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Kim Sang-kyung

Kim Sang-kyung

Actor · Born June 1, 1972 (54) · Seoul, South Korea

Kim Sang-kyung (born December 29, 1971) is a South Korean actor. He is known for his leading roles in Memories of Murder (2003) and May 18 (2007).

Biography from TMDB.

Born
June 1, 1972 (54)
From
Seoul, South Korea
Works as
Actor
Titles
19 on MovieCove · 38 credits in all
Links
IMDb (opens in a new tab)TMDB (opens in a new tab)Wikidata (opens in a new tab)

Known for

TMDB popularity, last 39 days to Oct 28Down 4% in 30 days

What are Kim Sang-kyung's films like?

Across their 17 MovieCove titles with a thematic analysis, their films lean Morality and Self.

Genres

Crime5 titlesTypical Midcredits score: 73rd percentile, at or above their average across these genres
: browse their Crime movies
Drama5 titlesTypical Midcredits score: 73rd percentile, at or above their average across these genres
: browse their Drama movies
Comedy2 titlesTypical Midcredits score: 52nd percentile
: browse their Comedy movies

Their MovieCove films by primary genre. The badge is the typical Midcredits score of the genre's films, the median percentile; an up arrow marks a genre at or above their average across these genres.

Themes

share of theme weight
Morality
23%
Self
23%
Survival
18%
Bonds
17%
Power
11%
Society
6%
Ideas
3%
Justice6 titles, browse their movies with this themeGrief4 titles, browse their movies with this themeRomantic love3 titles, browse their movies with this themeIdentity3 titles, browse their movies with this themePurpose3 titles, browse their movies with this themeOppression2 titles, browse their movies with this themeTrauma2 titles, browse their movies with this themeFamily bonds3 titles, browse their movies with this theme

What they feel like to watch

their average across 13 films
ToneFeelDemandtheir average · filled zone: the category
Serious: How heavy the subject matter and outlook get. Browse their serious movies.
Tone · Weight
lightdark

A split, not a type: Light 2 · Serious 4 · Dark 7

Grounded: How far its world departs from everyday reality. Browse their grounded movies.
Tone · Style
naturalisticheightened

Grounded 10 · Stylized 3 · Heightened 0

Charged: How hard the emotional peaks hit while you watch. Browse their charged movies.
Feel · Intensity
gentleintense

A split, not a type: Gentle 1 · Charged 4 · Intense 8

Shifting: How much it swings between very different feelings. Browse their shifting movies.
Feel · Swings
steadyswings

Steady 4 · Shifting 8 · Whiplash 1

Straight-faced: How much of the runtime is played for laughs. Browse their straight-faced movies.
Feel · Humor
noneconstant

Straight-faced 10 · Some laughs 2 · Funny 1

Even-paced: How fast it moves from scene to scene. Browse their even-paced movies.
Demand · Pace
slowrelentless

Slow burn 2 · Even-paced 9 · Relentless 2

Engaged: How much focus it asks of you — look away and lose the thread? Browse their engaged movies.
Demand · Attention
casualfull focus

Casual 2 · Engaged 7 · Full focus 4

Open-ended: How much is left for you to interpret. Browse their open-ended movies.
Demand · Resolution
resolvedambiguous

A split, not a type: Resolved 5 · Open-ended 4 · Ambiguous 4

Roles they play

12 analyzed roles

Usually the Hero: 6 of 12 analyzed roles.

Hero
6 of 12
Mentor
2 of 12
Shapeshifter
1 of 12
Shadow
1 of 12
Ally
1 of 12
Threshold guardian
1 of 12
Show the 12 roles

Moods and endings

endings are an aggregate; no title is named

Dominant moods · mentions across their titles

Tense
12
Melancholic
9
Warm
4
Romantic
3
Hopeful
3
Other
15

How their films linger

Thought-provoking10 titles, browse their movies with this aftertasteBittersweet5 titles, browse their movies with this aftertasteHaunting5 titles, browse their movies with this aftertasteFeel-good3 titles, browse their movies with this aftertasteHopeful3 titles, browse their movies with this aftertasteUnsettling3 titles, browse their movies with this aftertaste

How their films end · 5 with a twist

  • Happy2
  • Bittersweet7
  • Tragic1
  • Ambiguous7

AI-generated from each title's plot synopsis and cast list, with extra plot summaries, reviews and Parents Guide notes for titles the model may not know, and the model's own knowledge of the ones it recognizes. Only analyzed titles count, so this covers part of the filmography; the feel axes count films only for now.

Where can I watch Kim Sang-kyung's films?

As of October 24, 2026, 12 of their 19 MovieCove titles stream on a subscription or free service, most on Tubi (7).

Also on these channels

Subscription and free streaming for Kim Sang-kyung's titles on MovieCove; rent and buy are not counted. Titles are listed by Midcredits score, highest first, at most 12 per service; a dashed chip is a producer credit or a minor one, such as a thanks. A service opens the browse page, which counts movies only, so its number can differ.

Filmography

38 credits, 19 with a MovieCove page; 3 appearances as themselves are hidden until asked for.

  • Fifties Professionals(2026)

    Show 12 episodes · as Han Kyeong-wook

    Midcredits score: 39th percentile of all shows

  • Poong, the Joseon Psychiatrist(2022)

    Show 22 episodes · as Gye Ji-han

    Midcredits score: 47th percentile of all shows

  • Toxic(2022)

    as Jeong Tae-hoon

    Midcredits score: 62nd percentile of all films

  • The Pirates: The Last Royal Treasure(2022)

    as General Joo Bang

    Midcredits score: 57th percentile of all films

  • Racket Boys(2021)

    Show 16 episodes · as Yoon Hyeon-jong

    Midcredits score: 6th percentile of all shows

  • The 12th Suspect(2019)

    as Master Sgt. Kim Ki-chae

    Midcredits score: 41st percentile of all films

  • Chungil Electronics Miss Lee(2019)

    Show 16 episodes · as Yoo Jin-wook

    Midcredits score: 31st percentile of all shows (provisional, few ratings)

  • The Crowned Clown(2019)

    Show 16 episodes · as Lee Kyu

    Midcredits score: 87th percentile of all shows

  • The Vanished(2018)

    as Woo Jung-sik

    Midcredits score: 73rd percentile of all films

  • The Princess and the Matchmaker(2018)

    as King

    Midcredits score: 65th percentile of all films

  • The Discloser (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2017)

    as Park Dae-ik

  • Jang Yeong Sil (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2016)

    Show 24 episodes · as King Sejong

  • The Deal(2015)

    as Detective Tae-soo

    Midcredits score: 51st percentile of all films

  • Dad for Rent (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2014)

    as Tae-man

  • What Happens to My Family? (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2014)

    Show 53 episodes · as Moon Tae-Joo

  • Montage(2013)

    as Chung-ho

    Midcredits score: 91st percentile of all films

  • Sirius (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2013)

    Show 4 episodes · as Director Hwang

  • The Tower(2012)

    as Lee Dae-ho

    Midcredits score: 69th percentile of all films

  • White Christmas (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2011)

    Show 8 episodes · as Kim Yo-han

  • Café Noir (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2010)

    as Sun-hwa's Lover

  • Running Man (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2010)

    Show 1 episode · Actor

  • Secret Agent Miss Oh (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2010)

    Show 16 episodes · as Ko Jin-hyeok

  • Ha Ha Ha (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2010)

    as Jo Moonkyung

  • King Sejong the Great (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2008)

    Show 86 episodes · as King Sejong the Great

  • May 18(2007)

    as Kang Min-woo

    Midcredits score: 73rd percentile of all films

  • The World of Silence(2006)

    as Ryu Jung-ho

    Midcredits score: 69th percentile of all films

  • Lawyers (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2005)

    Show 15 episodes · as Suh Jung-Ho

  • Tale of Cinema(2005)

    as Kim Dongsoo

    Midcredits score: 75th percentile of all films

  • How to Keep My Love(2004)

    as Kim So-hoon

    Midcredits score: 39th percentile of all films

  • 2004 Human Market (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2004)

    Show 20 episodes · as Jang Chong-Chan

  • Memories of Murder(2003)

    as Detective Seo Tae-yoon

    Midcredits score: 99th percentile of all films

  • On the Occasion of Remembering the Turning Gate(2002)

    as Kyung-soo

    Midcredits score: 86th percentile of all films

  • Hong Guk Young (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2001)

    Show 40 episodes · as Hong Guk Young

  • Days of Delight (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1999)

    Show 133 episodes · as Hong Joon Jae

  • Invitation (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1999)

    Show 20 episodes · as 황승진

  • Last War (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1999)

    Show 18 episodes · as 정윤석

  • If the Sun Rises in the West (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1998)

    Actor

  • KBS Drama Awards (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1987)

    Show 1 episode · as Host

Career shape

Star power in the 99th percentile of 239,109 people with a billed film role, over a full career of 38 titles from 1987 to 2026; peak year 2002.

Biggest box office

May 18 (2007)

$49M worldwide

Highest rated

Memories of Murder (2003)

Midcredits 99th

Film career

MilestoneBreakout
19872026

Peak 2002 · steadily prominent in film for years. Top draw in 9 MovieCove titles. Film roles by billing, audience size and rating; 25+ votes. A show carries a single first-air date, so shows are not on the curve.

  • 2002Screen debut· On the Occasion of Remembering the Turning Gate
  • 2002First top-billed film· On the Occasion of Remembering the Turning Gate
  • 2003Breakout· Memories of Murder
  • 2019Career best· The Crowned Clown

By role

only this rolewith another role
Acting38 of 38: 38 only acting, 0 with another role · typical Midcredits score65th

By decade

1980s1 · acting1990s4 · acting2000s10 · acting2010s18 · acting2020s5 · acting

Billing

usually 1st · top billed in 58% of 12 roles
0212

Counts from TMDB across their full career, self appearances out; a title counts in every role they held on it. The ring is the typical Midcredits score (the median percentile) of the role's titles that are on MovieCove, shown from 5 scored. Billing is TMDB cast order for roles with 25+ votes, billed in the top 30; the columns are the share of top-billed roles in each era, 5-year spans from the year on the label, merged until each holds at least 5 roles.

How do Kim Sang-kyung's films land?

Their typical MovieCove film has a Midcredits score in the 69th percentile, the median of all 14; across their 13 films with reception data, the typical film sits in the 70th percentile for acclaim.

Acclaim · how much people like their films

70thpercentile
Typical film, the median of 13

Approval · how many liked their films

67thpercentile
Typical film, the median of 13

Reach · how many have seen their films

67thpercentile
Typical film, the median of 13

Midcredits score across 19 titles, by percentile

  • 75th and up5
  • 50th to 74th8
  • 25th to 49th5
  • Below 25th1

Shape of the crowd

12 of their 19 titles are Crowd Pleasers.

  • Universally Loved2
  • Cult Classic1
  • Crowd Pleaser12
  • Mixed4

Most divisive · actor

Chungil Electronics Miss Lee (2019)

78th percentile spread · 20% rated it 4 or lower

Most loved · actor

Memories of Murder (2003)

Midcredits 99th · 91% liked

Reviewers score the acting 68/100 in their films, across 11 reviewed titles; fans 74, detractors 44. The element that speaks to their work as an actor.

Percentiles are each film's standing among all films on MovieCove; the typical film is the median, so one outlier cannot drag it. Percentiles and reviewer scores count the films IMDb credits them on, for now; the Midcredits score bands, the shape of the crowd and the two cards count their MovieCove titles, shows included (a show ranked among shows), appearances as themselves left out. A descriptor is the shape of a title's IMDb rating distribution against the catalog; "most divisive" needs a spread wider than half of all titles, and a card names only a principal credit: a craft role, and on a show a crew role or a run of episodes, never a courtesy credit or a one-off guest spot.

Who does Kim Sang-kyung work with?

People who share at least 2 of Kim Sang-kyung's MovieCove titles, grouped by what they did on them; Song Jae-ho shares the most, 3.

Directors

Actors

Composers, cinematographers and editors

Producers