# Kang Boo-ja

Kang Boo-ja (Korean: 강부자; born February 8, 1941) is a South Korean actress. Kang was studying Korean Language and Literature at Chungnam National University when she dropped out to pursue acting. She made her acting debut in 1962 and has been active on Korean stage, television and film for more than five decades.
She took a non-degree National Policy Course at Seoul National University's Graduate School of Public Administration, and entered politics in 1992. Kang was elected as a lawmaker in the 14th National Assembly.

## Filmography
### Television series

| Year | Title | Role | Notes |
| 1962 | Sole and Twist | | |
| 1964 | Family Romance | | |
| 1965 | Hanyang Nanggun | | |
| 1965 | Jung-kyung's Wife | | |
| 1966 | The Second Wife | | |
| 1966 | Live As I Please | | |
| 1966 | Today's King | | |
| 1967 | The Swish of a Skirt | | |
| 1969 | I Guess the Marriage Line is Blocked | | |
| 1969 | Damo Gidam | Peng Soon-deok | |
| 1970 | Lonely Road | | |
| 1970 | Ok-nyeo | | |
| 1970 | Ajumma | | |
| 1970 | Ahohji | | |
| 1970 | Two Men | | |
| 1970 | Pigeon Family | | |
| 1970 | Noona (Older Sister) | | |
| 1970 | I Had a Good Dream | Mrs. Shim | |
| 1971 | Thrifty Mrs. Dureung | | |
| 1971 | With Such a Wife | | |
| 1971 | You Are Weak | | |
| 1971 | Tale of the Yangban | | |
| 1972 | Evergreen Tree | | |
| 1972 | Only Son | | |
| 1972 | Secret | | |
| 1972 | Samryong the Mute | | |
| 1973 | Yeobojeong Seondal | | |
| 1973 | Yeon-hwa | Min Tae-ho's wife | |
| 1974 | Queen Inmok | | |
| 1974 | Yoon Ji-kyung | | |
| 1975 | Two Husbands | | |
| 1975 | Detective | | |
| 1975 | Two Siblings | | |
| 1976 | Byeoldang Lady | | |
| 1976 | Wedding March | | |
| 1977 | Door of Happiness | | |
| 1977 | Blue Thread, Red Thread | | |
| 1978 | Kanna's Garden | | |
| 1978 | Covenant | | |
| 1978 | Thousand Year Old Lake | | |
| 1978 | Mother's River | | |
| 1979 | Hey Gomrye | | |
| 1979 | Grand Tale of Chunhyang | | |
| 1979 | Couples: Unconditional Love | Park In-sook | |
| 1980 | Uinyeo Misa | | |
| 1980 | Daldongne | | |
| 1980 | Glow | | |
| 1980 | Candle | | |
| 1981 | Maecheon Yarok (Memoirs of a Thousand Events) | | |
| 1981 | Hwangnyongsa | | |
| 1981 | Promised Land | | |
| 1982 | Bukcheong Muljangsu | | |
| 1983 | Sanyuhwa | | |
| 1983 | Baek-jo's Wife | Seo Jin-sook | |
| 1984 | I Like My Daughter Better | | |
| 1984 | TV Tale of Chunhyang | Hyangdan | |
| 1985 | Hometown | | |
| 1986 | You're Right | Elder Song's wife | |
| 1987 | Yearning Song | | |
| 1987 | Stranger | Mrs. Kim | |
| 1988 | Sand Castle | Jang Young-joo | |
| 1988 | 500 Years of Joseon: Memoirs of Lady Hyegyeong | Queen Inwon | |
| 1989 | Half a Failure | Mother | |
| 1989 | Hurt | | |
| 1990 | Copper Ring | | |
| 1990 | Betrayal of the Rose | Lee Eun-soo | |
| 1990 | Ambitious Times | Lady Ahn, Hyung-sub's mother | |
| 1990 | My Mother | | |
| 1991 | What Is Love | Sung-sook | |
| 1992 | Thorn Flower | | |
| 1992 | The Chemistry Is Right | Ahn Eung-seok's mother | |
| 1993 | Our Hot Song | Mrs. Park | |
| 1993 | Wandering Soul | | |
| 1994 | The Lonely Man | Jang Soon-ja | |
| 1995 | Men of the Bath House | Lee Ki-ja | |
| 1996 | Temptation | | |
| 1997 | Hometown of Legends "Servant's Smile" | Nanny | one act-drama |
| 1997 | Because I Really | Lee Ok-bong | |
| 1997 | Sea of Ambition | Ms. Jo | |
| 1998 | I Love You, I Love You | | |
| 1998 | My Love by My Side | Do Ok-sun | |
| 1998 | Crush | | |
| 1999 | Love in 3 Colors | Park Ok-nam | |
| 1999 | Sweet Bride | Chun Jung-soon | |
| 2000 | Fireworks | Madam Noh | |
| 2000 | Juliet's Man | Baek Boo-ja | |
| 2001 | Twins | | |
| 2001 | Way of Living: Couple | Shim Ok-joo | |
| 2001 | This Is Love | Na Eum-jeon | |
| 2002 | Royal Story: Jang Hui-bin | Queen Jangnyeol | |
| 2003 | Dal-joong's Cinderella | Bok-hee | |
| 2003 | Yellow Handkerchief | Yoon Ja-young's maternal grandmother | |
| 2003 | Like a Flowing River | Young-wook's grandmother | |
| 2003 | Cats on the Roof | Lee Kyung-hee | |
| 2003 | Garden of Eve | Ms. Song | |
| 2003 | Perfect Love | Jang Hye-ja | |
| 2004 | My Lovely Family | Lee Jeom-soon | |
| 2004 | Choice | Park Ok-ran | |
| 2005 | A Farewell to Sorrow | Hwang Keum-sil | |
| 2005 | Our Stance on How to Treat a Break-up | Madam Ok Geum-joo | |
| 2005 | Hanoi Bride | Park Eun-woo's mother | |
| 2006 | I'll Go with You | Ms. Park | |
| 2007 | A Happy Woman | Son Young-soon | |
| 2007 | Salt Doll | Ms. Lee, Park Yeon-woo's mother | |
| 2007 | When Spring Comes | Hometown restaurant granny | |
| 2007 | Thank You | Kang Gook-ja | |
| 2008 | Mom's Dead Upset | Na I-seok | |
| 2008 | Don't Cry My Love | Im Young-soon | |
| 2009 | Good Job, Good Job | Yoon Ok-rae | |
| 2009 | Three Men | Jung Woong-in's mother | |
| 2011 | Indomitable Daughters-in-Law | Choi Mak-nyeo | |
| 2011 | Can't Lose | | guest appearance |
| 2012 | My Husband Got a Family | Jeon Mak-rye | |
| 2013 | Thrice Married Woman | Son Bosal | |
| 2014 | My Spring Days | Na Hyun-soon | |
| 2016 | Yeah, That's How It Is [ko] | Kim Sook-ja | |
| 2018 | A Pledge to God | Lee Pil-nam | |
| 2023 | The Real Has Come! | Eun Geum-sil | |

### Film

| Year | Title | Role |
| 1996 | Let Me Just Touch | |
| 1967 | One-sided Love of Princess | |
| 1967 | A Full Danger | |
| 1967 | Three Swordsmen of Iljimae | |
| 1967 | Soil | |
| 1969 | Rang | |
| 1969 | March of a Wife | |
| 1969 | Husband | |
| 1969 | Darling | |
| 1969 | Winter Woman | |
| 1969 | Mrs. Wonnim | |
| 1970 | Gu Bong-seo's Marriage Plan | |
| 1971 | Sergeant Kim's Return from Vietnam | Mal-sook |
| 1974 | Yeonhwa | |
| 1974 | Yeonhwa 2 | |
| 1976 | Mother | |
| 1979 | We Took the Night Train | |
| 1983 | Wife | |
| 1991 | Love and Tears | |
| 2003 | The Crescent Moon | Grandmother |
| 2003 | Ogu: Hilarious Mourning | Grandma Hwang |

### Variety/radio show

| Year | Title | Notes |
| 1980–1992 | Hello, This Is Hwang In-yong and Kang Boo-ja | DJ |
| 1992 | Morning Journal with Kang Boo-ja | DJ |
| 1993 | Environment Diary | DJ |
| 1993 | Towards the Equinox | Host |
| 1997 | Hello, This Is Kang Boo-ja and Kang Seok-woo | DJ |
| 2023 | Around the Neighborhood | Narrator |

## Theater

| Year | Title | Role | Reprised |
| 1997 | Ogu | Grandma Hwang | 2008, 2010, 2014 |
| 2009 | 3 Days and 2 Nights with Mom | Mom/Mrs. Choi | 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014 |
| 2011 | Sanbul (Forest Fire) | Ms. Yang | |

## Awards and nominations

| Year | Award | Category | Nominated work | Result |
| 1971 | TBC Drama Awards | Best Supporting Actress | | Won |
| 1973 | 1st Hwalran Broadcasting and Culture Awards | | Only Son | Won |
| 1977 | 13th Baeksang Arts Awards | Best Actress (TV) | Wedding March | Won |
| 1979 | TBC Drama Awards | Grand Prize (Daesang) | | Won |
| 1996 | KBS Drama Awards | Grand Prize (Daesang) | Men of the Bath House | Won |
| 1999 | KBS Drama Awards | Achievement Award | | Won |
| 2008 | 2nd Korea Drama Awards | Achievement Award | | Nominated |
| 2009 | 5th Golden Ticket Awards [ko] | Best Actress in a Play | 3 Days and 2 Nights with Mom | Won |
| 2011 | 7th Golden Ticket Awards [ko] | Best Actress in a Play | 3 Days and 2 Nights with Mom | Won |
| 2011 | MBC Drama Awards | Achievement Award | Indomitable Daughters-in-Law | Won |
| 2012 | 8th Golden Ticket Awards [ko] | Best Actress in a Play | 3 Days and 2 Nights with Mom | Won |
| 2018 | MBC Drama Awards | Golden Acting Award | A Pledge to God | Won |