s heavy emotional flow. It was a moment when Kang Ki-doong’s unique humanity fully seeped into the character.
His chemistry with Park Seo-joon, Won Ji-an, Lee Joo-young, and Jo Min-guk is also impossible to overlook. From confessions and marriage to performances and funerals, he stood at the center of key events, perfectly serving as the cupid for the Park Seo-joon–Won Ji-an couple. With Lee Joo-young, he created a spicy-sweet marital chemistry, and with Jo Min-guk, he completed a bickering yet affectionate “Tom and Jerry” dynamic, enhancing the drama’s density. His nickname “chemistry fairy” was well deserved.
Meanwhile, Kang Ki-doong has moved straight into filming tvN’s new drama Still Going to Work Tomorrow! (working title) following the conclusion of Surely Tomorrow, continuing his busy schedule.
Reported by News Culture M.J._mj94070777@nc.press
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