Before Parasite: Song Kang-ho’s 8 must-watch movies – from The Drug King to A Taxi Driver, and The Face Reader to The President’s Barber
Since making history as the first film in any language other than English to win the Oscar for best picture, Parasite has become the talk of the town everywhere around the globe, and director Bong Joon-ho has been getting loads of attention and acclaim. But the movie’s fans have also become smitten with the cast, led by veteran actor Song Kang-ho, who portrays the father of the Kim family and takes on the job as chauffeur of the wealthy Park family.
With a string of box office hits in his filmography, the 53-year-old Busan native was already an in-demand, award-winning movie star. One of South Korea’s most prolific actors, he boasts a number of titular roles that are memorable to Koreans and international fans alike. Here are eight of our favourites.
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The Drug King (2018)
Song plays Lee Doo-sam, who goes from being a petty smuggler to a filthy rich and infamous drug smuggler in 1970s Busan. He becomes entangled with a cunning lobbyist (played by Bae Doona) who helps him rise up in his trade. As he goes as far as exporting drugs to Japan, Lee is hunted down by a prosecutor from Seoul (played by Jo Jung-suk) and attempts to elude the authorities to protect his wealth and status.
A Taxi Driver (2017)
Set in 1980, a taxi driver named Man-seob picks up a foreigner looking for a ride from Seoul to a remote city called Gwangju. The cash-rich foreigner turns out to be a German journalist covering the uprisings in that area. All of the traditional roads from Seoul to Gwangju are blocked and heavily guarded by soldiers. When they manage to reach the city after overcoming those obstacles, they encounter several other problems that endanger Man-seob’s taxi and their lives.
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The Face Reader (2013)
Face reading, or “gwansang”, is one of Korea’s prominent fortunetelling traditions, and Song’s role here is as a gwansang expert in the Joseon Dynasty era. His talent allows him to accurately assess the personality and possible actions of a person. As he’s brought to the royal courts, he gets caught in the power struggle of the king and those who seek the throne.
The Attorney (2014)
Song plays a former judge who sets up his own law firm in Busan. His business becomes lucrative as he accepts cases that other firms turn away. Eventually, he takes a case not for the money but for justice, when a group of students were tortured and forced to confess that they were communists – even though they weren’t.
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The President’s Barber (2004)
Seong Han-mo was a humble barber in the neighbourhood of the Blue House (Korea’s presidential quarters). At one point, one of his authoritative customers orders him to take on the grooming of the president. Although this makes him more popular and his business more profitable, it becomes the start of Han-mo’s involvement in several complicated political affairs.
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If this list isn’t enough for you, here are the three earlier movies Song Kang-ho made with Parasite director Bong Joon-ho – and it goes without saying they’re all essential viewing.
Memories of Murder (2003)
Song’s debut collaboration with Bong.
The Host (2006)
The award-winning film that was later remade in Hollywood.
Snowpiercer (2013)
Song starred alongside Avengers actor Chris Evans.
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Long before the surprise Oscars success of Parasite, Song made three earlier movies with director Bong Joon-ho – Memories of Murder, The Host and Snowpiercer, starring alongside Avengers actor Chris Evans