Who is Jang Kang in As You Stood By? Character explored in depth

Jang Kang is a character in As You Stood By portrayed by Jang Seung-jo. The show is about two women, Jo Eun-su and Jo Hui-su, who end up opting for extreme measures to escape a life they never wanted and dreaded. Hui-su has a wealthy and powerful husband, Noh Jin-pyu. Kang Jang enters the show as a mystery man who has a face like Jin-Pyu but has a different personality.

When the two women decide to murder Hui-su's husband, Jang Kang helps them to pretend that Hui-su's husband has left the city. Read on to know more about the role and character that is Kang Jang in As You Stood By.

Who is Jang Kang in As You Stood By?

As You Stood By showcases two women attempting a severe step to kill Hui-Su's husband to make her escape from the abusive life she is living. In the show, the most striking dual role performance is given by Jang Seung-jo, who plays Noh Jin-pyu, Hui-su's husband, who domestically abuses his wife, and also Kang Jang, a lookalike of the wealthy man, whom the two women use to evade the crime scene.

The two men, though they have the same faces, have opposite personalities. Seung-jo's work has been praised as he convincingly switches between the two characters.

Jin-Pyo is portrayed to be clean but one who hides violence and abuse beneath this clean aura of his. He seems polished and intelligent, someone who could be admired socially, but deep down is emotionally abusive and controlling. He abuses his wife psychologically and physically. He installs a surveillance camera in the middle of the living room to monitor her 24/7 while also restricting her movements. His methods isolate her, and when she tried to escape, Jin-pyo caught her and used sudden violence. He cares more about his reputation than anyone's emotions.

This makes him an antagonist of the show, quiet and methodical. On the other hand, Jang Kang has the opposite soul. He is timid, clumsy, and naive. He is portrayed as warm and soft-spoken. When Hui-su sees him, she is extremely confused and surprised at the same time. That is when he becomes a potential replacement in the women's plan to escape.

Here is how Jang Seung-jo used to switch between two characters in As You Stood By

Although the two men look identical, Jang Seung-jo’s transformation is dramatic. Both characters come with different eye movements, relaxed facial muscles, and altered breathing rhythm. They both have different Korean dialects and postures when they move. Jang has a distinct laugh, and all of this was achieved to perfection by Jang Seung-jo.

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However, Kang Jang's arc shifts in As You Stood By, which exposes the women's deeds years later. Kang comes back to the city again to ask for money from these women to keep his mouth shut about the murder. This is when the law enforcement determined to solve the case gets hold of him, ultimately reopening the case, and Hui-su decides to confess to the crime, not out of shame and guilt but to reclaim her story fully.

According to reports, after the success of As You Stood By, Jang has already confirmed his next project, which is an SBS drama titled Beautiful New World. The actor will appear as Choi Moon-do, president of Chail Construction.

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