Song Kang-ho is one of South Korea’s most talented and respected actors. With a career spanning over 25 years, he has starred in many amazing films that have captivated audiences around the world. Let’s take a look at 10 of the best Korean dramas and movies featuring Song Kang-ho as of 2025.
1. Parasite (2019)
Parasite is without a doubt Song Kang-ho’s most famous movie internationally. This dark comedy-thriller tells the story of a poor family that schemes to work for a wealthy household. Song plays the father of the poor Kim family. His performance is both funny and heartbreaking as his character tries to improve his family’s situation through increasingly questionable means.
Parasite made history as the first South Korean film to win the Palme d’Or at the Cannes Film Festival. It also won four Academy Awards, including Best Picture – the first non-English language film to do so. Song’s nuanced acting is a big part of what makes this movie so powerful and memorable.
2. Memories of Murder (2003)
This crime thriller was Song Kang-ho’s first collaboration with director Bong Joon-ho. Based on true events, it follows two detectives trying to catch a serial killer in a small Korean town in 1986. Song plays Detective Park, a local cop with unorthodox methods.
Song perfectly captures his character’s mix of determination, frustration and dark humor as the investigation drags on without results. His chemistry with co-star Kim Sang-kyung as the city detective is fantastic. Memories of Murder is considered one of the greatest Korean films ever made, with Song’s performance a highlight.
3. The Host (2006)
The Host is a monster movie with heart. When a strange creature emerges from Seoul’s Han River and kidnaps a young girl, her family must try to rescue her. Song Kang-ho plays the girl’s father, a seemingly unreliable food stand owner who becomes determined to save his daughter.
Song brings depth and emotion to what could have been a typical action hero role. We feel his character’s love for his family and his growth from a bumbling dad to a man willing to risk everything. The Host was a massive hit in Korea and helped bring Song more international attention.
4. Joint Security Area (2000)
This tense thriller explores relationships between North and South Korean soldiers stationed at the DMZ border. Song plays a North Korean sergeant who befriends South Korean soldiers, leading to tragic consequences.
The film requires Song to be both intimidating as a stern soldier and likeable in the scenes of friendship across borders. He pulls off this difficult balance beautifully. Joint Security Area was a huge success that boosted Song’s career as a leading man in Korea.
5. The Attorney (2013)
Based on real events, The Attorney stars Song as a tax lawyer who becomes involved in a controversial legal case in 1980s Korea. Song’s character transforms from someone only interested in making money to a passionate advocate for justice and human rights.
Song delivers a powerful performance as a man whose beliefs and priorities are completely changed by the injustice he witnesses. The movie was a big box office hit and earned Song several acting awards. It showcases his ability to carry a serious drama as the main lead.
6. A Taxi Driver (2017)
Set during the 1980 Gwangju Uprising in Korea, A Taxi Driver features Song as a Seoul taxi driver who becomes involved in the historic events. He agrees to drive a German reporter to Gwangju, not realizing the danger and significance of what’s happening there.
Song perfectly captures his character’s journey from an ordinary man focused on making money to someone risking his life to help others and spread the truth. It’s a moving portrayal of an accidental hero. The film was a major success in Korea and increased awareness of this important historical event.
7. The Age of Shadows (2016)
This period action thriller is set in the 1920s during the Japanese occupation of Korea. Song plays a Korean police officer working for the Japanese who becomes conflicted about his role. He gets caught between resistance fighters and his colonial masters.
The role allows Song to show his range as an actor. His character is complex – neither fully heroic nor villainous. Song conveys the internal struggle and shifting loyalties brilliantly. The Age of Shadows is a stylish and tense spy thriller elevated by Song’s central performance.
8. Broker (2022)
Broker marked a change of pace for Song Kang-ho. This gentle drama directed by Japanese filmmaker Hirokazu Kore-eda tells the story of people involved in Korea’s baby “drop boxes” where unwanted infants are left. Song plays a laundromat owner who secretly sells these babies for adoption.
While the subject matter is heavy, the film has a warm, humane approach. Song’s performance as a flawed man trying to do good in his own misguided way earned him the Best Actor award at the 2022 Cannes Film Festival. It showed his ability to excel in more low-key, character-driven stories.
9. Snowpiercer (2013)
This sci-fi action film was Song’s first major English-language role. Set on a train carrying the last survivors of humanity after the world has frozen over, it features Song as a security expert vital to the revolution brewing in the lower-class rear cars.
Although not the main character, Song makes a strong impression with his mix of humor and intensity. He holds his own alongside Hollywood stars like Chris Evans and Tilda Swinton. Snowpiercer helped introduce Song to a wider international audience beyond fans of Korean cinema.
10. Inside Men (2025 TV Series)
While not released yet, this upcoming TV drama is highly anticipated as Song Kang-ho’s return to television. Based on a hit 2015 film, it will expand the story of corruption and power struggles among Korea’s elite.
Song is set to play a newspaper editorialist who helps shape public opinion and political fortunes. Given Song’s talent for portraying complex characters, this role as a behind-the-scenes power player should be fascinating to watch. It’s exciting to see how Song will adapt his big screen charisma to a TV series format.
