Kim Kap-soo

Kim Kap-soo is one of South Korea's most respected senior actors, with a career that began in 1977. He has played kings, fathers, chairmen, teachers and villains across stage, film and television. A new generation knows him as Chairman Hong Man-dae in Queen of Tears (2024), while older fans have admired him for decades.

Kim Kap-soo is about 173 cm (5 ft 8 in) tall and weighs 64 kg, according to his published profile.

Early life

Kim Kap-soo was born on April 7, 1957, in Seoul, South Korea. He fell in love with theatre as a young man and chose the stage when acting offered little money or fame. His long theatre training gave him the strong voice and deep feeling he still shows today.

Career and breakthrough

He made his debut in 1977 and slowly became one of Korea's trusted character actors. Film fans remember him in A Tale of Two Sisters (2003) and I Saw the Devil (2010). He is so respected that he also runs his own acting studio, where he teaches younger actors the craft he learned over a lifetime.

Popular roles

In Mr. Sunshine (2018), he plays Hwang Eun-san, a potter who secretly helps Korean independence fighters. In Hospital Playlist (2020), he plays Ju Jong-su, the wise hospital foundation chief. In Queen of Tears, his Chairman Hong leads the rich family at the centre of the story.

Recent work

Kim Kap-soo continues to work in major dramas well into his late sixties, a sign of the trust directors place in him. Fans love his calm power and the way he can say so much with one look. Every drama he joins gains weight and history from his presence.