Gang Dong-Won was born on January 18, 1981 in Busan & grew up in Changwon. His father, Gang Chul-Woo, was an engineer who later became the vice president of SPP Heavy Industries. Gang's family suffered from economic hardship at times, and he had to work part-time in college to pay for his tuition. Academically gifted w/ an IQ of 137, Gang graduated from Hanyang University w/ a degree in mechanical engineering.