Song Kang Ho is one of South Korea’s most popular leading actors. Born on January 17, 1967, Song made his acting debut in the 1991 stage production of “Dongseung.” He resisted acting in films until finally agreeing to do “The Day a Pig Fell Into the Well” in 1996. His role a year later in the 1997 film “No. 3” garnered him the Best New Actor award at the 35th Grand Bell Awards and Best Supporting Actor at the 18th Blue Dragon Film Awards. He continued to rack up numerous Best Actor Awards for his roles in “Joint Security Area” (2000), “Memories of Murder” (2003), “The Host” (2006), “The Show Must Go On” (2007), “Secret Sunshine” (2007), “Thirst” (2009) and “Howling” (2012). Song is considered by some to be one of the best character actors in Korea.

Song Kang Ho

When veteran police detective In Ho (Song Kang Ho) catches word that someone is making threats of terrorism against an impending flight, he wastes no time in beginning an investigation. Soon realizing that the threats made were valid, In Ho desperately attempts to apprehend the terrorist before he can strike. Unfortunately, In Ho has no such luck and can only watch in horror as Korean flight 501 departs Incheon Airport, headed for Hawaii.

Aboard the plane, the bioterrorist Jin Seok (Im Siwan) wastes no time in releasing a deadly virus into the air. Within hours the first of Jin Seok’s victims dies, setting off a wave of fear that soon turns to chaos as more passengers begin to fall ill. Among those trapped on this deadly flight are former pilot and unsung hero, Jae Hyuk (Lee Byung Hun) and his daughter. Stepping in to do what he can to help the struggling crew, Jae Hyuk once finds himself taking on the role of hero.&nbsp;

Meanwhile, on the ground, Transport Minister Sook Hee (Jeon Do Yeon) sets up a counterterrorism task force and begins working alongside Detective In Ho in a desperate attempt to avert further disaster. Will they be able to find a way to land this plane safely or have the fates of those on board already been sealed?

An intense high-stakes thriller, “Emergency Declaration” is a 2021 South Korean disaster-action film directed by Han Jae Rim.

Emergency Declaration

After the passing of his wife, Kim Man Seob (Song Kang Ho) is left with an overwhelming number of hospital bills and a young daughter, whom he now has to raise on his own. A hard-working taxi driver traversing the streets of Seoul in 1980, Man Seob is doing everything he can to make ends meet, but it never seems to be enough. Until the day Fate decides to give him a little wink. Overhearing another taxi driver talking about a foreign client willing to pay a substantial amount of money to anyone willing to drive him to Gwangju and back, before curfew, Man Seob takes the job.

A West German journalist hoping to report on the increasing civil unrest in Gwangju, Jürgen “Peter” Hinzpeter (Thomas Kretschmann), knows he’s risking his life for this story. With foreign reporters prohibited from entering the country, he has used the role of missionary and businessman to get as far as Seoul, but it’s not far enough if he hopes to cover this breaking story. Meeting Man Seob, the two set off for Gwangju, only to find that all roads leading into the city are not only blocked, but also heavily guarded. Undeterred by the danger ahead, the two find a more creative way into the city, only to find themselves caught up in the escalating events unfolding around them.

Unintentional participants in the uprising, Man Seob and Peter soon find themselves befriending strangers from all walks of life as they attempt to document the severity of the situation, all while trying to outrun the law. Short on time and running thin on luck, the brave pair must find a way to get home before it’s too late.

Based on a real-life story, “A Taxi Driver” is a 2017 historical action film directed by Jang Hoon.

A Taxi Driver

TheBest_TaxiDriver

With dreams of becoming the perfect ruler of Joseon, King Yeongjo (Song Kang Ho) aspires to greatness as he ascends the throne. Hoping his acts as king will wipe his tarnished background from the minds of the people, King Yongjo does all he can to lead his country well. But the rumors of his lower class mother follow him wherever he goes, as does the whispers of his brother’s murder, and his desperate grapple for the throne. It would seem some moments in time can never be erased.

But time passes and with it comes the blessings of marriage and family. Father to a son, King Yeongjo has great plans for his young prince. Hoping his son will follow in his footsteps, the King does everything in his power to give his son a thorough education. Watching his son grow into a man, the King begins to see some less-than-desirable qualities emerge. Shunning his education, Crown Prince Sado (Yoo Ah In) shows more interest in art and swordplay than studying. As the schism between father and son grows, so does the general sense of unrest within the palace.

Thirty-five years into his father’s reign, Crown Prince Sado is accused of plotting treason. Though unable to carry through with the final, killing blow, the Prince must be punished. Realizing the implications of fathering a traitor could threaten his position, King Yeongjo orders his son to take his own life. Unwilling to follow his father’s orders, the King orders his son to be locked in a wooden rice chest and left in the palace courtyard to die a slow and agonizing death.&nbsp;

Inspired by one of the most notorious events in Korean history, “The Throne” is a 2015 historical drama film directed by Lee Joon Ik.

The Throne

The Throne Team

In 1978, Song Woo Seok (Song Kang Ho) was tired of dragging himself through his daily routine. Desperate for a change, he left his position as a regional judge and moved to Busan to set up his own private law firm. Ridiculed by other lawyers for having passed his bar exams without any sort of higher education, Woo Seok brushes off the sneers of his peers and dedicates himself solely to his practice. Willing to take on the cases no one else wants to touch, Woo Seok finds a comfortable niche and quickly rises to the top.

Three years later, Woo Seok has made quite a name for himself as a highly successful lawyer. But the smooth sailing of his happy life is soon disrupted by the storms of civil unrest swirling around him. Trying to keep his distance from the turmoil around him, Woo Seok soon finds himself drawn in when an acquaintance of his, Choi Soon Ae (Kim Young Ae), tells him that her son, Park Jin Woo (Im Siwan), has gone missing. Assuring Soon Ae that he’ll look into the matter, Woo Seok is appalled when he finds Jin Woo and his friends have been imprisoned and tortured under charges of sedition.

Determined to stand up for the rights of the oppressed, Woo Seok takes on Jin Woo’s case, but defending him against a repressive government won’t be easy. As Woo Seok takes up the mantle to fight for justice he begins to wonder, can any one man really change the world?

Inspired by real-life events, “The Attorney” is a 2013 courtroom drama film directed by Yang Woo Suk.

The Attorney

The Lawyer Team@Viki.com

Nae Gyeong (Song Kang Ho) has a special talent: the ability to see through people simply by looking at their faces. His unique services are sought out by many, including the courtesan Yeon Hong (Kim Hye Soo), who offers him a job opportunity too lucrative to refuse. Taking her up on the offer, Nae Gyeong moves to Hanyang and quickly earns a position on the government’s Inspection Board. But what happens when he uncovers a plot by Prince Su Yang (Lee Jung Jae) that could alter the destiny of the entire country? This award-winning 2013 South Korean film was directed by Han Jae Rim.

The Face Reader

Nae Gyeong

Lee Han Gyu (Song Kang Ho) is a National Intelligence Service (NIS) agent. He is charged with heading a team with an important mission: It must protect a North Korean dissident – the cousin of Pyongyang’s leader. But the mission is a total failure: Instead of sharing important intelligence with his commanding officers, Lee Han Gyu’s team goes it alone. Meanwhile, Ji Won (Kang Dong Won), a member of a secret unit of North Korean spies living in South Korea also runs into problems when one of his fellow spies defects to the South mid-mission. The target is assassinated, but both Lee Han Gyu and Ji Won are hung out to dry: The North thinks Ji Won betrayed his country, while the NIS thinks Lee Han Gyu is a liability.

But six years later, the two men’s paths cross once again, with Lee Han Gyu now working as a private detective. The latter offers Ji Won the chance to live with him and join forces in a business arrangement. But will this uneasy partnership pay dividends for either man? And can they really trust one another?

“Secret Reunion” is a 2010 South Korean movie that was directed by Jang Hoon.

Secret Reunion

Sung Han Mo (Song Kang Ho) is an ordinary barber and friendly neighbor. Although his shop is located in the same neighborhood as the Blue House, the Korean president's residence, Han Mo is largely uninterested in politics, more concerned with his wife and newborn son – he hardly notices the turmoil that unfolds in the 1960s after General Park Chung Hee takes over the country following President Syngman Rhee's resignation. However, Han Mo's politically ignorant life takes a sharp turn when he accidentally helps catch a spy in his barbershop, leading to his appointment as the president's official barber. This 2004 Korean movie was directed by Im Chan Sang.

The President's Barber

The Barber of Hyoja-dong

Sung Han Mo

Despite family expectations to become a scholar, Lee Ho Chang (Song Kang Ho) never aspired to a life of academics. As Japanese imperial rule takes hold across Korea, Ho Chang begins to search for a different purpose in life – and finds it in a game of baseball! Min Jung Rim (Kim Hye Soo), who's accompanying a group of missionaries at the YMCA, teaches Ho Chang how to play. Eventually, Jung Rim, Ho Chang, and Oh Dae Hyun (Kim Joo Hyuk) form the YMCA Baseball Team, marking Korea's first ever baseball team. The team has some success, but they eventually run into opposition from the Japanese military occupation. Will the power of sports help these players find freedom, or is this game over? Based on a true story, this 2002 Korean film was written and directed by Kim Hyun Seok.

YMCA Baseball Team

Lee Ho Chang

The Kang family, led by patriarch Kang Dae Gu (Park In Hwan), moves to the mountains to pursue their dream of opening a remote lodge. The family is excited to welcome their first guests, but each one dies under peculiar circumstances, ranging from suicide to a murder-for-hire attempt gone wrong. To avoid negative publicity, the Kangs decide to bury the bodies in the forest, only to find the corpses nearly exposed after a rainstorm. Will the Kangs manage to turn things around, or are they – and their lodge – doomed to fail? The Quiet Family is an award-winning 1998 South Korean dark comedy-horror movie written and directed by Kim Jee Won.

Shows

About

Discussion