Sol Kyung-gu (born May 14, 1967) is a South Korean actor. He is best known for his roles in Public Enemy film series, Peppermint Candy, Oasis, Silmido, Hope and The Merciless.
Sol Kyung-gu | |
---|---|
Born | (1967-05-14) May 14, 1967 (age 55) Seocheon, South Chungcheong, South Korea |
Education | Hanyang University |
Occupation | Actor |
Years active | 1993–present |
Agent | C-JeS Entertainment |
Height | 180 cm (5 ft 11 in) |
Spouse(s) | unnamed
(m. 1996; div. 2006) |
Children | 2 |
Korean name | |
Hangul | |
Hanja | |
Revised Romanization | Seol Gyeong-gu |
McCune–Reischauer | Sŏl Kyŏnggu |
Sol was born in Seocheon on May 1, 1968, and studied Theater and Film at Hanyang University (Class of '86). Upon his graduation in 1994, he appeared in numerous theatrical productions, such as the hit Korean adaptation of the German rock musical Subway Line 1, and productions of Sam Shepard's True West and A. R. Gurney's Love Letters.[1]
In the mid-1990s, Sol began taking on minor roles in feature films, but it was not until 1999 that he made his breakthrough, with major roles in The Bird That Stops in the Air, Rainbow Trout, and Peppermint Candy in which he played a suicidal man devastated by the two-decades of historical change his country undergoes.[2] The film was acclaimed and brought Sol to win his first Best Actor award at the 2000 Blue Dragon Film Awards.
Sol next appeared in a romantic comedy I Wish I Had a Wife with Jeon Do-yeon in 2001, and then acted in a Japanese TV drama produced by NHK.
In 2002, Sol starred in three major films. As a violent and unscrupulous police detective in Public Enemy, he won Best Actor at the Grand Bell Awards and Blue Dragon Film Awards respectively. In August, he starred in Lee Chang-dong's acclaimed third film Oasis, which won the Silver Lion for Best Director at the Venice Film Festival. Sol's portrayal of mildly mentally disabled outcast with sociopathic inclinations won him Best Actor at the Chunsa Film Art Awards, Korean Association of Film Critics Awards, Korean Film Awards, Director's Cut Awards, and 29th Seattle International Film Festival. In November, he acted together with Cha Seung-won in a box office hit Jail Breakers by director Kim Sang-jin.[3]
In 2003, Sol starred in Silmido directed by Cinema Service founder Kang Woo-suk, which became the first Korean film in history to gross 10 million admissions.[4][5] His next role was as the title character in Rikidōzan, about the legendary ethnic Korean pro wrestler who became a national hero in Japan in the 1950s. Sol gained 20 kilograms for the role and also delivered 95% of his lines in Japanese. Although his performance was acclaimed, the film vastly underperformed on its local release.[6][7]
In 2005, Sol starred in the sequel Another Public Enemy, which ended up outgrossing the original.[8] This was followed by a second sequel, Public Enemy Returns in 2008. His other films Haeundae (2009), The Tower (2012) and Cold Eyes (2013) have also been box office hits.[9][10][11][12][13][14] For his performance in Haeundae, he won Grand Prize at the 2009 Korean Culture and Entertainment Awards, followed by Best Actor award at the 18th Chunsa Film Art Awards for his performance in 2010 film No Mercy.
In 2013, Sol was cast in family drama Hope,[15] directed by Lee Joon-ik, which won him Best Actor at the 50th Baeksang Arts Awards. The following year, Sol starred in My Dictator, as an aspiring actor who is forced to impersonate North Korean leader. For his performance in My Dictator, he won Best Actor at the 35th Golden Cinematography Awards.[16]
Sol began teaching acting in 2014, at his alma mater Hanyang University, as an adjunct professor in the College of Performing Arts.[17][18][19]
In 2015, Sol starred in the war drama film The Long Way Home alongside Yeo Jin-goo, playing a South Korean farmer who befriended a North Korea soldier.[20][21][22]
In 2017, Sol starred opposite Im Si-wan in The Merciless. It was shown out of competition in the Midnight Screenings section at the 70th Cannes Film Festival on May 24, 2017.[23][24] The film brought Sol to win Best Actor awards at the 54th Grand Bell Awards and 37th Korean Association of Film Critics Awards. He next starred in thriller film Memoir of a Murderer, as a retired serial killer with Alzheimer's disease.[25][26] For his performance in Memoir of a Murderer, Sol received Best Actor awards at the 17th Director's Cut Awards in 2017 and the 9th Korea Film Reporters Association Film Awards (KOFRA) in 2018.[27][28] The release of Sol's third film in 2017, I Want to Know Your Parents,[29] has been postponed indefinitely following the scandal of actor Oh Dal-su.[30]
Sol next starred in a 2019 film Idol opposite Han Suk-kyu and Chun Woo-hee, which opened in March.[31] Despite the solid acting by three senior actors, Idol received mix reviews.[32] In April 2019, Sol reunited with Jeon Do-yeon, eighteen years after I Wish I Had a Wife, in the film Birthday.[33] The film, inspired by the Sinking of MV Sewol tragedy, deals with the struggles faced by a couple who lose their son in a tragic accident.[34] The film had its international premiere at the 2019 Far East Film Festival in Udine.[35] The same year, Sol starred in the human comedy film Man to Men with Cho Jin-woong.[36][37]
Sol has reunited with The Merciless director Byun Sung-hyun for the film Kingmaker. It was released in December 2021.[38]
In 2022 Sol will be honoured by 26th Bucheon International Fantastic Film Festival by hosting an actor special exhibition 'The Actor, Sol Kyung-gu' focusing on actor Sol Kyung-gu's 29-year acting career along with various events such as the publication of a commemorative booklet entitled 'Sol Kyung-gu is Snow Gyeong-gu', and mega talk during the festival.[39]
Sol married the younger sister of actor Ahn Nae-sang in 1996. They have one daughter together. After being separated for four years, Sol and his wife divorced on July 21, 2006.[40] On May 28, 2009, Sol married actress Song Yoon-ah. They have one son together. Sol and Song previously worked together in the films Jail Breakers (2002) and Lost in Love (2006).[41][42]
Year | English title | Korean title | Role | Notes |
---|---|---|---|---|
1996 | A Petal | 꽃잎 | Brother of girl | |
Love Story | 러브스토리 | Young-ho | ||
1998 | Girls' Night Out | 처녀들의 저녁식사 | Gyu-sik | |
1999 | Phantom: The Submarine | 유령 | Number 432 | |
Rainbow Trout | 송어 | Min-soo | ||
2000 | Peppermint Candy | 박하사탕 | Kim Yong-ho | |
The Legend of Gingko | 단적비연수 | Juk | ||
2001 | I Wish I Had a Wife | 나도 아내가 있었으면 좋겠다 | Kim Bong-soo | |
2002 | Public Enemy | 공공의 적 | Kang Chul-joong | |
The Bird That Stops in the Air | 새는 폐곡선을 그린다 | Kim | ||
Oasis | 오아시스 | Hong Jong-du | ||
Jail Breakers | 광복절 특사 | Yu Jae-pil | ||
2003 | Silmido | 실미도 | Kang In-chan | |
2004 | Rikidōzan | 역도산 | Rikidōzan/Kim Sin-rak | |
2005 | Another Public Enemy | 공공의 적 2 | Kang Chul-joong | |
2006 | Lost in Love | 사랑을 놓치다 | Woo-jae | [43][44] |
Cruel Winter Blues | 열혈남아 | Shim Jae-mun | [45] | |
2007 | Voice of a Murderer | 그놈 목소리 | Han Kyung-bae | [46][47] |
Venus and Mars | 싸움 | Kim Sang-min | [48] | |
2008 | Public Enemy Returns | 강철중: 공공의 적 1-1 | Kang Chul-joong | |
2009 | Haeundae | 해운대 | Choi Man-sik | |
Closer to Heaven | 내 사랑 내 곁에 | Kim Jong-do | Cameo | |
A Brand New Life | 여행자 | Jin-hee's father | ||
2010 | No Mercy | 용서는 없다 | Kang Min-ho | [49][50] |
Troubleshooter | 해결사 | Kang Tae-sik | [51][52] | |
Camellia | 카멜리아 | Yong-soo | Short film (segment: "Kamome") | |
2012 | The Tower | 타워 | Kang Young-ki | |
2013 | Cold Eyes | 감시자들 | Chief Detective Hwang | |
The Spy: Undercover Operation | 스파이 | Chul-soo | [53][54] | |
Hope | 소원 | Im Dong-hoon | [15] | |
2014 | My Dictator | 나의 독재자 | Kim Sung-geun | [55][56] |
2015 | The Long Way Home | 서부전선 | Nam-bok | [20] |
2017 | Lucid Dream | 루시드 드림 | Bang-seop | [57] |
The Merciless | 불한당: 나쁜 놈들의 세상 | Jae-ho | [23] | |
Memoir of a Murderer | 살인자의 기억법 | Byeong-soo | [25] | |
1987: When the Day Comes | 1987 | Kim Jeong-nam | Special appearance[58] | |
2019 | Idol | 우상 | Yoo Joong-sik | [31] |
Birthday | 생일 | Jung-il | [33] | |
Man of Men | Jang-su | [37] | ||
2021 | The Book of Fish | 자산어보 | Jeong Yak Jeon | |
2022 | Kingmaker | 킹메이커: 선거판의 여우 | Kim Woon-beom | [38][59] |
Yaksha: Ruthless Operations | 야차 | Kang-inn | Netflix film[60][61][62] | |
I Want to Know Your Parents | 니 부모 얼굴이 보고 싶다 | Kang Ho-chang | [29][63] | |
Boys | 소년들 | Hwang Jun-cheol | Premiere at BIFF[64] | |
TBA | Phantom | 유령 | Junji Murayama | Filming[65] |
The Moon | 더 문 | Filming [66] | ||
Gil Bok-soon | 길복순 | Cha Min-kyu | Netflix film[67] | |
The Dinner | 더 디너 | Jae-wan | [68] |
Year | Title | Role | Network |
---|---|---|---|
1988 | Joy of Love | KBS | |
1991 | Magpie Daughter-in-law | MBC | |
1994 | Oldest Sister | MBC | |
1997 | A Bluebird Has It | KBS2 | |
White Christmas | SBS | ||
2001 | Prince Shōtoku | NHK |
Year | Song title | Artist |
---|---|---|
2004 | "I Loved You to Death" | SG Wannabe |
2015 | "How Much Love Do You Have in Your Wallet?" | Park Yoo-chun |
Year | Award | Category | Nominated work | Result |
---|---|---|---|---|
1992 | 28th Baeksang Arts Awards | Best New Actor in Theater | Won | |
1999 | 7th Chunsa Film Art Awards | Best New Actor | Rainbow Trout | Nominated |
20th Blue Dragon Film Awards | Best New Actor | Nominated | ||
2000 | 10th Oslo International Film Festival | Special Mention Award | Peppermint Candy | Won |
36th Baeksang Arts Awards | Best New Actor (Film) | Won | ||
8th Chunsa Film Art Awards | Best Actor | Won | ||
2nd International Film Festival Bratislava[69] | Won | |||
37th Grand Bell Awards | Nominated | |||
Best New Actor | Won | |||
20th Korean Association of Film Critics Awards | Won | |||
23rd Golden Cinematography Awards | Won | |||
21st Blue Dragon Film Awards | Best Leading Actor | Won | ||
Cine 21 Awards | Best Actor | Peppermint Candy, The Legend of Gingko | Won | |
2002 | 38th Baeksang Arts Awards | Grand Prize (Daesang) for Film | Public Enemy | Won |
Best Actor (Film) | Nominated | |||
23rd Blue Dragon Film Awards | Best Leading Actor | Won | ||
39th Grand Bell Awards | Best Actor | Won | ||
Cine 21 Awards | Public Enemy, Oasis, Jail Breakers | Won | ||
10th Chunsa Film Art Awards | Oasis | Won | ||
3rd Busan Film Critics Awards | Won | |||
22nd Korean Association of Film Critics Awards | Won | |||
1st Korean Film Awards | Won | |||
5th Director's Cut Awards | Won | |||
2003 | 29th Seattle International Film Festival | Won | ||
39th Baeksang Arts Awards | Best Actor (Film) | Nominated | ||
26th Golden Cinematography Awards | Most Popular Actor | Won | ||
3rd Korea World Youth Film Festival | Favorite Actor | Won | ||
2004 | 40th Baeksang Arts Awards | Best Actor (Film) | Silmido | Nominated |
2005 | 42nd Grand Bell Awards | Best Actor | Rikidōzan | Nominated |
Another Public Enemy | Nominated | |||
2006 | 3rd Max Movie Awards | Nominated | ||
2007 | 44th Grand Bell Awards | Voice of a Murderer | Nominated | |
28th Blue Dragon Film Awards | Best Leading Actor | Nominated | ||
6th Korean Film Awards | Best Actor | Cruel Winter Blues | Nominated | |
15th Chunsa Film Art Awards | Nominated | |||
2008 | 16th Chunsa Film Art Awards | Public Enemy Returns | Nominated | |
29th Blue Dragon Film Awards[70] | Best Leading Actor | Nominated | ||
Popular Star Award | Won | |||
2009 | 45th Baeksang Arts Awards | Best Actor (Film) | Nominated | |
17th Korean Culture and Entertainment Awards | Grand Prize (Daesang) for Film | Haeundae | Won | |
46th Grand Bell Awards | Best Actor | Nominated | ||
2010 | 18th Chunsa Film Art Awards | No Mercy | Won | |
2013 | 33rd Korean Association of Film Critics Awards | Hope | Nominated | |
34th Blue Dragon Film Awards[71] | Best Leading Actor | Nominated | ||
Popular Star Award | Won | |||
2014 | 50th Baeksang Arts Awards[72] | Best Actor (Film) | Won | |
13th New York Asian Film Festival[73] | Star Asia Award | — | Won | |
22nd Korean Culture and Entertainment Awards | Grand Prize (Daesang) for Film | My Dictator | Won | |
1st Korean Film Producers Association Awards | Best Actor | Won | ||
2015 | 35th Golden Cinematography Awards[16] | Won | ||
51st Baeksang Arts Awards | Best Actor (Film) | Nominated | ||
2017 | Korean Film Shining Star Awards | Star Award | The Merciless, Lucid Dream | Won |
1st The Seoul Awards | Best Actor | The Merciless, Memoir of a Murderer | Nominated | |
54th Grand Bell Awards[74] | The Merciless | Won | ||
37th Korean Association of Film Critics Awards[75] | Won | |||
38th Blue Dragon Film Awards | Popular Star Award[76] | Won | ||
Best Leading Actor | Nominated | |||
Cine 21 Awards | Best Actor | Won | ||
17th Director's Cut Awards[27] | Memoir of a Murderer | Won | ||
2018 | 9th KOFRA Film Awards[28] | Won | ||
Faro Island Film Festival | The Merciless | Nominated | ||
54th Baeksang Arts Awards[77] | Best Actor (Film) | Nominated | ||
23rd Chunsa Film Art Awards[78] | Best Actor | Nominated | ||
2019 | 23rd Fantasia International Film Festival[79] | Idol | Won | |
28th Buil Film Awards[80] | Birthday | Nominated | ||
40th Blue Dragon Film Awards | Best Leading Actor | Nominated | ||
2020 | 56th Grand Bell Awards | Best Actor | Nominated | |
2021 | 57th Baeksang Arts Awards[81] | Best Actor (Film) | The Book of Fish | Nominated |
Chunsa Film Art Awards 2021[82] | Best Actor | Nominated | ||
30th Buil Film Awards[83] | Best Actor | Nominated | ||
41st Korean Association of Film Critics Awards[84] | Best Actor | Won | ||
42nd Blue Dragon Film Awards[85][86] | Best Leading Actor | Won | ||
41st Golden Cinematography Awards[87] | Best Actor | Won | ||
Korea University Film Festival[88] | Won | |||
8th Korean Film Producers Association Awards[89] | Won | |||
Cine 21 Awards[90] | Won | |||
2022 | 20th Director's Cut Awards[91] | Best Actor in film | Nominated | |
58th Baeksang Arts Awards[92] | Best Actor – Film | Kingmaker | Won | |
Chunsa Film Art Awards 2022[93] | Best Actor | Nominated | ||
58th Grand Bell Awards[94] | Best Actor | Pending | ||
43rd Blue Dragon Film Awards[95] | Best Actor | Pending | ||
Publisher | Year | Listicle | Placement | Ref. |
---|---|---|---|---|
Forbes | 2010 | Korea Power Celebrity | 33rd | [96] |
{{cite web}}
: CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link)Awards for Sol Kyung-gu | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|
C-JeS Entertainment | |||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Executives |
| ||||
Artists |
| ||||
Actors & actresses |
| ||||
Former actors & actresses | |||||
|
General | |
---|---|
National libraries |