# Kang Nam-gil

Kang Nam-gil (born August 27, 1958) is a South Korean actor. Kang made his acting debut as a 9-year-old child actor in 1966. He later transitioned to adult roles in 1981 with Let Us Love written by Kim Soo-hyun (and dropped out of Hanyang University's English Language and Literature department). Kang drew popularity when he starred in the family drama Under the Same Roof in 1986, but became best known for playing "Dal-soo" in the single-episode MBC Best Theater, which used his character to satirize the social issues of the day. The Trial of Dal-soo reached 25.7% viewership ratings, the highest in the anthology series' history. In 2000, Kang and his wife divorced on charges of adultery on her part, and his subsequent hospitalization from a heart attack led him to take a hiatus from his acting career and move with his son and daughter to England. He returned to Korea four years later, and made his comeback with People of the Water Flower Village. Kang is also an author of computer books for beginners, and in 2004 he published Oh! My God, a memoir about his life as a stay-at-home dad in Birmingham. In 2008, he played one of the leading roles in the spirit possession dramedy Who Are You?.

## Filmography
### Television series

| Year | Title | Role | Network |
| 1966 | New Lady in Palpan-dong | | MBC |
| 1972 | Children from the Colonel's House | | TBC |
| 1975 | Reed | Jin-pal | MBC |
| 1976 | Adventures of Chul | Kkeo-beong | MBC |
| 1978 | X Search Party | | MBC |
| 1981 | Let Us Love | Hyung-gi | MBC |
| 1982 | Long Live Ttok-soon | | KBS1 |
| 1982 | Annals of Rejection "Lee Yong-ik" | | MBC |
| 1982 | Yesterday and Tomorrow | | MBC |
| 1983 | Eldest Daughter | | KBS1 |
| 1985 | 500 Years of Joseon: The Wind Orchid | Sim Ui-gyeom | MBC |
| 1985 | MBC Bestseller Theater "Winter Row" | | MBC |
| 1986 | MBC Bestseller Theater "Paper Umbrella" | | MBC |
| 1986 | Under the Same Roof | Yoon Bong-soo | MBC |
| 1986 | Portrait of the Days of Youth | | MBC |
| 1987 | MBC Bestseller Theater "The Night Before" | | MBC |
| 1988 | Human Market | | MBC |
| 1988 | Whoa Hey Whoa Hey | Hong Gil-dong | KBS2 |
| 1989 | A Star Is Born | | MBC |
| 1990 | Detectives at the 25th Hour | Youngest detective | KBS2 |
| 1990 | Love Opened in Every Room | Hong-beom | MBC |
| 1990 | Geomsaengi’s Month | | KBS2 |
| 1991 | Maekrang Era | Teacher Ji-hak | KBS1 |
| 1991 | MBC Best Theater "A Midsummer Night's Dream" | Deputy Kim | MBC |
| 1991 | MBC Best Theater "Nongae" | | MBC |
| 1992 | Haengchon Apartment | Chan-soo | MBC |
| 1992 | MBC Best Theater "Life of a Valet" | Heo Gong-soo | MBC |
| 1993 | Ya-deung | | MBC |
| 1993 | MBC Best Theater "For the Apartment" | | MBC |
| 1993 | Drama Game "Mom's New Semester" | | KBS2 |
| 1993 | Han River Cuckoo | | SBS |
| 1993 | Letters from Heaven | Maternal uncle | MBC |
| 1993 | MBC Best Theater "Man in Dark Gray Pants" | Dal-chae | MBC |
| 1993 | Drama Game "Where Did You Go and Now Are You Back?" | | KBS2 |
| 1993 | New The Art of War | Park Dong-tak | KBS2 |
| 1994 | Man and Woman | Woo Dong-beom | MBC |
| 1994 | Stranger in Paradise | Seok-beom's uncle | MBC |
| 1994 | Drama Game "With a Daughter, Without a Daughter" | | KBS2 |
| 1994 | MBC Best Theater "The Last War" | | MBC |
| 1994 | Always a Blue Heart | Homeroom teacher | EBS |
| 1994 | General Hospital | Nam Poong-cheon | MBC |
| 1994 | Love Is in Your Embrace | Jo Choong-bok | MBC |
| 1995 | Asphalt Man | Bae Jong-ok's older brother | SBS |
| 1995 | MBC Best Theater "The Trial of Dal-soo" | Kang Dal-soo | MBC |
| 1995 | MBC Best Theater "Seoul Blues" | Newsagent | MBC |
| 1995 | Hotel | Chef | MBC |
| 1995 | Apartment | Mr. Park | MBC |
| 1995 | Love Formula | | MBC |
| 1995 | MBC Best Theater "Dal-soo's Habitat" | Kang Dal-soo | MBC |
| 1996 | The Sweet Life | Choi Sang-min | MBC |
| 1996 | MBC Best Theater "Dal-soo's Son Goes to School" | Kang Dal-soo | MBC |
| 1996 | MBC Best Theater "Dal-soo's Cha Cha Cha" | Kang Dal-soo | MBC |
| 1996 | Gan-yi-yeok | Hong Sung-dal | MBC |
| 1996 | Wonji-dong Blues | Jang-sik | MBC |
| 1996 | Drama Game "A Very Special Gift" | | KBS2 |
| 1997 | Star in My Heart | Han Jae-bong | MBC |
| 1997 | MBC Best Theater "Our Shriveled Young-woong" | Han Young-woong | MBC |
| 1997 | MBC Best Theater "A Father Who Does Everything He Can for His Daughter" | Shin-joong | MBC |
| 1997 | Miss & Mister | | SBS |
| 1997 | Hero's Uprising | Department head Lee | MBC |
| 1997 | MBC Best Theater "Dal-soo, Outrage over Filial Piety Law" | Kang Dal-soo | MBC |
| 1997 | MBC Best Theater "Dal-soo's Solo Arirang" | Kang Dal-soo | MBC |
| 1998 | Love | Team captain Hwang | MBC |
| 1998 | MBC Best Theater "How to Divorce" | Shin-joong | MBC |
| 1998 | Hope Lodge | | KBS1 |
| 1998 | Run Barefoot | Na Seo-chan | MBC |
| 1998 | MBC Best Theater "Mr. Gong Choon-taek's Contract Marriage" | Mr. Jang | MBC |
| 1999 | MBC Best Theater "Husband's Ugly Lover" | Kim Jung-do | MBC |
| 1999 | The Little Prince | Dad | KBS2 |
| 1999 | MBC Best Theater "Dal-soo, Yes, The Boomerang" | Kang Dal-soo | MBC |
| 1999 | The Last War | Kim Tae-kyung | MBC |
| 1999 | Did You Ever Love? | | KBS2 |
| 1999 | Sweet Bride | | SBS |
| 2004 | People of the Water Flower Village | Han Se-young | MBC |
| 2004 | MBC Best Theater "Winter Glory" | Young-ho | MBC |
| 2004 | War of the Roses | Bang Je-soo | MBC |
| 2004 | MBC Best Theater "Dal-soo, Son's Extracurricular Work" | Kang Dal-soo | MBC |
| 2004 | Magic | Cha Poong-ho | SBS |
| 2004 | Love Story in Harvard | Professor Oh Young-jae | SBS |
| 2005 | Sad Love Story | Cha Chang-man | MBC |
| 2005 | A Farewell to Sorrow | Han Sung-jae | KBS2 |
| 2005 | MBC Best Theater "Dal-soo, Catching the Special Laws on Sex Trade" | Kang Dal-soo | MBC |
| 2006 | Princess Hours | Shin Chae-kyeong's father | MBC |
| 2006 | Let's Love Again | Park Do-sang | MBC |
| 2006 | Bad Family | Jo Gi-dong | SBS |
| 2006 | Hearts of Nineteen | Hong Moon-goo | KBS1 |
| 2006 | My Beloved Sister | Husband of Kim Geon-woo's aunt | MBC |
| 2007 | Capital Scandal | Kim Tak-gu | KBS2 |
| 2007 | The King and I | Choi Cham-bong | SBS |
| 2008 | Who Are You? | Son Il-gun | MBC |
| 2008 | Chunja's Special Day | Lee Dae-pal | MBC |
| 2008 | Gourmet | Director Han | SBS |
| 2008 | Innocent You | Kang Jung-yong | SBS |
| 2009 | The Return of Iljimae | Bae Seon-dal | MBC |
| 2009 | Creating Destiny | Han Kyung-tae | MBC |
| 2010 | Jejungwon | Watanabe | SBS |
| 2010 | Playful Kiss | Oh Ki-dong | MBC |
| 2010 | Your Heaven | President Yang | SBS |
| 2010 | Once Upon a Time in Saengchori | Lee Man-soo | tvN |
| 2011 | KBS Drama Special "Special Task Force MSS" | Kim Jung-soo | KBS2 |
| 2011 | My Bittersweet Life | Hong Kyu-man | KBS1 |
| 2011 | You're Here, You're Here, You're Really Here | Kim Gul-jong | MBN |
| 2012 | Take Care of Us, Captain | Choi Dal-ho | SBS |
| 2013 | Wonderful Mama | Oh Da-jung's father (guest, episodes 11 & 25) | SBS |
| 2013 | Potato Star 2013QR3 | Na Se-dol | tvN |
| 2013 | Secret Love | Kang Woo-chul | KBS2 |
| 2013 | Basketball | Hong Byeo-ri's father | tvN |
| 2014 | Gap-dong | Han Sang-hoon | tvN |
| 2014 | Glorious Day | Jung In-sung | SBS |
| 2014 | Lovers of Music | Choi Myung-sik | KBS2 |
| 2014 | You Are the Only One | Song Deok-goo | KBS1 |
| 2015 | Super Daddy Yeol | Han Man-ho | tvN |
| 2016 | Another Miss Oh | president Jang | tvN |
| 2017 | You Are Too Much | Jung Kang-sik | MBC |
| 2018 | The Rich Son | Lee Kye-Dong | MBC |
| 2018 | Return | Judge | SBS |
| 2018 | The Beauty Inside | Kang Dae-sik | JTBC |
| 2022 | The Driver | Cameo | MBN |

### Film

| Year | Title | Role |
| 1969 | School Excursion | Island child |
| 1975 | Graduating School Girls | |
| 1976 | Prayer of a Girl | |
| 1977 | K&J | |
| 1977 | Good Bye, Sir! | |
| 1977 | Our World | |
| 1983 | The Memo of a 21-year-old | Im Tae-hwan |
| 1987 | Gorgeous Transformation | |
| 1988 | Don Quixote on Asphalt | Son |
| 1988 | Sunshine at Present | Friend |
| 1989 | My Love, Don Quixote | Min-ho (cameo) |
| 1989 | Shinsa-dong Gigolo | Dong-joon |
| 1990 | Hero Flash | Chan (Red Flash) |
| 1991 | Longing for Love | |
| 1991 | The Night Full of Stars | Woo Dong-sik |
| 1992 | His Excellency of Sae-al City | Jo Jin-sang |
| 2005 | Jenny, Juno | Juno's father |
| 2016 | Chasing | Police Commissioner |

### Variety/Radio show

| Year | Title | Notes |
| 1982 | Spirit 11 | Host |
| 1992 | Short Talk at Midnight | DJ |
| 1995 | The Pursuit of Happiness with Kim Soo-mi and Kang Nam-gil | DJ |
| 1999 | Wonderful Tonight with Im Baek-cheon | segment: "Millenium Challenge: Kang Nam-gil's Final Challenge with Tobacco" |
| 1999 | Good Morning | Host |

## Books

| Year | Title | Publisher |
| 1998 | Kang Nam-gil's TV Is Easier Than the Computer | YoungJin.com |
| 1999 | Kang Nam-gil's TV Is Easier Than the Internet | YoungJin.com |
| 2001 | Kang Nam-gil's Computer | YoungJin.com |
| 2001 | Kang Nam-gil's Internet | YoungJin.com |
| 2003 | New – I Can Do! Kang Nam-gil's Internet | YoungJin.com |
| 2004 | Kang Nam-gil's Computers Are Easy to Learn | YoungJin.com |
| 2004 | Kang Nam-gil's Oh! My God | YoungJin.com |

## Awards and nominations

| Year | Award | Category | Nominated work | Result |
| 1972 | TBC Broadcasting Awards | Special Award | | Won |
| 1999 | MBC Drama Awards | Popularity Award | | Won |
| 1999 | MBC Drama Awards | Talent of the Year | | Won |
| 2006 | KBS Drama Awards | Best Supporting Actor | Hearts of Nineteen | Nominated |
| 2007 | KBS Drama Awards | Best Supporting Actor | Capital Scandal | Nominated |
| 2009 | MBC Drama Awards | Golden Acting Award, Veteran Actor | Creating Destiny | Won |
| 2009 | SBS Drama Awards | Best Supporting Actor in a Serial Drama | Innocent You | Nominated |
| 2010 | SBS Drama Awards | Best Supporting Actor in a Special Planning Drama | Jejungwon | Nominated |
| 2011 | KBS Drama Awards | Excellence Award, Actor in a Daily Drama | My Bittersweet Life | Nominated |
| 2018 | MBC Drama Awards | Best Supporting Actor in a Soap Opera | The Rich Son | Nominated |