Song Kang-ho
Song Kang-ho, probably Korea’s biggest film star, makes his television debut in this ambitious political period drama.
Disney+ has announced the release date for its ambitious Korean political drama Uncle Samsik, which stars Song Kang-ho in his TV series debut. The show will start with a five-episode run on May 15 on Disney+ worldwide and Hulu in the United States.
The 16-part series will thereafter air in batches of two episodes per week until the three-part season finale on June 19.
Veteran Korean writer and filmmaker Shin Yeon-shick (The Russian Novel, Cobweb) directs Uncle Samsik, which also marks his series debut.
Kang-ho in films
Uncle Samsik follows Kim San, an ambitious idealist determined to turn his country’s fortunes around. San, an Albright Scholar, aspires to develop his country into an industrial nation and provide Koreans with the same degree of affluence as Americans.
Determined to succeed, San attracts the attention of Pak Doochill (Uncle Samsik), a nefarious fixer who adapts to any scenario and goes to any length to assist him achieve his ambitions. The couple will create an uneasy alliance, navigating the complexity of the established system while sharing a common aim of a wealthy future.
Byun Yohan plays the idealistic young politician, while Song plays the shifty cameleon, Uncle Samsik.
Presenting Song Kang-ho’s series debut was a major victory for Disney Plus Hotstar in South Korea. Song is widely recognized as his country’s most important screen actor of his generation, having been in many of the most influential films by Korea’s finest auteurs, including Bong Joon-ho, Park Chan-wook, Lee Chang-dong, and Kim Jee-woon.
Song Kang-ho may not be a household name around the world, but he is certainly well-known in South Korea. His recent Best Actor prize at the Cannes Film Festival for Broker, as well as plaudits for his work in Bong Joon-ho’s Oscar-winning film Parasite, place him among South Korea’s most famous actors.
The New York Times naming him one of the 25 best actors of the twenty-first century, Kang-ho has already established a tremendous legacy.