After appearing in a number of high-profile award-winning movies since his debut in South Korean cinemas in 1996, the acclaimed actor, Song Kang-ho, has become recognized by audiences for his dramatic performances. He will soon make his way to television in Uncle Sam Shik, a K-drama that will be his first time acting in a Korean drama series.
Recognized earlier this month for his acting career at the Busan International Film Festival, Song Kang-ho has been fortunate to star in some truly great pieces of work that many will recognize. And his characters are never the same, showing his ability to transform into his roles and deliver something fresh with each performance.
Snowpierecer (2013) - 7.1
Released in 2013, Snowpiercer was a post-apocalypse movie unlike any other as the last group of humanity ride a train that travels a world covered in ice. Tired of their mistreatment by the carriages of the rich citizens onboard, the lower-class citizens at the back carriages slowly make their way to reach the engine and claim the train for themselves.
Acting alongside big names like Chris Evans, Octavia Spencer, and the late John Hurt, Song Kang-Ho played Namgoong Minsoo, a talented electrician who shares the discovery of each cabin's wonders with his daughter. In one of his few movies outside of South Korea, the actor was able to demonstrate alongside the many familiar faces in the movie just why he is a big name and should be equally recognized on a global platform as such.
The Good, The Bad, The Weird (2008) - 7.2
After its premiere at the Cannes Film Festival in 2008, the movie would finally be released in the US two years later, which won the hearts of several critics and became one of the best yet underrated westerns out there. Inspired by American westerns like The Good, The Bad, and the Ugly, it tells the story of a bounty hunter, a hitman, and a thief, as they try to outsmart one another and reach hidden treasure located on a map.
Playing the thief, Yoon Tae-goo, the actor's performance stands out from the already colorful and chaotic world the movie sets up. A funny and eccentric character unlike anything he has played before, this is a celebration of the weird characters seen in prior movies in the genre.
Sympathy For Mr. Vengeance (2002) - 7.5
Before directing the South-Korean masterpiece, Old Boy, Park Chan-wook made Sympathy For Mr. Vengeance. It told the story of Ryu, who kidnaps the daughter of his former boss for a ransom that could finance his sister's operation.
Playing the father who attempts to save his daughter and bring her back safely, Kang-ho puts the character through his paces as Park goes through many dramatic moments that will test his values. The first of the Vengeance Trilogy, the acclaimed director's dark and mature themes of humanity is excellently executed by the actor in his turmoil to save his daughter.
Lady Vengeance (2005) - 7.5
The last movie to be released in the Vengeance Trilogy, the actor and Park Chan-wook reunited for a new tale of injustice and one of the best revenge movies from the 2000s. After spending time in prison for a crime she didn't commit, Lee Geum-ja goes after those who were responsible and disrupted her once peaceful life.
Song Kang-ho is only credited as "Assassin 1," but even in the smallest of roles, he gives it his all as much as he would for one of his many bigger parts in the past. Having worked together with the acclaimed director previously, their bond has seen them reuniting again and again for some truly groundbreaking work, even if it's only a small moment in cinema.
Secret Sunshine (2007) - 7.5
A tragic drama that tells the story of grief and the emotional turmoil that follows it, Secret Sunshine follows a widow's new life in Miryang with her child. But soon after their move into the city, another tragedy strikes her and starts her descent into sadness and misery.
While Jeon Do-yeon stole the show with her performance as the grieving widow, Song Kang-ho gave the movie some heart as a kind and supportive mechanic who befriends her during their time of need. Adding more emotional weight to the story, he becomes an ally in the mother's quest to overcome great loss and deep sadness.
The Attorney (2013) - 7.7
Based on the incredible and heart-wrenching true story, a lawyer in the 1980s takes a case for students who have been falsely imprisoned for being communists and sympathizers for North Korea. Not also did the movie garner several high-profile awards in South Korea, but is currently the fifteenth highest-grossing box office release in the country.
Playing Song Woo-suk, Song Kang-ho's performance is filled with enough drama, laughter, and passion that sees him grow throughout the course of the story, making him an engaging leading character to root for. Defending free speech and justice, this drama could easily rival some best lawyer shows and legal dramas of all time.
Joint Security Area (2000) - 7.8
A thriller unlike anything seen in the year 2000, Joint Security Area told the story of how the death of two North Korean soldiers at the DMZ caused outrage between the two neighboring nations at the border. As the mystery slowly unravels itself, tensions build and relationships are tested as the soldiers from both sides question one another.
Playing Sergeant Oh Kyeong-pil, Song Kang-ho is a member of the North Korean army who was the only one alive from the shooting that killed two of his officers. Dramatic and a performance that will leave audiences speechless as the true intentions behind the crime are revealed, it's a character unlike anyone Song Kang-ho has played before or since.
A Taxi Driver (2017) - 7.9
Set during the Gwangju Uprising, a taxi driver from the South Korean capital city of Seoul picks up an unexpected passenger. Despite their language barrier, the passenger and the driver bond as the former reports on the historical event that puts them in harm's way, making this one of the best movies based on a true story when it was released in 2017.
As dramatic as the movie is, Song Kang-ho's portrayal of the driver is filled with heart and emotion that not many people would have convincingly shown with the same care and attention. Playing a man who showed little interest in his country's political changes, his journey as he heads towards a major political movement opens his eyes alongside the audience.
Memories Of Murder (2003) - 8.1
While Bong Joon-ho would eventually direct the Academy Award-winning Parasite, his past work should not be missed as many regard them as some of the best movies in South Korean cinema. Memories Of Murder was his second feature and was based on true murder cases in the 1980s and the detectives who tried to solve and stop the serial killer.
Leading the cast of talented actors, Song Kang-ho delivers a stellar performance as the eccentric detective Park Doo-man. Under pressure to solve the case with limited technology and techniques, his attempts to solve the case see him questioning who would commit these atrocities while using his childish belief that his eyes will help him look in the face of the murderer.
Parasite (2019) - 8.5
Reuniting once again, Song and Bong reunited to create not just one of the best pictures from South Korea, but one of the best movies of 2019. Telling the story about the classes of modern South Korean society, a poor family pretend to be highly qualified individuals for a wealthy family without them knowing about their true nature.
Giving one of his best performances, he plays the role of the unemployed father of the Kim-taek family, who shows his life starts with misery until he finds himself acquainted with his newfound employers. The characters go on an emotional rollercoaster throughout the movie and Song Kang-ho gives a memorable performance, unlike anything he has done before.