Song Kang-Ho Movies Ranked

Welcome to my list of Song Kang-Ho movies ranked from one to ten.

Are you a fan of Korean movies? Do you like Korean actor Song Kang-ho? If the answer is yes then you are in the right place.

Here I have put together a comprehensive array of Kang-Ho’s best movies in ascending order. The list is accompanied by official movie synopsis and credentials.

In addition, I have rated the films with a score out of ten based on my movie experience. And, please do take note that my ranking includes movies that I have watched. This means I am likely to exclude some of the Kang-Ho films that per you should have been on the list. SORRY!

So, like Heath Ledger’s Joker famously said, “here we go!” – Did you read it in Ledger’s voice?

Number 10

The Drug King, My Rating: 6/10

Official Synopsis: In the 1970s, a petty smuggler in Busan joins the illicit drug trade and rises to the top of the Japanese narcotics trade.

Original Language: Korean
Director: Woo Min-ho
Writer: Woo Min-ho, Lee Jimin
Runtime: 2h 19m

Number 9

The Face Reader, My Rating: 7/10

Official Synopsis: Nae-kyung is able to assess the personality, mental state and habits of a person by looking at his face. And, because of his abilities, he gets involved in a power struggle between Prince Sooyang and Kim Jong-Seo.

Original Language: Korean
Director: Han Jae-rim
Writers: Dong-Hyuk Kim (screenplay) Han Jae-rim (screenplay)
Runtime: 2h 20m

Number 8

The Good, the bad, the Weird, My Rating: 7.5/10

Official Synopsis: In 1930s Manchuria, an encounter on a train triggers an epic crusade for a treasure map, prompting a marathon chase in hot pursuit of the loot. Do-won, “The Good”, is a bounty hunter, out to track down Chang-yee, “The Bad”, a charismatic hitman attempting to steal the map from a military official. However, the ruthless Tae-goo puts a hitch in both their plans when he secures the map for himself.

Rating: R (Some Drug Use|Nonstop Violence)
Original Language: Japanese
Director: Kim Jee-woon
Writer: Kim Jee-woon, Kim Min-suk
Runtime: 2h 7m

Number 7

Secret Sunshine, My Rating: 8/10

Official Synopsis: Tragedy follows a young Korean widow (Jeon Do-yeon) after she and her son move to another town to make a fresh start.

Original Language: Korean
Director: Lee Chang-dong
Writer: Lee Chang-dong
Runtime: 2h 22m

Number 6

The Attorney, My Rating: 8/10

Official Synopsis: After a friend’s son is abducted and tortured, a tax attorney becomes the defence lawyer for a group of young men in a case against the government.

Original Language: Korean
Director: Yang Woo-suk
Writer: Yang Woo-suk, Yoon Hyeon-ho
Runtime: 2h 7m

We are halfway through. Hold on tight!

My Top Five Song Kang-Ho movies

Number 5

The Host, My Rating: 8.5/10

Official Synopsis: Careless American military personnel dump chemicals into South Korea’s Han River. Several years later, a creature emerges from the tainted waters and sinks its ravenous jaws into local residents. When the creature abducts their daughter (Go Ah-sung), a vendor (Song Kang-ho) and his family decide that they are the only ones who can save her.

Rating: R (Language|Creature Violence)
Original Language: Korean
Director: Bong Joon Ho
Writer: Bong Joon Ho, Baek Cheol-hyeon, Ha Junwon
Runtime: 1h 59m

Number 4

Emergency Declaration, My Rating: 8.5/10

Official Synopsis: While investigating a terroristic threat that goes viral online, Korean authorities discover that a suspect has recently boarded an international flight bound for the United States. When a healthy passenger on the same flight suddenly dies a gruesome death of unknown cause, panic erupts both in-flight and on the ground. With steadily decreasing fuel and international refusals to offer aid, the captain and crew will be forced to take unprecedented emergency measures in an attempt to save the lives of their passengers.

Original Language: Korean
Director: Han Jae-rim
Writer: Han Jae-rim
Runtime: 2h 18m

And, these are my top three Song Kang-Ho movies

Number 3

Parasite, My Rating: 9/10

Official Synopsis: Greed and class discrimination threaten the newly formed symbiotic relationship between the wealthy Park family and the destitute Kim clan.

Rating: R (Sexual Content|Language|Some Violence)
Original Language: Korean
Director: Bong Joon Ho
Writer: Bong Joon Ho, Han Jinwon
Runtime: 2h 12m

Number 2

Memories of Murder, My Rating: 9.5/10

Official Synopsis: In 1986, Park (Song Kang-ho) and Cho (Kim Roi-ha) are two simple-minded detectives assigned to a double murder investigation in a South Korean province. But when the murderer strikes several more times with the same pattern, the detectives realize that they are chasing the country’s first documented serial killer. Relying on only their basic skills and tools, Park and Jo attempt to piece together the clues and solve the case in this thriller based on true events.

Original Language: Korean
Director: Bong Joon Ho
Writer: Bong Joon Ho, Shim Sung-bo
Runtime: 2h 9m

Now, let me offer my honourable mentions!

Some of my Honorable Mentions for Song Kang-Ho movies

The Age of Shadows, Broker, Snowpiercer, Thirst, Secret Reunion, Joint Security Area, Sympathy for Mr. Vengeance

My Favorite from the list of Song Kang-Ho movies

Number 01

A Taxi Driver, My Rating: 10/10

[Honestly, you will probably never see a movie as good as this one. At least for a period of time.]

Official Synopsis: In 1980, a foreign journalist hires a down-on-his-luck taxi driver to take him to Gwangju, South Korea. They soon arrive to find a city under siege by student protesters and the military.

Original Language: Korean
Director: Jang Hoon
Writer: Eom You-na
Runtime: 2h 17m

I hope you had a pleasant reading time. See you in another of my writings. Have a great day!