Song Joong-ki’s road to fame: before Netflix’s Vincenzo and K-drama stardom, he was nearly a K-pop idol trainee

Apr 14 , 2021

What was Song Joong-ki like before the fame? Photos: @joongkisource/Twitter, @Kdramalover96/Twitter

Before the film Space Sweepers, dramas Descendants of the Sun and Arthdal Chronicles, and his marriage to Song Hye-kyo, Song Joong-ki was already turning heads

Did you know he was a short-track speed skater for 12 years, attended the prestigious Sungkyunkwan University and appeared on KBS’ Quiz Korea as a student?

From hit 2016 military drama Descendants of the Sun to currently airing mafia series Vincenzo, there’s been no end in sight to the different yet equally charming sides that Song Joong-ki has shown us. And then there were his other popular K-dramas like Sungkyunkwan Scandal and Arthdal Chronicles, not to mention his sensational marriage to Song Hye-kyo.

But that’s not all there is to the 35-year-old Korean star. Here’s a list of memorable moments from throughout his life that you should definitely know about before calling yourself a true Song Joong-ki fan …

He was a short-track speed skater

Song Joong-ki in the K-drama Triple. Photo: @Kdramalover96/Twitter

Song might have athletic scenes in his K-dramas, but his physical prowess isn’t just limited to the small screen: he’s talented in sports in real life too. Since his first year in junior school he made a name for himself as a short-track speed skater. He even played for the regional team of his hometown Daejeon, taking part in the Korean National Sports Festival thrice.

Song Joong-ki in drama Triple. Photo: @SongJoongKi_ID/ Twitter

So why did he quit after almost 12 years of competing? The main reason was an injury, but there was more to it than that. According to SBS News, on an episode of Channel A’s Rumour Has It a pop culture critic commented that, “There were a lot of conflicts between short track teams in order to acquire influence. Song Joong-ki realised that not only is it difficult to be selected as a member of the national team … he also knew that his talent was not the sole requirement. So he entirely gave up on doing sports and devoted himself to his studies.” SBS News also stated that, in an interview with another media outlet, Song revealed his struggles with his decision, saying, “I cried so much when I quit short-track speed skating.”

But Song didn’t leave his passion behind completely: in 2009, he portrayed a national short-track speed skater in MBC’s Triple, showing off his skating skills on screen. Score.