Song Kang-Ho Uncle Samsik, Vulnerable Characters & Modern Korean History

Summary Song Kang-ho brings depth to his drama debut in Uncle Samsik, showcasing intricate storytelling and acting techniques.

Set against the backdrop of a turbulent 1960s Korea, the series explores political power struggles and alliances with a stellar cast.

Kang-ho's portrayal of Park Doo-chil reveals vulnerability, mirroring the imperfections of society in a compelling narrative structure.

Best known in the United States for his star turn in Bong Joon-ho's Parasite, actor Song Kang-ho is considered an infallible chungmuro performer in South Korea. In 2024, he took a step away from his usual circuit of award-winning movies to grace the world of K-dramas with Uncle Samsik, which premiered May 16 on Hulu in the U.S. and Disney+ internationally. Song plays Park Doo-chil, whose moniker of "Uncle Sam-sik" points to his commitment to keeping those in his community well-fed in a time of comparative poverty ("sam-sik" translates to "three meals" in Korean).

Uncle Samsik takes place in the early 1960s, a time of extreme turmoil for South Korea's people and government. Set against the backdrop of a seminal 1960 election, Doo-chil works behind the scenes to shake up the warring political parties and instill power players to shape the country of his dreams. He sets his sights on the idealistic Kim San (Byun Yo-han) as the perfect avatar to see his vision through, but first, he must rid himself of the looming shadow of his previous corrupt partner-in-politics, Kang Sung-min (Lee Kyu-hyung). The series also stars My Perfect Stranger's Jin Ki-joo, Celebrity's Seo Hyun-woo, and Reborn Rich's Stephanie Young Hwang (often recognized by her K-pop moniker of Tiffany).

2:26 Related 10 Most Exciting K-Dramas Releasing In 2024 & Beyond The list of K-dramas releasing in 2024 and beyond includes long-awaited sequels like All of Us Are Dead season 2 but also new shows like Doctor Slump.

Screen Rant interviewed Song about what inspired his move from films like Parasite and Broker to a series like Uncle Samsik, how he felt working with costars Byun Yo-han and Lee Kyu-hyung, and why viewers should keep watching until the end.

Uncle Samsik’s Allure Is Its High-Level Storytelling And Acting

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Screen Rant: I really admire your work, and I love Uncle Samsik so far. I believe this is your first drama ever, which is so crazy given your many years in the industry. What is it that drew you to this story specifically, and to telling a long-form story in general?

Song Kang-ho: I don't think I can say that shows and movies are fundamentally different. They both have their good and bad sides, but I think the good thing about a TV series is that you have a longer time to go deeper into the narrative, talk about all these details and really get down to the nitty-gritty. I love that there is room to maneuver through all the details that may not be available for movies, and that's why I decided to try a drama this time around.

Speaking of room to maneuver, we see the full range of the relationship between Doo-chil (or Sam-sik) and Kim San, from when they first meet to Sam-sik desperately wanting to have San on his side, and finally appearing separated while questioned in the present. Can you talk about what he first sees in Kim San and what it was like for you to work with Byun Yo-han?

Song Kang-ho: For the first part of the question, the early sixties was the most turbulent era in Korea's modern history. It was the most tumultuous period in terms of both politics, society, and culture, and Sam-sik and Kim San met during that turbulent era. Sam-sik finds true passion burning in Kim San. Because it's such a turbulent era, people are all selfish, but this guy has pure passion. Sam-sik definitely wants to win him over because he sees that Kim San is someone who can make his ideal society come true. An ideal society is his dream, and he feels that Kim San is the vehicle that could make his dream a reality. I think that's why he really desperately wanted to win him over. About Byung Yo-han, I've always admired him as an actor. This was my first time acting alongside him. He is a great actor with great fundamentals, so I was very pleasantly surprised working together with him.

Exploring Korea’s Rich History in Uncle Samsik

As you mentioned, it was a very turbulent time in Korea's history. How much did your knowledge of the time period inform your work here, or how much research did you have to do while filming?

Song Kang-ho: I was born in 1967, which means I was born about six years after the setting of the show. I didn't have firsthand experience of the early 1960s, but if you are Korean and you go to a Korean school, then you are very well-educated about this time period because it's such an important time in modern history. I had enough knowledge about the era and nothing was new to me, so I didn't have to do extra research because I was well-educated on the history of Korea during the time.

Another fascinating relationship in the show is with Kang Sung-min, played by Lee Kyu-hyung, who is scary enough that even Sam-sik at times is afraid of him. Can you talk about developing that relationship and how that animosity or the potential betrayal evolves over the course of the season?

Song Kang-ho: I can sum it up as a love-hate relationship. In the past, I believe that Sam-sik spent a lot of time with Kand Sung-min, so there's that friendship between them - but there's also hatred to some extent. I think when Sam-sik looks at Sung-min, he sees him with some pity. He can't outright hate him, but he doesn't fully like him either. There's something that finally happens between those two people, and when that event happens - I can't tell you more because it's a spoiler - you see a lot of pity in the eyes of Sam-sik.

Even Song Kang-ho Thinks Of Ways To Improve His Craft

So far, I have seen seven episodes of the show. In that first half, is there a scene that stands out to you? One that stayed with you after the fact, or that you felt proudest of while filming?

Song Kang-ho: I can only think of the ones that I did really horribly. I'm kind of joking, but it is true, actors are never really proud of what they've done when they see their performance. They only see the points that they think they did badly. I can tell you that there are some scenes after episode 7 that you'll find pretty nice. You have to watch the entire show.

By episode 5, we also see you in a more vulnerable position, as opposed to you at the top of your game throughout the show playing chess. Can you talk about tracking Sam-sik's storyline when playing those scenes out of order?

Song Kang-ho: Yeah, I think you just saw right through me. Nobody's perfect in Uncle Samsik, whether it be Sam-sik or Kim San, nobody's perfect. That's why the characters are so meaningful and of much value to us because we are all imperfect beings. We want to look as if we are perfect, and we want to tell people that we have grand plans. But I really like that you saw the vulnerable side of Sam-sik because the whole purpose of this show is to have these moments where we can see ourselves in the show. I hope the drama could mirror people who are living in the current society, and I think that's exactly what we are trying to convey here.

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The first 9 episodes of Uncle Samsik are now streaming on Hulu in the U.S. and Disney+ internationally, with 2 new episodes premiering every Wednesday.

Catch more of Screen Rant's interviews with K-drama talent here:

Source: Screen Rant Plus