K-pop group SF9 is truly brimming with top-class talent, and today we’re celebrating the ‘Maknae On Top’s i.e. Kang Chan-hee or Chani’s birthday (January 17). Though he debuted alongside the rest of the group members in 2016 with the single Fanfare, his acting portfolio precedes the roles like that of the main dancer and sub-rapper in SF9 whenever he puts on the coat of being the K-pop artist we’ve all come to love. At times when he’s not seen beside his group members, he’s truly lived up to his reputation of the being the ‘face’ of the group by donning his acting persona and leaving us with memorable moments from even remarkable K-dramas.

While chances are that you discovered him through the K-pop band, even higher chances arise of you having found him through Korean series like Imitation, Heaven’s Garden, The Innocent Man, The Queen’s Classroom, and more. Some even more prominent dramas, wherein Chani stunned us with his flair for perfection are listed below.

Top 4 K-dramas of Kang Chan-hee

Sky Castle (2018)

Even audiences who may not be as interested in the K-drama wave have heard of this top-ranking series starring Yum Jung-ah, Yoon Se-ah, Kim Seo-hyung, Kim Hye-yoon, Lee Tae-ran and others. Chan-hee walked in as Hwang Woo-joo, the ever-sweet and kind step-son of Lee Soo-im (Tae-ran) who never turned away from helping others, but eventually got entangled in a spine-chilling mystery wrapped up in a satirical representation of the race for education in high South Korean societies.

Under the Queen’s Umbrella (2022)

I’m sure we’re all missing this recently wrapped up K-drama led by the Queen herself, Kim Hye-soo. Delving into the lives led by the women of the Joseon dynasty, this period drama brings a new perspective to the front by taking a side route and focussing on the foundational roots set up by the women of the court.

The birthday boy stepped into the light as a rather grey character, Prince Ui-seong, who had his own share of identity politics to deal with throughout the season. However, his initial portrayal of the character pit him as a rather antagonistic presence in the series, making him a character we all loved to hate. The ending, on the other hand, made us all cry along with him and turned the tide on all of us.

Signal (2016)

Under the Queen’s Umbrella isn’t the first time Chani has worked alongside the industry veteran Kim Hye-sook. Playing the role of Park Seon-woo, he was seen sharing the screen with her and Lee Je-hoon, who took on the role of his brother for the crime-thriller series based on an infamous real series of crimes. The series still peaks in the list of high-rated Korean dramas cable television history and followed a criminal profiler and a detective embarking on a journey of solving cases long gone cold after the former’s triumph in cracking a kidnapping case.

Also read: JUNG_E: All About the Upcoming South Korean Movie on a Dystopian Cloning Nightmare

True Beauty (2020)

Although coming on as a mere special appearance of Jung Se-yeon, Chani’s role prepared the scene for the underlying tones of the K-drama. One of the three best friends (along with Cha Eun-woo and Hwang In-yeop’s characters) among the trio, Se-yeon dies early on by suicide, and the dark undertones of this story plague the friendship of the other two best friends. This plot device also sparked a serious conversation around fake scandals and online bullying enveloping the world of K-pop artists (and even generally) with a dark cloud. The actor even recorded two OSTs for the drama – Starlight and How Do You Do.

Check Out Chani’s Birthday Live

Kang Chan-hee’s K-pop group SF9 has recently come out with the 12TH MINI ALBUM [THE PIECE OF9] and the music video of its titular track Puzzle, which again portrays the artist in his element.

Let’s keep supporting him and his growth as a proficient all-round artist. Happy Birthday Chani!

Also read: Jim Carrey Birthday Special: 5 Times He Showed His Versatility in Non-Comedic Movies