Honestly, it’s still hard to wrap your head around. Song Jae Rim was one of those actors who just felt... present. He had this specific, quiet gravity that made him stand out even when he wasn’t the main lead. Whether he was playing a silent royal bodyguard with a sword or a goofball in a virtual marriage, the guy had range.
If you're looking for tv shows with song jae rim, you’re likely realizing his filmography is way deeper than just a couple of hits. He didn't just stick to the "pretty boy" model-turned-actor script. He took weird roles. He took supporting roles that stole the show. He even did a musical right before he passed away in late 2024.
Let’s look at the stuff that actually defined his career, beyond the headlines.
The Breakthrough: Why Everyone Obsessed Over a Bodyguard
Most people first noticed him in The Moon Embracing the Sun (2012). It was a massive hit—like, 40% viewership ratings massive. He played Kim Jae-woon, the king’s loyal shadow.
He barely spoke.
📖 Related: Why American Beauty by the Grateful Dead is Still the Gold Standard of Americana
That was the charm, though. In a drama full of weeping and screaming, his stoic, long-haired warrior was the cool anchor. It’s funny because he actually studied Electrical and Electronic Engineering in college. You wouldn’t guess that seeing him handle a sword in a hanbok.
Then there was Two Weeks (2013). This is where he shed the "loyal guard" image and played a cold-blooded assassin named Mr. Kim. He was terrifying. No dialogue, just a chilling presence chasing Lee Joon-gi. If you want to see his physical acting at its peak, this is the one.
The "So-Rim" Fever and Variety Magic
You can't talk about tv shows with song jae rim without mentioning We Got Married.
In 2014, he was paired with actress Kim So-eun. Usually, these "fake marriage" shows are a bit cringey and scripted. But Jae Rim was... different. He was incredibly greasy (in a funny way) and threw out these bold, flirtatious lines that caught everyone off guard.
👉 See also: Why October London Make Me Wanna Is the Soul Revival We Actually Needed
- He wasn't afraid to be weird.
- The chemistry was so real it sparked dating rumors for a decade.
- He won a Best Couple Award and a Newcomer Award for it.
The "So-Rim" couple became legendary. They even reunited later for the 2016 drama Our Gap-soon, playing a long-term couple struggling with real-world problems like unemployment and family pressure. It ran for over 60 episodes. That’s a lot of screen time, and it showed he could carry a long-form weekend drama just as well as a trendy miniseries.
The Versatility You Might Have Overlooked
A lot of fans skip his 2015 work Unkind Ladies (or Unkind Women), but he was great in it as Lee Roo-oh, a kendo instructor. It’s a multi-generational story about women in one family, and he provided this steady, romantic side-plot that felt grounded.
Then you have Clean with Passion for Now (2018). He played the "second lead," Dr. Daniel Choi. He lived on a rooftop, wore tracksuits, and was basically the emotional support system for Kim Yoo-jung’s character. It was a total 180 from his earlier "killer" roles.
Recent Work You Should Catch Up On
- Queen Woo (2024): This was one of his final projects. A gritty, historical power struggle where he played Go Pae-eui. It’s much darker than his early sageuk work.
- All That We Loved (2023): He played the adult version of the main character (Dr. Go). It was a smaller role, but vital for the "past vs. present" mystery.
- My Military Valentine (2024): A North-South Korean romance where he played a special forces agent.
The Reality of His Final Chapter
It’s impossible to ignore the context of his passing in November 2024. He was found in his Seoul apartment, leaving behind a two-page letter. He had recently changed his Instagram bio to "A Long Journey Begins."
✨ Don't miss: How to Watch The Wolf and the Lion Without Getting Lost in the Wild
He was only 39.
Earlier in 2024, he’d been active in the musical La Rose de Versailles, showing he was still pushing his boundaries as an artist. He even joked in interviews about wanting to become a fragrance expert or a meat processing technician. He had hobbies. He had a life outside the camera.
How to Watch His Legacy Now
If you want to binge tv shows with song jae rim, your best bet is hitting the major streaming platforms. The Moon Embracing the Sun is usually on Netflix or Viki. For his more niche stuff like I Wanna Hear Your Song or How to Be Thirty, Viki is the gold mine.
Start with The Moon Embracing the Sun to see the mystery, move to We Got Married for the personality, and finish with Our Gap-soon to see the range.
He wasn't just a face from the "model-actor" wave. He was a guy who worked constantly, took risks, and left a massive catalog of work that actually holds up. If you're a fan of K-dramas, spending a weekend with his filmography is a pretty solid way to honor a talent that left way too soon.
Go check out Two Weeks first if you want something fast-paced. It’s arguably his most underrated performance.