I almost can’t recognize Song Il-kook — star of period dramas Jumong and Kingdom of the Wind — in these newly released photos, which show off his trimmed-down and muscular body. Although normally a fairly fit actor, he is going for a new image in preparation for his upcoming drama, A Man Called God. His character displays outstanding martial arts skills as the leader of an underground organization who vows revenge on the enemy who killed his parents. (With his love interest being a rookie reporter, the modern-day hero story’s initial synopsis makes it sound like a kdrama version of Batman meets Superman.)
Song also dropped approximately 15 kg for this role — and if you don’t recognize him in the above figure either, this photo on the right may be more familiar. The 38-year-old Song is normally an exercise enthusiast (and previously completed an Iron Man competition), but intensified his workouts to eliminate most of his body fat and achieve his current physique.
A Man Called God also stars Han Chae-young, Kim Min-jong, and Han Go-eun and began shooting in Hawaii this month. The drama follows Assorted Gems in the weekend timeslot, and premieres on MBC on March 6.
Via Segye
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Tags: A Man Called God, Song Il-kook
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He looks sort of creepy…
Anyone else thinking: vampire?
Highly anticipating this , although the time slot doesn’t seem to fit the viewers it is dedicated to. In anycase , it’ll be majorly popular because it’ll start off with a nice rating (due to Assorted Gem viewers)
Oh. my. word.
(raised eyebrow)
He look totally different. I can’t wait to see how he look in the drama.
i’m thinking perhaps a tinge of narcissistic personality disorder, often seen in guys who work out almost obsessively.
guys work out with mirrors because they need to see their form (for obvious safety and performance reasons), but often times you catch them looking at themselves for extended periods, just…. so into themselves and their efforts to create ripped muscle.
it’s healthy to love oneself, but those pictures are a bit creepy.
I was just saying to myself that he does not look right. I love black and white photos, but I don’t think these are doing him any justice. …Sorry!
OMG what did he do to himself???
OMG?? I prefer the normal Song Il Kook…
That picture of his backside, I looked at it with my jaw on the table. NOT. HEALTHY. OR. NORMAL. He’s crossed over into the Muscle Beach territory and that is not how I like my SIK, or any actor for that matter.
*shudders*
O____O is all i can muster.
Scary. And very Not Hot.
He’s really unrecognizable since he lost the fat in his face! I’ll say one thing (re: photo of his backside)….he’s very symmetrical!
So…no one else is getting the “Ma’am, would you like me to rotate your tires?” feel from the first photo? Just me?
Facial doesn’t look very healthy even his body looks great… as long as he will get back to his old self after the drama, it will be OK….
Ha Ha totally getting the “Ma’am, would you like me to rotate your tires?” from the first photo LeMonS. You are not alone.
first photo=YUMMY!!! gives off a Rain-ish appeal, gives good eye candy, yet leaves a lot to the imagination.
second photo.. ummm.. nice hands? cuz all the bulging muscle is too much!! not feeling that look..
*jaw drops*
the backside shot was creepy… reminds me of an anatomical muscle model…w/out the skin, he’d be a perfect teaching tool.
…..wiping of the drool..
eeeeeewwwwwwww! yeeech! Never liked him before, but this is creepy!
WOW!!!!!!
oh my god , he gonna look hot at scene of course. These are just still images, If you guys gonna look him in person, … gonna drop dead!!!!
HOT DAMN!
Nuff said.
He looks weird. But it sure is an impressive transformation.
Since the story sounds boring and Han Chae -young is in it, I definitely will not watch this, but still…. Wow!
Oh… my goodness! What. A. Transformation!!
(19 cms lurver – ditto!)
that looks kind of… gross. i mean, in the second to last picture, he doesn’t even look human… more like one of those models of the human body/muscles…
0_0 I’m all for muscles, but…ahem, I liked him better before.
one word….SCARY!!! that’s so unappealing..it reminds me of those bodybuilders but less bulky. i didn’t even know who it was until you mentioned the pic.
Is this career desperation at 38 or what? SIG’s had a pretty dignified image in his 30s, rather shy of the press. I liked that better than this.
lol at first i thought it was jang hyuk haha
yikes. he’s unrecognizable. and his neck looks kind of scary. he is very, um, symmetrical, though.
and to set the record straight: he did not do an iron man. what he did was an international distance triathlon. that’s a mile swim, 25 mile bike, 6.2 mile run. not too bad – kind of fun, even. i did a few in my foolish youth. an iron man, on the other hand, is 2.4 mile swim, 112 mile bike and a 26.2 mile run, any one of which is difficult and all 3 together are ridiculously hard. only insane people do that.
body is ok
but the face is weird- scrary – disg…. sorry duke
Holy moly mother-cow!!
I know SIG changes his image drastically for this role..but this this EXTREME!!!! eeee`..mygod, his back look impressive, but his face look like a starving middle age lady and all that collarbones a girl could want..give me SOME!
“the backside shot was creepy… reminds me of an anatomical muscle model…w/out the skin, he’d be a perfect teaching tool.”
LMAO… his backside does indeed make a perfect anatomy model.
Well he prepared for the role where his gonna do martial arts so I don’t see anything wrong with the way he looks (very muscular) – I’ve never been a fan of him (especially after the allege assult and battery charge) but I think he got prepared for the role pretty good.
Good gravy! Surely photoshopped? Pl tell me it’s photoshopped!
*yuck* can’t tell it’s just the same guy (O_o) what did he do to his face? (T_T)
I just saw more poster shots of him !
Here : http://mbc24tv.com/?document_srl=9620#0
one word: CREEPY!!!
the first picture reminds me of matsumoto jun! (is that his name?) / goo junpyo in the original japanese version.
Wow, is this the korean male version of a Heidi Montag- changed beyond recognition. I had to dramawiki to make sure that he was the same actor I last saw in Bodyguard ( an old drama , starring my cutie pie CSW). If you didn’t put in his old pix, I would not have known that it’s the same guy.
@ 38 okdubu Yes, the jaw line is similar… but that is all. It takes concentration to keep that pose in the neck… that stresses the face, too, i would think.
This sort of body doesn’t appeal to me. I’ll have to check out his old pictures to see the changes.
@ snoopyvkd
“OMG?? I prefer the normal Song Il Kook…”
I completely agree with you. What happened to the Song Il Kook from “Terms of Endearment?”
HOLY SHI- was my first response! I actually kind of like the backside view. It’s ..interesting. These pictures aren’t really that great, not to mention the curls. Just so wrong.
Oh! He has extremely nice arms + hands! I have a little fetish. LOL
He didn’t have plastic surgery. Most of these comments are ridiculous. I can still tell it’s him, just that his face is a lot more define and skinnier now. And heck, I’m not even a fan.
Many men get into shape for an action/martial arts film. Seriously? No one was complaining when Rain did it and he wasn’t any better looking than this anyway.
my god that body is hot and this is coming from a guy
he is ripped and you can tell by all the muscle he is showing
and all that fat he has lost
its a really good transformation
people might say it looks scary
some might say that he is too skinny, or muscly but for those who can get that ripped, and the effort to get that, i applaud him
compared to jilt taec,he is mildy ripped, if he had lost more fat
it will look like that,
ummm, he must’ve work very hard to achieve this..
im so used to his soft old look , can hardly recognise him
It’s a little creepy to be honest. Or maybe I’m just too used to seeing him all dolled up and dignified.
Just wait and see,he is going to look fantastic in this new drama. I’m looking forward to watching this show!! The black n white pics only enhances his muscular physique. Hard work never looked so good!
Lol, that’s dedication for you!
Personally I think its pretty admirable and while it is shocking because he looks so DIFFERENT, I don’t think it’s creepy at all!
I agree with #44, it’s definitely something to applaud that he can make the effort to get that ripped for his character especially at 38!!
Like I said before.
HOT DAMN!
I was really surprised seeing these photos. I really prefer the weight that Song Il-kook had before but I can see his dedication for preparing this much for his upcoming drama, which made me more excited, he doesn’t even look his age at all!