He’s one of South Korea’s best-loved and most-respected actors – and when you watch his movies, it’s not hard to see why: Check out some of Song Kang Ho’s most outstanding movies here!

Best of Song Kang Ho

It is the 15th century. In the kingdom of Joseon, the vast majority of the population is illiterate, and the few people who do know how to read and write must make use of Chinese characters – a writing technique that is notoriously difficult to master.
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The aging King Sejong the Great (Song Kang Ho), dreams of sparking an intellectual revolution in his country. His plan is to develop a script so straightforward and easy to read that even peasants could learn to read it.

Spurred on by the quick-witted Queen Sohun (Jeon Mi Sun), Sejong embarks on an ambitious quest to realize his dream – and help his country move out of China’s shadow, with a move he says “would take China 1,000 years to achieve.”
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But Sejong is dismayed to find that his royal court and noble advisors are short of ideas on how best to create the script.
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In his desperation, he turns to a group of low-born Buddhist monks led by Shin Mi (Park Hae Il) for help. Shin Mi and his monastic brothers guard the secrets of the Tripitaka Koreana, a massive library of 81,258 wooden printing blocks produced in the 13th century.
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Shin Mi’s calligraphy and language skills are second to none, while the king’s drive to complete the project is unswerving. But many obstacles stand between them and what seems at times like an impossible dream.
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Can King Sejong and his unlikely cohort of pious linguists help create a script that will ultimately become Hangeul, the modern Korean alphabet?
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The movie was based on real-life events, and all three of its main characters were historical figures from Korea’s past.
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“The King’s Letters” is a 2019 South Korean movie directed by Cho Chul Hyun.

The King's Letters

Creator Team

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.

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