Song Kang Did A Face Mask Every Day In The Army

Song Kang apparently took military self-improvement very seriously.

In a preview for the August 26 episode of tvN’s You Quiz on the Block, the actor revealed some of the habits he maintained during his mandatory military service and one of them immediately caught Yoo Jae-suk’s attention.

He used a face mask every single day. Song Kang explained that he wanted to minimize the feeling of a long “military hiatus,” so he continued taking care of himself even while serving.

Considering how much attention his appearance received when he was discharged, the routine apparently did not go unnoticed.

Song Kang at the Sweet Home 2 showcase / News 1

One face mask every day

When Yoo Jae-suk mentioned that fans were surprised by how little Song Kang seemed to have changed after his military service, the actor admitted that he had been unusually consistent with skincare.

His solution was simple: one sheet mask a day. Song Kang completed his 18-month active-duty military service on October 1, 2025 after enlisting in April 2024. His appearance immediately became a talking point when he returned, with fans welcoming him back after the long break.

But skincare was only one part of his military routine.

He also read around 40 books

Before enlisting, Song Kang said he hoped to spend more time reading.

He actually followed through. According to the actor, he finished around 40 books while serving. One of them was David Sinclair and Matthew LaPlante’s Lifespan: Why We Age and Why We Don’t Have To, known in Korea as The End of Aging. There was just one problem. “It was difficult,” Song Kang admitted, revealing that it took him roughly three to four months to get through it.

His reading eventually led him somewhere unexpected: the kitchen.

A cooking book convinced him to buy…a lot

Song Kang said he recently read Men Who Cook Are Invincible, a book about how cooking can develop qualities such as attentiveness and independence.

The Korean edition of Yoko Fukumoto’s book was published in 2016 and presents cooking as a skill that can change the way men approach both everyday life and relationships.

Song Kang was apparently inspired. Very inspired. He revealed that he bought: eight pots, a frying pan and six cutting boards.

Yoo Jae-suk naturally wanted to know why anyone beginning to cook would need that much equipment. Song Kang had a very simple explanation: “I’m a maximalist.” There was only one more detail. He has not actually used any of it yet.

Song Kang making finger hearts / News 1

40 books completed, zero pots used

That contradiction may be the funniest part of the story.

Song Kang successfully maintained daily skincare while serving. He read dozens of books. He became interested enough in cooking to build what sounds like the beginning of a professional kitchen. And then stopped just before the actual cooking.

It is a surprisingly relatable post-military update from an actor often associated with highly polished characters in dramas such as My Demon, Nevertheless and Sweet Home.

Instead of revealing an intense workout routine or complicated beauty secret, Song Kang’s You Quiz appearance gives fans something much more mundane: He buys things for hobbies before actually starting the hobby.

Song Kang is now fully back to work

The episode also arrives as Song Kang begins the next major phase of his acting career.

After completing his service in October 2025, he returned to entertainment activities and is now leading tvN’s Four Hands, Two Sonatas alongside Lee Jun-young and Jang Gyuri. The drama follows young musicians whose friendship, rivalry and relationships develop from arts high school into their professional lives. It premieres on August 29 at 9:10 p.m. KST, making his You Quiz appearance part of a busy comeback period.

For fans who waited through his military hiatus, Song Kang is officially visible again.

And apparently he came back with good skin, 40 completed books and enough untouched cookware to last a lifetime.