Kang was born in Gainesville, Georgia, to South Korean immigrant parents and spent his adolescence in California. He attended the University of California, Riverside. While in college he chose acting over law school, a decision which was met with disappointment from his parents due to their concerns over the lack of Asians on American television and lack of job prospects. His first major role was in Better Luck Tomorrow (2002), in which he played Han Lue, an aloof gang member and the cousin of Virgil Hu (played by Jason Tobin). He was one of the stars in The Motel, in which he played Sam Kim. He played the same character Han Lue in The Fast and the Furious film franchise, appearing in The Fast and the Furious: Tokyo Drift, Fast & Furious, Fast Five, Fast & Furious 6, and F9 as well as the short film Los Bandoleros. He also had a role in Jet Li's film War (2007), playing an FBI agent, and was featured in the movie Forbidden Warrior as Doran, a son of Genghis Khan. He had a small role in the action movie Live Free or Die Hard, and he appeared in Walter Hill's movie Bullet to the Head (2013) as Detective Taylor Kwon, opposite Sylvester Stallone. Kang has had several notable television roles, including the recurring role of the narcissistic President Gin Kew Yun Chun Yew Nee in the Korean drama parody "Tae Do (Attitudes and Feelings, Both Desirable and Sometimes Secretive)" alongside Bobby Lee on MADtv. He portrayed FBI Agent Tae Kim in the short-lived crime procedural Gang Related on FOX. Both roles required him to speak Korean, which he is conversant in. The character Tae Kim was written specifically for him by creator Chris Morgan, who had worked on the Fast & Furious film franchise.
Live Free or Die Hard
(Raj)
War
(Special Agent Goi)
The Motel
(Sam)
Ninja Assassin
(Hollywood)
The Fast and the Furious: Tokyo Drift
(Han Lue)
Forbidden Warrior
(Doran)
Fast & Furious
(Han Lue)
Finishing the Game: The Search for a New Bruce Lee
(Cole Kim)
Better Luck Tomorrow
(Han Lue)
Mystery Men
(Susie)
Fast Five
(Han Lue)
Fast X: Part 2
(Han Lue)
Fast & Furious 6
(Han Lue)
Sunset Stories
(JP)
Clap Clap
(Roy)
Weekend in Taipei
(Kwang)
Los Bandoleros
(Han Lue)
Shaky Shivers
(Roger)
Undoing
(Samuel)
Bullet to the Head
(Taylor Kwon)
Antwone Fisher
(Receptionist)
Obi-Wan Kenobi: A Jedi's Return
(Self - Fifth Brother (archive footage) (uncredited))
Furious 7
(Han Lue)
Ana Maria in Novela Land
(Korean Soap Star)
The Come-Up
(Douchy Actor)
Help
(Cop)
Thirsty
(T.K. Kim)
The Free World
(Detective Shin)
Pali Road
(Mitch Kayne)
4 Wedding Planners
(Kai)
Code 8
(Alex Park)
Pearl Harbor
(Listener)
Code 8
(Park)
9:30
(Chan Kin Fai)
Party Boat
(Greg)
We Can Be Heroes
(Blinding Fast)
F9
(Han Lue)
Raya and the Last Dragon
(Dang Hai (voice))
Snakehead
(Rambo)
Fast X
(Han Lue)
Eden
(Connie)
Threat Matrix
(Ray Lee)
CSI: Crime Scene Investigation
(Jang)
CSI: Miami
(Lee Choy)
Monk
(Vince Kuramoto)
Spin City
(Jordan)
Cold Case
(Sen Dhiet)
Girlfriends
Knight Rider
Without a Trace
(Deke)
Mental
Lisey's Story
(Officer Dan Beckman)
Felicity
(Student)
Gang Related
(Tae Kim)
Power Book II: Ghost
(John Mak)
Monk
(Mr. Huang)
Power
(John Mak)
Obi-Wan Kenobi
(Fifth Brother)
Martial Law
(Xian)
Easy to Assemble
(Sun Hullestaad)
The Shield
(Malcolm Rama)
Magnum P.I.
(Detective Tanaka)
Whiskey Cavalier
(Daniel Lou)
Robot Chicken
(Hook/stratos)
Family Guy
(Soap Opera Actor (voice))
Made in Hollywood
(Self)