After appearing in the SBS drama Coffee House, which ended in July 2010, he entered military service. Upon his return in 2013, he went back to acting and rose to stardom for playing the character Haitai in campus drama Reply 1994.[3] He also gained popularity for appearing in reality shows, notably Youth Over Flowers and Three Meals a Day: Fishing Village.[4] In July 2016, Son signed with YG Entertainment.[5] In 2017, he starred in the hit romance drama Confession Couple.[6] In 2019, he gained critical acclaim for his acting in The Light in Your Eyes. In 2020, Son played the role of a successful novelist and scriptwriter in the Netflix drama, Was It Love?.[7]