Song Kang, Ong Seong Wu, and Nam Joo Hyuk are drawing attention for returning from military service with a more mature image and stronger presence on screen.
Song Kang, who completed his military service in October 2025, recently appeared in new photos shared by tvN’s You Quiz on the Block.
The actor quickly gained attention online for looking just as youthful as before while showing a calmer and more mature atmosphere.
Fans reacted positively to his post-military appearance, with comments praising how well he has maintained his visuals.
Song Kang is now preparing for his first drama after discharge, tvN’s Four Hands, Two Sonatas, which premieres on August 29. He will play Kang Bi O, a highly competitive student who excels in both academics and piano.
Ong Seong Wu, who was discharged in October 2024, has also shown a noticeable change in image. In tvN’s recently completed drama Spooky in Love, he took on his first villain role as Kang Min Hwan.
The role allowed Ong Seong Wu to show a colder and sharper side compared to his previous projects, with viewers noticing his more mature acting and controlled emotional performance.
Nam Joo Hyuk, who completed his military service in September 2024, made his comeback through Netflix series The East Palace in July.
His performance as Gu Cheon highlighted a deeper and more restrained acting style, particularly through his expressions, gaze, and action scenes.
The East Palace also performed strongly after its release. The series recorded 4.9 million views in its first three days and ranked No. 2 on Netflix’s Global Top 10 Non-English TV list. It also entered the Top 10 in 27 countries and ranked No. 1 on Netflix Korea’s daily series chart.
The drama later topped TV and OTT drama buzz rankings, while Nam Joo Hyuk ranked No. 1 among cast members. He also took first place in the August drama actor brand reputation ranking.
With Song Kang returning through a new drama, Ong Seong Wu expanding his acting range, and Nam Joo Hyuk gaining strong global attention, the three actors are showing a noticeably more mature image as they begin the next stage of their careers after military service.
