# Song Kang-ho

Song Kang-ho (Korean: 송강호; born January 17, 1967) is a South Korean actor. Regarded as one of the most influential actors in Korean cinema, he has appeared in critically acclaimed films across various genres. He is the recipient of numerous accolades, including a Cannes Film Festival Award, three Baeksang Arts Awards, four Blue Dragon Film Awards, and five Grand Bell Awards. In 2020, The New York Times named him one of the greatest actors of the 21st century.
Song first gained recognition with the crime thriller No. 3 (1997), and later rose to prominence with Park Chan-wook's critically acclaimed film Joint Security Area (2000). He is known for his collaborations with filmmaker Bong Joon-ho in Memories of Murder (2003), The Host (2006), Snowpiercer (2013), and Parasite (2019). Song rose to international prominence for his performance in Parasite, which won the Palme d'Or at the Cannes Film Festival and the Academy Award for Best Picture. He also worked extensively with director Kim Jee-woon, starring in five of his films: The Quiet Family (1998), The Foul King (2000), The Good, the Bad, the Weird (2008), The Age of Shadows (2016), and Cobweb (2023).
His other notable South Korean films include Sympathy for Mr. Vengeance (2002), Secret Sunshine (2007), Thirst (2009), The Attorney (2013), The Throne (2015), A Taxi Driver (2017), and Broker (2022). He has been named Gallup Korea's Film Actor of the Year four times (2013, 2017, 2019 and 2020).

## Early life

Song Kang-ho was born on January 17, 1967, in Gimhae, South Gyeongsang Province. He graduated from Gimhae High School and had aspirations of becoming an actor since his second year at Garak Middle School. At the time, the country had just five theater and film departments. Despite failing the entrance exam once, he eventually studied at Gyeongsang National University in Busan. However, he was drafted for mandatory military service soon after. After completing his service, Song did not return to college and instead joined a theater company in Busan at age 23.

## Career
### 1991–1997: Early career

In 1990, Song Kang-ho attended a performance of "Mr. Choi," a play by Yeonwoo Theater Company in Busan. This experience ignited his passion for acting and inspired him to pursue his dream. The following year, at the age of 23, he moved to Seoul with the sole purpose of realizing his ambition, and he immediately headed to Yeonwoo Theater without any concrete plans. Song approached Ryu Tae-ho, the director of Yeonwoo Theater Company, and humbly pleaded for an opportunity to stay and contribute, even if it meant working as a theater cleaner. Determined to make his mark, he visited the theater four times and left his contact information. As fate would have it, he was eventually called upon to assist with an event organized by the theater due to a staff shortage.
During this event, Song had an encounter with director Yi Sang-woo. Impressed by Song's dedication, Yi Sang-woo offered him the advice: "Yeonwoo Theater shouldn't be your ultimate goal. It should be a place where you immerse yourself to fulfill your own purpose." Then, Yi Sang-woo welcomed Song Kang-ho as a member of the theater. In 1991, Song made his stage debut in play of "Dongseung" (A Little Monk). Over the next few years, he honed his craft on stage, earning a reputation as a remarkably talented actor.
   Since I was young, I learned acting by forging myself in the theater company scene. Yi Sang-woo and Kim Seok-man could be silent teachers because they were from Yeonwoo stage. Mechanical engineering department can teach you how to sharpen a metal, but theater and film department can't teach you acting.
In 1995 Song joined Theater Company Chaimu, founded by theater director Yi Sang-woo. Director Yi Sang-woo said, "I saw Song Kang-ho and Yoo Oh-sung, who were drinking all the time at my officetel in 1995, and thought, 'Everyone is going to be ruined like this.'" That was the beginning," he explained. Song became an early member of the troupe alongside Moon Seong-geun, Yu Oh-seong, Ryu Tae-ho, film director Yeo Gyun-dong, and drama writer Jeong In-ok.
Although Song was regularly approached to act in films, he always turned down the opportunity until he was in his 30s. In 1996, he finally accepted a role as an extra in Hong Sang-soo's 1996 film The Day a Pig Fell into the Well. After that, Song drew attention for his acting as Pan-soo in Lee Chang-dong's Green Fish in 1997. His portrayal of a gangster who wielded an iron pipe and jumped into the car Mak-dong (played by Han Seok-kyu) in an underground parking lot was so realistic that rumors even circulated that a real gangster had been cast. The following year, Song played one of the homeless characters in Jang Sun-woo's documentary-style Bad Movie. Song gained cult notoriety for his performance as Jopil, a stuttering gangster who trained a group of young recruits in Song Neung-han's No. 3. Song became the most notable actor of 1997, sweeping the Best New Actor Award at the Grand Bell Awards and the Blue Dragon Film Awards.

### 1998–2002: Path to leading roles

Director Kim Jee-woon opened a new path for Song, who had been cast mainly as bullies and gangsters, by casting him as Young-min, the eldest son of Park In-hwan and Na Moon-hee, in his debut film, The Quiet Family In this film, Song showed the essence of comic cruelty acting. He then took on his first leading role as agent Lee Jang-gil, Han Suk-kyu's partner, in Kang Je-gyu's blockbuster thriller Shiri. However, it was director Kim Jee-woon who elevated Song into leading actor status in his film The Foul King. The movie was released in cinemas in February 2000, with Song portraying Lim Dae-ho, a bank clerk turned professional wrestler, for which he did most of his own stunts. Song's comic acting was topped with deep pathos, and his popularity increased. He always said that this role was his hardest role as an actor.
Song's performance in the Myung Film production Joint Security Area as North Korean Army sergeant Oh Joong-pil established him as one of South Korea's leading actors. He won the Best Actor Award at the 38th Grand Bell Awards for this performance. Song also starred in the first installment of Park Chan-wook's acclaimed Vengeance trilogy, Sympathy for Mr. Vengeance, which centers on a father's pursuit of his daughter's kidnappers. In 2002, Song starred in another major production by Myung Films, YMCA Baseball Team, which is about Korea's first baseball team formed in the early 20th century.

### 2003–2018: Prominence

In 2003, Song played a leading role as Park Doo-man, an incompetent rural detective, in another critically acclaimed hit, Memories of Murder, from young director Bong Joon-ho. It was the first of several critically acclaimed movies they would make together, with commentators describing Bong's relationship with Song as a "great actor-director collaboration". With it, Song swept the best actor awards at various awards ceremonies, including the 40th Grand Bell Awards in 2003, establishing himself as the best actor in the Korean film industry in the early 2000s.
In 2004, Song starred in The President's Barber by debut director Im Chan-sang, which imagines the life of South Korean president Park Chung Hee's personal barber. The following year he also took the lead in Antarctic Journal, a big-budget project by debut director Yim Pil-sung about an expedition in Antarctica that performed weakly at the box office.
In 2006, through director Bong Joon-ho's film The Host, Song rose to the ranks of 10 million actors. The film helped to broaden international awareness of Song's talent, and in March 2007 he was named Best Actor at the inaugural Asian Film Awards in Hong Kong. More high-profile projects followed: The Show Must Go On about an aging gangster,
Song starred opposite Jeon Do-yeon in Lee Chang-dong's film Secret Sunshine (2007), as local mechanic in Miryang Kim Jong-chan and won Best Actor in 6th Korean Film Awards,10th Director's Cut Awards, and Palm Springs International Film Festival. Jeon Do-yeon won the Prix d'interprétation féminine (Best Actress) at the 2007 Cannes Film Festival, making her the first Korean ever to receive an acting award at Cannes Film Festival.
In 2008, Song acted in Kim Jee-woon's western film set in 1930s Japanese-occupied Manchuria, The Good, the Bad, the Weird. The film showcased an ensemble of stars with Lee Byung-hun as "the good", Jung Woo-sung as "the bad" and Song as "the weird". The film earned US$128,486 in North America and US$44,132,723 in other territories, bringing the worldwide gross to US$44,261,209. It was the second highest grossing Korean film in 2008 after Scandal Makers, beating The Chaser and it is one of the highest-grossing films of all time in South Korea which attracted 6.68 million viewers.
In 2009, Song acted in Park Chan-wook's vampire film Thirst, opposite Kim Ok-vin. Song notably appeared full frontally nude in this film. In the same year, Song acted as North Korean spy Ji-won in spy thriller Secret Reunion. A shoot out in the middle of the city brings together Ji-won and National Intelligence Service agent Lee. The operation to capture an assassin spy known as 'Shadow' ends in disaster and the agent Lee is dismissed from his post. Ji-won is also abandoned by his organization after being framed as a traitor.
Two 2012 films, the gangster love story Hindsight, and the suspense film Howling, were considered as Song's box office slump. However, in 2013, Song made a splendid resurrection by becoming an actor of 20 million through three films in which he appeared. Starting the English-language dystopian blockbuster Snowpiercer with 9.35 million viewers. The period drama The Face Reader, where Song acted as Nae-kyeong, the greatest face reader of Joseon, who can see through people by looking at their faces, reached 9.13 million viewers. The Attorney which was inspired by Roh Moo-hyun's early days as a human rights Lawyer, was breaking records, surpassing 10 million viewers only within 32 days, the shortest time ever.
Song continued to star in a number of critically acclaimed films, including Lee Joon-ik's period film The Throne. Song played as King Yeongjo, the Korean ruler who infamously had his belligerent son, the Crown Prince Sado (played by Yoo Ah-in), suffocated to death in a large wooden chest filled with rice. Later, Song reunited with director Kim Jee-woon after eight years period action film The Age of Shadows. Song won Best Actor in 53rd Baeksang Arts Awards for his role as Lee Jung-chool, a Korean police captain that has been charged by the Japanese colonial government with rooting out members of the country's resistance movement. The success of the film in reaching over the 7.4 million viewer mark, made Song the first leading actor in Korean cinema to record over 100 million admissions throughout the course of his career.
In 2016, Song starred in film A Taxi Driver, as Kim Man-seo, a widowed taxi driver. The film centers on a taxi driver from Seoul who unintentionally becomes involved in the events of the Gwangju Uprising in 1980. It is based on a real-life story of German journalist Jürgen Hinzpeter's interactions with driver Kim Sa-bok. The film was released on August 2, 2017, in South Korea. On the same day, the film had its international premiere at the Fantasia International Film Festival in Montreal, where Song was awarded as Best Actor for his role in the film.

### 2019–2023: Parasite and international stardom

In 2019, Song starred as Kim Ki-taek in the critically acclaimed film Parasite, also directed by his frequent collaborator Bong Joon-ho. It won the Palme d'Or at the 2019 Cannes Film Festival, becoming the first Korean film to receive the award. It was selected as the South Korean entry for Best International Feature Film at the 92nd Academy Awards, Bong's second selection after 2009's Mother.
   It's not as if I always write with him in mind because he's a comfortable collaborator. I do give it a lot of thought, but because this film starts with a story of average neighbors and builds to something extreme, to cover that wide range, I thought Song Kang-ho would be the best to handle it. Especially in the climax; his character doesn't have any lines—it's the subtle changes in his muscles, the subtle tremors, that have to convince the audience of the entire film. Song has that strength as an actor.
In 2020, The New York Times released a list of the 25 greatest actors of the century. In the list of 25 internationally known screen figures, Song Kang-ho was ranked sixth. The newspaper also published an interview with director Bong Joon-ho. Song is known as Bong's muse, having featured in four of his films.
In the same year it was announced that Song co-starred in Kore-eda Hirokazu's debut Korean-language film Broker, alongside Lee Ji-eun, Bae Doona and Gang Dong-won. He started filming in 2021, acted as Ha Sang-hyeon, the owner of a hand laundry who takes babies from a baby box at a nearby church and sells them with the help of his partner Dong-soo.
In 2021, Song was selected as one of the nine judges in the competition section of the 74th Cannes Film Festival to be held from July 6 to July 17. In the same year, Song reteamed for the fifth time with leading Korean director Kim Jee-woon on their upcoming feature film Cobweb. The scriptwriter of Cobweb was Shin Yeon-shick, who also wrote the screenplay for sports film One Win, in which Song also starred.
The following year, Broker was released on June 8, 2022. Song was awarded Best Actor at the 75th Cannes Film Festival for his performance in Broker. Song was first Korean to win Best Actor Award at Cannes.
   Of course, winning an award from such a prestigious festival as Cannes is a great and happy moment, an unforgettable turning point of my life. However, I don't think the action [of receiving an award] itself holds much significance. Because from the perspective of someone creating a film, the ultimate and most important purpose of the film is interaction with the audience. During the process, I have won the award, but that itself cannot become the purpose. […] There is no difference in me, Song Kang-ho, before and after the Cannes award. The meaning lies in unwaveringly doing the best I can [in future projects]
Song also acted in title role in blockbuster disaster film Emergency Declaration. Song plays the role of the detective In-ho. This film is directed by Han Jae-rim, who worked with Song in historical film The Face Reader (2013). The film was first screened in the out of competition section of the 74th Cannes Film Festival on July 16, 2021. It was slated to release theatrically in January 2022, but due to a new wave of the COVID-19 pandemic its release was delayed. It was finally released theatrically in South Korea on August 3, 2022 and was released in the United States on August 12, 2022.
In May 2023, it was reported that Song would be the male lead in a Korean remake of the Indian film Drishyam.

### 2024–present: Venture to small screen

In 2022, it was reported that Song will act alongside Byun Yo-han in his television series debut with Uncle Samsik.
The series is set in 1960s and depicts the tale of two men, their pride, greed and bromance. The series is written by Shin Yeon-shick and also directed by him. It will be the third project between Song and Shin, with whom Song has recently shot feature films Cobweb and One Win.

## Endorsements

In 2001, Song was signed by traditional liquor company Kooksoondang to promote a traditional liquor called baeksaju. Thanks to Song, the popularity of the brand in Japan skyrocketed. The contract was renewed for five years from 2001 to 2005, and in 2009, Song signed a three-year exclusive CF model contract with Kooksoondang. Typically, models sign contracts for six months or one year, then extend them yearly, but Song's three-year model contract was the first of its kind in the industry.
Song also did advertisements for other products such as food, electronics, and finance. In 2002, he was a model for a Kimchi refrigerator brand. In 2003, he modeled for a pizza brand. In 2005, Song received a 100 million won guarantee as a model for an air purifier brand. In 2007, Hana Financial Group announced that Song and Jeon Do-yeon were selected as their new advertising models. In 2008, Song appeared in a CF movie for Hyundai Card with Jung Woo-sung and Lee Byung-hun. In 2012, the Chungmuro pride trio, Song with Choi Min-sik and Seol Gyeong-gu, were selected as NH Nonghyup Bank's advertising models. In 2014, Nongshim hired Song and Yu Hae-jin as the advertising models for their ramen product, Nongshim Shin Ramyun. Shin Ramyun upgraded its taste and design after 28 years since its launch, with an advertisement concept focusing on the better taste of Shin Ramyun.
Following the success of Parasite in 2020, Song returned to the advertising world after a six-year break. Lina Life Insurance announced on September 28 that it had signed a contract with Song Kang-ho. He also did an overseas CF for China's Lilith Games popular strategy game Rise of Kingdoms.

## Personal life

Song Kang-ho married Hwang Jang-sook, a fellow theater actress, in November 1994, amid a time of great financial difficulty. The couple have two children: son Jun-pyeong and daughter Joo-yeon. Their son, Song Jun-pyoung, born in 1996, is a former football player who retired due to injuries. Jun-pyeong started playing in elementary school and was a player in the Suwon Samsung Bluewings U-18 team of Maetan High School's Football Department. In an interview, Jun-pyeong said, "I'm not going to talk about my father. My father didn't want me to be exposed as a football player, either."
In 2005, police caught Song driving with a blood alcohol content of 0.095%. His license was suspended for 100 days.

## Philanthropy

On March 6, 2022, Song donated 100 million won to the Hope Bridge Disaster Relief Association to assist recovery efforts from a massive wildfire that started in Uljin County, North Gyeongsang Province, and spread to Samcheok, Gangwon Province.
On July 22, 2022, he donated 200 million won at the start of the March 2020 COVID-19 crisis and another 100 million won when bushfires broke out in March on the east coast. He also joined the Honors Club, a large donor group.

## Filmography
### Film

| Year | Title | Role | Notes | Ref. |
| Year | Title | Role | Notes | Ref. | 1996 | The Day a Pig Fell into the Well | Dong-seok | Bit part |
| 1997 | Green Fish | Pan-su | | |
| 1997 | No. 3 | Jo-pil | | |
| 1997 | Bad Movie | Homeless man | | |
| 1998 | The Quiet Family | Kang Yeong-min | | |
| 1999 | Shiri | Lee Jang-gil | | |
| 2000 | The Foul King | Dae-ho | | |
| 2000 | Joint Security Area | Sgt. Oh Kyeong-pil | | |
| 2002 | Sympathy for Mr. Vengeance | Park Dong-jin | | |
| 2002 | YMCA Baseball Team | Lee Ho-chang | | |
| 2003 | Memories of Murder | Detective Park Doo-man | | |
| 2004 | The President's Barber | Seong Han-mo | | |
| 2005 | Antarctic Journal | Choi Do-hyung | | |
| 2005 | Sympathy for Lady Vengeance | Hired Assassin #1 | Cameo | |
| 2005 | Madagascar | Alex (voice) | Korean dub | |
| 2006 | The Host | Park Gang-du | | |
| 2007 | The Show Must Go On | Kang In-goo | | |
| 2007 | Secret Sunshine | Jong-chan | | |
| 2008 | The Good, the Bad, the Weird | Yun Tae-goo / The Weird | | |
| 2009 | Thirst | Sang-hyun | | |
| 2010 | Secret Reunion | Agent Lee Han-gyu | | |
| 2010 | A Little Pond | Police officer | Special appearance | |
| 2011 | Hindsight | Doo-hun | | |
| 2012 | Howling | Sang-gil | | |
| 2012 | Day Trip | Master | Short film | |
| 2013 | Snowpiercer | Namgoong Minsu | | |
| 2013 | The Face Reader | Nae-gyeong | | |
| 2013 | The Attorney | Song U-seok | | |
| 2015 | The Throne | King Yeongjo | | |
| 2016 | The Age of Shadows | Lee Jung-chool | | |
| 2017 | A Taxi Driver | Man-seob | | |
| 2018 | The Drug King | Lee Doo-sam | | |
| 2019 | Parasite | Kim Ki-taek | | |
| 2019 | The King's Letters | King Sejong | | |
| 2022 | Broker | Ha Sang-hyeon | | |
| 2022 | Emergency Declaration | In-ho | | |
| 2023 | Cobweb | Director Kim | | |
| 2024 | One Win | Kim Woo-jin | | |

### Television

| Year | Title | Role | Notes | Ref. |
| Year | Title | Role | Notes | Ref. | 2024 | Uncle Samsik | Park Doo-chil / Uncle Samsik |
| 2025 | Beef | | Season 2 | |

### Hosting

| Year | Title | Notes | Ref. |
| 2023 | Closing ceremony 28th Busan International Film Festival | first solo host | |

## Stage
### Musical

Musical performances of Song :
| Year | Title | Title | Role | Venue | Date | Ref. |
| Year | English | Korean | Role | Venue | Date | Ref. |
| 1995 | Musical: "I Will Become a Star," | 뮤지컬 '스타가 될꺼야' | Role | Venue | Date | |
| 1995 | Shim Soo-il and Lee Soon-ae - Young Soo-il and Sunny Soon-ae sing, dance and love | 심수일과 이순애 - 젊은 수일이와 맑은 순애가 노래하고 춤추고 사랑한다 | The president of the harbour, the cleaner | Seoul Arts Center Towol Theater | January 27 to March 12 | |

### Theater

Theaters' performances :
| Year | Title | Title | Role | Theater | Date | Ref. |
| Year | English | Korean | Role | Theater | Date | Ref. |
| 1990 | Teacher Choi | 최선생 | Extra | Busan | — | |
| 1990 | Narat-nim's words | 나랏님 말싸미 | Clown 3 | Theater Company Dawn (Busan) | October 27–28 | |
| 1991 | The Little Monk | 동승 | Old man | Yeonwoo Small Theater | September 14 to October 31 | |
| 1991 | Park Cheomji | 박첨지 | | Yeonwoo Small Theater | September 14 to October 31 | |
| 1991 | The Little Monk | 동승 | Old man | Dongsung-dong Literature Theatre | December 1 to 14 | |
| 1991 | The Little Monk | 동승 | Old man | Garam Culture and Arts Center Art Hall Premier | December 21 to 25 | |
| 1992 | Fly, birds - children's stories for adults | 날아라 새들아 - 어른을 위한 어린이의 이야기 | | Yeonwoo Small Theater | June 12 to July 19 | |
| 1992 | I have soup | 국물 있사옵니다 | President, manager | Yeonwoo Small Theater | June 10 to July 4 | |
| 1992 | Cooney Country - Wonderland | 쿠니 나라 - 이상한 나라 | male, soldier | Culture and Art Hall Grand Theater | November 17–30 | |
| 1993 | Women's Rebellion | 여성반란 | Prime Minister, Mayor | Small Theater Sanwoolim | September 14 to October 10 | |
| 1994 | Giselle | 지젤 | Hilarion | Batanggol Art Museum | January 13 to March 6 | |
| 1995 | Playland | 플레이랜드 | | Hakjeon Blue Small Theater | September 8 to October 8 | |
| 1996 | Bi Aeonso | 비언소 | Strange man | Daehak-ro Information Theatre in Seoul | July 15 to August 30 | |
| 1998 | Moral thief | 도덕적 도둑 | | Cultural Center Small Theater | March 27 to April 2 | |

## Accolades
### Awards and nominations

Year presented, name of the award ceremony, award category, nominated work and the result of the nomination :
| Year | Award | Category | Nominated work | Result |
| 1997 | 18th Blue Dragon Film Awards | Best Supporting Actor | No. 3 | Won |
| 1997 | 18th Blue Dragon Film Awards | Best New Actor | No. 3 | Nominated |
| 1997 | 35th Grand Bell Awards | Best Supporting Actor | No. 3 | Nominated |
| 1997 | 35th Grand Bell Awards | Best New Actor | No. 3 | Won |
| 1998 | 34th Baeksang Arts Awards | Best New Actor (Film) | No. 3 | Nominated |
| 1998 | 18th Korean Association of Film Critics Awards | Best Actor | The Quiet Family | Won |
| 1999 | 36th Grand Bell Awards | Best Supporting Actor | Shiri | Nominated |
| 2000 | 21st Blue Dragon Film Awards | Best Actor | Joint Security Area | Nominated |
| 2000 | 1st Busan Film Critics Awards | Best Actor | Joint Security Area | Won |
| 2000 | 3rd Director's Cut Awards | Best Actor | Joint Security Area | Won |
| 2000 | Cine 21 Awards | Best Actor | The Foul King, Joint Security Area | Won |
| 2000 | 5th Women Viewers Film Awards [ko] | Best Actor | The Foul King | Won |
| 2000 | 36th Baeksang Arts Awards | Best Actor (Film) | The Foul King | Nominated |
| 2001 | 4th Deauville Asian Film Festival | Best Actor | Joint Security Area | Won |
| 2001 | 37th Baeksang Arts Awards | Best Actor (Film) | Joint Security Area | Nominated |
| 2001 | 37th Baeksang Arts Awards | Most Popular Actor (Film) | Joint Security Area | Won |
| 2001 | 38th Grand Bell Awards | Best Actor | Joint Security Area | Won |
| 2002 | 23rd Blue Dragon Film Awards | Best Actor | Sympathy for Mr. Vengeance | Nominated |
| 2002 | 1st Korean Film Awards | Best Actor | Sympathy for Mr. Vengeance | Nominated |
| 2003 | 24th Blue Dragon Film Awards | Best Actor | Memories of Murder | Nominated |
| 2003 | 40th Grand Bell Awards | Best Actor | Memories of Murder | Won |
| 2003 | 40th Grand Bell Awards | Netizen Popularity Award | Memories of Murder | Won |
| 2003 | 2nd Korean Film Awards | Best Actor | Memories of Murder | Won |
| 2003 | 11th Chunsa Film Art Awards | Best Actor | Memories of Murder | Won |
| 2003 | 23rd Korean Association of Film Critics Awards | Best Actor | Memories of Murder | Won |
| 2003 | 6th Director's Cut Awards | Best Actor | Memories of Murder | Won |
| 2003 | Cine 21 Awards | Best Actor | Memories of Murder | Won |
| 2003 | 1st CGV Audience Choice of the Year Awards | Best Actor | Memories of Murder | Won |
| 2004 | 1st Max Movie Awards | Best Actor | Memories of Murder | Nominated |
| 2004 | 25th Blue Dragon Film Awards | Best Actor | The President's Barber | Nominated |
| 2006 | 27th Blue Dragon Film Awards | Best Actor | The Host | Nominated |
| 2006 | 9th Director's Cut Awards | Best Actor | The Host | Won |
| 2006 | Cine 21 Awards | Best Actor | The Host | Won |
| 2007 | 1st Asian Film Awards | Best Actor | The Host | Won |
| 2007 | 30th Golden Cinematography Awards | Acting Grand Prize (Daesang) | The Host | Won |
| 2007 | 4th Max Movie Awards | Best Actor | The Host | Nominated |
| 2007 | 44th Grand Bell Awards | Best Actor | The Host | Nominated |
| 2007 | 11st Fantasia Festival | Best Actor | The Show Must Go On | Won |
| 2007 | 28th Blue Dragon Film Awards | Best Actor | The Show Must Go On | Won |
| 2007 | 6th Korean Film Awards | Best Actor | The Show Must Go On | Nominated |
| 2007 | 6th Korean Film Awards | Best Actor | Secret Sunshine | Won |
| 2007 | 27th Korean Association of Film Critics Awards | Best Actor | The Show Must Go On | Won |
| 2007 | 8th Busan Film Critics Awards | Best Actor | The Show Must Go On | Won |
| 2007 | 10th Director's Cut Awards | Best Actor | Secret Sunshine | Won |
| 2007 | 3rd Korea University Film Festival | Best Actor | Secret Sunshine | Won |
| 2007 | Cine 21 Awards | Best Actor | The Show Must Go On, Secret Sunshine | Won |
| 2008 | 19th Palm Springs International Film Festival | FIPRESCI Best Actor Award | Secret Sunshine | Won |
| 2008 | 2nd Asian Film Awards | Best Actor | Secret Sunshine | Nominated |
| 2008 | 44th Baeksang Arts Awards | Best Actor (Film) | The Show Must Go On | Nominated |
| 2008 | 45th Grand Bell Awards | Best Actor | Secret Sunshine | Nominated |
| 2008 | 29th Blue Dragon Film Awards | Best Actor | The Good, the Bad, the Weird | Nominated |
| 2008 | 6th Korean Film Awards | Best Actor | The Good, the Bad, the Weird | Nominated |
| 2008 | 5th Max Movie Awards | Best Actor | Secret Sunshine | Nominated |
| 2009 | 45th Baeksang Arts Awards | Best Actor (Film) | The Good, the Bad, the Weird | Nominated |
| 2009 | 3rd Asian Film Awards | Best Actor | The Good, the Bad, the Weird | Nominated |
| 2009 | 17th Chunsa Film Art Awards | Best Actor | Thirst | Won |
| 2009 | 30th Blue Dragon Film Awards | Best Actor | Thirst | Nominated |
| 2009 | 12nd Director's Cut Awards | Best Actor | Thirst | Won |
| 2009 | Cine 21 Awards | Best Actor | Thirst | Won |
| 2010 | 1st KOFRA Film Awards | Best Actor | Thirst | Won |
| 2010 | 4th Asian Film Awards | Best Actor | Thirst | Nominated |
| 2010 | 7th Max Movie Awards | Best Actor | Thirst | Nominated |
| 2010 | 47th Grand Bell Awards | Best Actor | Secret Reunion | Nominated |
| 2011 | 8th Max Movie Awards | Best Actor | Secret Reunion | Nominated |
| 2013 | 56th Asia-Pacific Film Festival | Best Supporting Actor | Snowpiercer | Nominated |
| 2013 | 50th Grand Bell Awards | Best Actor | The Face Reader | Won |
| 2013 | Korean Association of Film Critics Awards | Best Actor | The Face Reader | Won |
| 2013 | 34th Blue Dragon Film Awards | Best Actor | The Face Reader | Nominated |
| 2013 | Cine 21 Awards | Best Actor | Snowpiercer, The Face Reader, The Attorney | Won |
| 2013 | OBS Hot Icon Awards | Hot Icon | Snowpiercer, The Attorney | Won |
| 2013 | Korea Film Actor's Association Awards | Movie Top Star Award | Snowpiercer, The Face Reader | Won |
| 2014 | 5th KOFRA Film Awards | Best Actor | The Attorney | Won |
| 2014 | 19th Chunsa Film Art Awards | Best Actor | The Attorney | Won |
| 2014 | 8th Asian Film Awards | Best Actor | The Attorney | Nominated |
| 2014 | 50th Baeksang Arts Awards | Grand Prize (Daesang) for Film | The Attorney | Won |
| 2014 | 50th Baeksang Arts Awards | Best Actor (Film) | The Attorney | Nominated |
| 2014 | 23rd Buil Film Awards | Best Actor | The Attorney | Won |
| 2014 | 51st Grand Bell Awards | Best Actor | The Attorney | Nominated |
| 2014 | 35th Blue Dragon Film Awards | Best Actor | The Attorney | Won |
| 2014 | 14th Director's Cut Awards | Best Actor | The Attorney | Won |
| 2014 | 9th Max Movie Awards | Best Actor | The Attorney | Won |
| 2014 | Korea Film Actor's Association Awards | Korea Top Star Award | The Attorney | Won |
| 2015 | 20th Busan International Film Festival | Asia Casting Market Curtain Call Award | — | Won |
| 2015 | 36th Blue Dragon Film Awards | Best Actor | The Throne | Nominated |
| 2016 | 52nd Baeksang Arts Awards | Best Actor (Film) | The Throne | Nominated |
| 2016 | 10th Asia Pacific Screen Awards | Best Actor | The Throne | Nominated |
| 2016 | Shin Young-kyun Arts and Culture Foundation | Top Cultural Award | — | Won |
| 2016 | SACF Artists of the Year Awards | Grand Prize (Daesang) | The Age of Shadows | Won |
| 2016 | 37th Blue Dragon Film Awards | Best Actor | The Age of Shadows | Nominated |
| 2016 | 53rd Grand Bell Awards | Best Actor | The Age of Shadows | Nominated |
| 2017 | 8th KOFRA Film Awards | Best Actor | The Age of Shadows | Won |
| 2017 | 53rd Baeksang Arts Awards | Best Actor (Film) | The Age of Shadows | Won |
| 2017 | 22nd Chunsa Film Art Awards | Best Actor | The Age of Shadows | Nominated |
| 2017 | 21st Fantasia Festival | Best Actor | A Taxi Driver | Won |
| 2017 | 26th Buil Film Awards | Best Actor | A Taxi Driver | Won |
| 2017 | 17th Korea World Youth Film Festival | Favorite Middle-Aged Actor | A Taxi Driver | Won |
| 2017 | 1st The Seoul Awards | Best Actor (Film) | A Taxi Driver | Won |
| 2017 | 54th Grand Bell Awards | Best Actor | A Taxi Driver | Nominated |
| 2017 | 38th Blue Dragon Film Awards | Best Actor | A Taxi Driver | Won |
| 2017 | 4th Korean Film Producers Association Awards | Best Actor | A Taxi Driver | Won |
| 2017 | 3rd Asian World Film Festival | Special Mention Award | A Taxi Driver | Won |
| 2018 | 54th Baeksang Arts Awards | Grand Prize (Daesang) for Film | A Taxi Driver | Nominated |
| 2018 | 54th Baeksang Arts Awards | Best Actor (Film) | A Taxi Driver | Nominated |
| 2018 | 23rd Chunsa Film Art Awards | Best Actor | A Taxi Driver | Nominated |
| 2019 | 72nd Locarno International Film Festival | Excellence Award | Parasite | Won |
| 2019 | 24th Chunsa Film Art Awards | Best Actor | Parasite | Nominated |
| 2019 | 40th Blue Dragon Film Awards | Best Actor | Parasite | Nominated |
| 2019 | Cine 21 Awards | Best Actor | Parasite | Won |
| 2019 | 19th Director's Cut Awards | Best Actor | Parasite | Won |
| 2020 | Phoenix Critics Circle Awards | Best Supporting Actor | Parasite | Won |
| 2020 | 26th Screen Actors Guild Awards | Outstanding Performance by a Cast in a Motion Picture | Parasite | Won |
| 2020 | Los Angeles Film Critics Association Awards | Best Supporting Actor | Parasite | Won |
| 2020 | 9th AACTA International Awards | Best Supporting Actor | Parasite | Nominated |
| 2020 | 25th Critics' Choice Awards | Best Acting Ensemble | Parasite | Nominated |
| 2020 | 25th Chunsa Film Art Awards | Best Actor | The King's Letters | Nominated |
| 2020 | 56th Grand Bell Awards | Best Actor | Parasite | Nominated |
| 2020 | 56th Baeksang Arts Awards | Best Actor (Film) | Parasite | Nominated |
| 2021 | 40th Golden Cinema Film Festival | Grand Prize (Daesang) | Parasite | Won |
| 2022 | 75th Cannes Film Festival | Best Actor | Broker | Won |
| 2022 | 27th Chunsa Film Art Awards | Best Actor | Broker | Nominated |
| 2022 | 31st Buil Film Awards | Best Actor | Broker | Nominated |
| 2022 | 27th Busan International Film Festival | Étoile du Cinéma | Broker | Won |
| 2022 | 58th Grand Bell Awards | Best Actor | Broker | Nominated |
| 2022 | 43rd Blue Dragon Film Awards | Best Actor | Broker | Nominated |
| 2023 | 59th Baeksang Arts Awards | Best Actor (Film) | Broker | Nominated |
| 2023 | 59th Grand Bell Awards | Best Actor | Cobweb | Nominated |
| 2023 | 44th Blue Dragon Film Awards | Best Leading Actor | Cobweb | Nominated |

### State honors

Name of country, award ceremony, year given, and name of honor :
| Country | Award Ceremony | Year | Honor |
| France | Busan International Film Festival | 2022 | The Étoile du Cinéma Award |
| South Korea | Korean Popular Culture and Arts Awards | 2022 | Bogwan (Precious Crown), 3rd Class |
| South Korea | Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism | 2019 | Okgwan Order of Cultural Merit (4th Class) |
| South Korea | Miryang | 2007 | Honorary Citizen |
| South Korea | National Tax Service | 2004 | Presidential Commendation |

### Listicles

Name of publisher, year listed, name of listicle, and placement :
| Publisher | Year | Listicle | Placement |
| Cine21 | 2020 | Actors that will lead Korean Video Content Industry in 2021 | 6th |
| Cine21 | 2021 | Actors that will lead Korean Video Content Industry in 2022 | 6th |
| Gallup Korea | 2004 | Gallup Korea's Film Actor of the Year | 6th |
| Gallup Korea | 2007 | Gallup Korea's Film Actor of the Year | 2nd |
| Gallup Korea | 2008 | Gallup Korea's Film Actor of the Year | 1st |
| Gallup Korea | 2009 | Gallup Korea's Film Actor of the Year | 2nd |
| Gallup Korea | 2010 | Gallup Korea's Film Actor of the Year | 5th |
| Gallup Korea | 2011 | Gallup Korea's Film Actor of the Year | 7th |
| Gallup Korea | 2012 | Gallup Korea's Film Actor of the Year | Placed |
| Gallup Korea | 2013 | Gallup Korea's Film Actor of the Year | 1st |
| Gallup Korea | 2014 | Gallup Korea's Film Actor of the Year | 2nd |
| Gallup Korea | 2015 | Gallup Korea's Film Actor of the Year | 2nd |
| Gallup Korea | 2016 | Gallup Korea's Film Actor of the Year | 2nd |
| Gallup Korea | 2017 | Gallup Korea's Film Actor of the Year | 1st |
| Gallup Korea | 2019 | Gallup Korea's Film Actor of the Year | 1st |
| Gallup Korea | 2020 | Gallup Korea's Film Actor of the Year | 1st |
| Gallup Korea | 2021 | Gallup Korea's Film Actor of the Year | 4th |
| Gallup Korea | 2022 | Gallup Korea's Film Actor of the Year | 3rd |
| Gallup Korea | 2023 | Gallup Korea's Film Actor of the Year | 3rd |
| The Herald Economy | 2006 | Pop Culture Power Leader Big 30 | 4th |
| The Herald Economy | 2008 | Pop Culture Power Leader Big 30 | 9th |
| The Herald Economy | 2010 | Pop Culture Power Leader Big 30 | 23rd |
| The Herald Economy | 2013 | Pop Culture Power Leader Big 30 | 7th |
| The Herald Economy | 2014 | Pop Culture Power Leader Big 30 | 11th |
| The Herald Economy | 2015 | Pop Culture Power Leader Big 30 | 10th |
| The New York Times | 2020 | 25 Greatest Actors of the 21st Century | 6th |
| The Screen | 2009 | 1984–2008 Top Box Office Powerhouse Actors in Korean Movies | 2nd |
| The Screen | 2019 | 2009–2019 Top Box Office Powerhouse Actors in Korean Movies | 3rd |
| Sisa Journal | 2008 | Next Generation Leader — Film Industry | 4th |
| Sisa Journal | 2009 | Next Generation Leader — Film Industry | 6th |
| Sisa Journal | 2013 | Next Generation Leader — Film Industry | 3rd |
| Sisa Journal | 2013 | Most Influential Person — Broadcasting & Entertainment | 9th |
| Sisa Journal | 2015 | Next Generation Leader — Pop Culture | 5th |
| Sisa Journal | 2016 | Most Influential Celebrity | 10th |
| Sisa Journal | 2017 | Next Generation Leader — Culture, Arts, Sports | 10th |
| Sisa Journal | 2020 | Most Influential Person in Broadcasting & Entertainment | 7th |
| Sisa Journal | 2022 | Most Influential Person in Broadcasting & Entertainment | 4th |