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Kim Nam-gil

Kim Nam-gil

Actor · Born March 13, 1980 (46) · Seoul, South Korea

Kim Nam-gil (김남길) is a South Korean actor, producer, singer and philanthropist. He was born on March 13, 1981. He is best known from leading roles in disaster blockbuster Pandora (2016); crime thriller The Shameless (2015); adventure film The Pirates (2014) and period drama Portrait of a Beauty (2008). His breakthrough role was Bidam in the hit television period drama Queen Seondeok (2009). Kim is also the founder and CEO of a non-profit organization Gilstory that focuses on preserving cultural heritage, promoting arts and raising special purpose relief funds.

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Biography from TMDB.

Born
March 13, 1980 (46)
From
Seoul, South Korea
Works as
Actor
Titles
23 on MovieCove · 49 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 155 days to Oct 26Down 18% in 30 days

What are Kim Nam-gil's films like?

Across their 19 MovieCove titles with a thematic analysis, their films lean Morality and Survival.

Genres

Action7 titlesTypical Midcredits score: 77th percentile, at or above their average across these genres
: browse their Action movies
Crime2 titlesTypical Midcredits score: 36th percentile
: browse their Crime movies
Drama2 titlesTypical Midcredits score: 64th percentile, at or above their average across these genres
: browse their Drama 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
28%
Survival
24%
Bonds
20%
Self
13%
Power
9%
Society
5%
Ideas
1%
Justice5 titles, browse their movies with this themeSurvival5 titles, browse their movies with this themeFamily bonds4 titles, browse their movies with this themeRomantic love3 titles, browse their movies with this themeRedemption3 titles, browse their movies with this themeTrauma2 titles, browse their movies with this themeIdentity2 titles, browse their movies with this themeCommunity2 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 3 · Serious 1 · Dark 9

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

Grounded 4 · Stylized 8 · Heightened 1

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

A split, not a type: Gentle 2 · Charged 5 · Intense 6

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

Steady 2 · Shifting 8 · Whiplash 3

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

Straight-faced 9 · Some laughs 2 · Funny 2

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

Slow burn 4 · Even-paced 7 · 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 5 · Engaged 5 · Full focus 3

Affecting: How much it costs you emotionally; whether you need recovery time. Browse their affecting movies.
Demand · Emotional cost
easyheavy

A split, not a type: Easy watch 4 · Affecting 3 · Heavy 6

Resolved: How much is left for you to interpret. Browse their resolved movies.
Demand · Resolution
resolvedambiguous

Resolved 9 · Open-ended 3 · Ambiguous 1

Roles they play

15 analyzed roles

Usually the Hero: 10 of 15 analyzed roles.

Hero
10 of 15
Ally
2 of 15
Shadow
2 of 15
Herald
1 of 15
Show the 15 roles

Moods and endings

endings are an aggregate; no title is named

Dominant moods · mentions across their titles

Tense
14
Dread
8
Melancholic
6
Thrilling
5
Absurd
4
Other
11

How their films linger

Thought-provoking8 titles, browse their movies with this aftertasteCathartic5 titles, browse their movies with this aftertasteBittersweet5 titles, browse their movies with this aftertasteFun4 titles, browse their movies with this aftertasteHopeful5 titles, browse their movies with this aftertasteFeel-good3 titles, browse their movies with this aftertaste

How their films end · 3 with a twist

  • Happy2
  • Bittersweet10
  • Tragic1
  • Ambiguous6

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 Nam-gil's films?

As of October 24, 2026, 18 of their 23 MovieCove titles stream on a subscription or free service, most on Tubi (7).

Also on these channels

Subscription and free streaming for Kim Nam-gil'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

49 credits, 23 with a MovieCove page; 13 appearances as themselves are hidden until asked for.

  • Trigger(2025)

    Show 10 episodes · as Lee Do

    Midcredits score: 75th percentile of all shows

  • Nocturnal(2025)

    as Kang Ho-ryeong

    Midcredits score: 18th percentile of all films

  • How to Open the Door (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2024)

    Producer · as Adult Cheol-su

  • Whenever Possible(2024)

    Show 1 episode · Actor

    Midcredits score: 92nd percentile of all shows (provisional, few ratings)

  • Song of the Bandits(2023)

    Show 9 episodes · as Lee Yun

    Midcredits score: 73rd percentile of all shows

  • A Man of Reason(2022)

    as Woo-jin

    Midcredits score: 36th percentile of all films

  • Nattering with Nah (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2023)

    Show 1 episode · Actor

  • Island(2022)

    Show 12 episodes · as Van

    Midcredits score: 68th percentile of all shows

  • Hunt(2022)

    as Tokyo Branch Agent 3

    Midcredits score: 66th percentile of all films

  • Emergency Declaration(2021)

    as Choi Hyun-soo

    Midcredits score: 79th percentile of all films

  • Those Who Read the Hearts of Evil(2022)

    Show 12 episodes · as Song Ha-young

    Midcredits score: 92nd percentile of all shows

  • 빈집살래 (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2021)

    Show 4 episodes · Actor

  • K-Ocean Pathfinders (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2020)

    Show 5 episodes · Actor

  • Okay Madam(2020)

    as Nervous Man

    Midcredits score: 77th percentile of all films

  • The Closet(2020)

    as Kyung-hoon

    Midcredits score: 38th percentile of all films

  • Life of Samantha (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2019)

    Show 4 episodes · as Narrator

  • The Fiery Priest(2019)

    Show 52 episodes · as Kim Hae-Il

    Midcredits score: 91st percentile of all shows

  • Zombie for Sale(2019)

    as Min-geol

    Midcredits score: 70th percentile of all films

  • Memoir of a Murderer(2017)

    as Tae-ju

    Midcredits score: 92nd percentile of all films

  • Live Up to Your Name(2017)

    Show 16 episodes · as Dr. Heo Im

    Midcredits score: 84th percentile of all shows

  • One Day(2017)

    as Kang-soo

    Midcredits score: 74th percentile of all films

  • Pandora(2016)

    as Jae-hyuk

    Midcredits score: 77th percentile of all films

  • The Sound of a Flower (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2015)

    as Heungseon Daewongun

  • The Shameless(2015)

    as Jung Jae-gon

    Midcredits score: 53rd percentile of all films

  • The Pirates(2014)

    as Jang Sa-jung

    Midcredits score: 68th percentile of all films

  • Glory for Everyone (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2014)

    as Narrator

  • Don't Look Back: The Legend of Orpheus (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2013)

    Show 20 episodes · as Han Yi-soo

  • Bad Guy (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2010)

    Show 17 episodes · as Shim Gun-wook

  • Lovers Vanished (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2010)

    as Kim Su-in

  • The Great Queen Seondeok (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2009)

    Show 62 episodes · as Bidam

  • Handphone (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2009)

    as Jang Yoon-ho

  • Portrait of a Beauty(2008)

    as Kang-mu

    Midcredits score: 54th percentile of all films

  • Modern Boy (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2008)

    as Hidaka Shinsuke

  • Public Enemy Returns(2008)

    as Moon-soo

    Midcredits score: 61st percentile of all films

  • Several Questions That Make Us Happy (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2007)

    Show 2 episodes · Actor

  • When Spring Comes (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2007)

    Show 16 episodes · as Kim Jun-gi

  • No Regret (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2006)

    as Song Jae-min

  • Lovers (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2006)

    Show 20 episodes · as Tae-san

  • Don't Look Back (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2006)

    as Seok-Woo

  • Goodbye Solo (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2006)

    Show 16 episodes · as Yoo Ji-an

  • My Lovely Sam-Soon(2005)

    Show 16 episodes · as Kim Byeong Tae

    Midcredits score: 91st percentile of all shows

  • Be Strong, Geum-soon! (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2005)

    Show 1 episode · as Noh Seong-hwan

  • Sweet Buns (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2004)

    Show 26 episodes · as Hye-jan's boyfriend

  • Low Life(2004)

    as Police Officer at Checkpoint

    Midcredits score: 50th percentile of all films

  • Canvas of Blood (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)

    as Prince Suyang

  • Nightmare (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)

    Show 1 episode · as Kim Tae-yi

  • Return (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)

    Actor

  • Three of a Kind (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)

    Actor

  • 사짜변호사 (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)

    Show 1 episode · Actor

Career shape

Star power in the 99th percentile of 239,109 people with a billed film role, over a full career of 49 titles, 44 of them dated from 2004 to 2025; peak year 2016.

Biggest box office

The Pirates (2014)

$65M worldwide

Highest rated

Memoir of a Murderer (2017)

Midcredits 92nd

Most popular right now

The Fiery Priest (2019)

Film career

MilestoneBreakout
20042025

Peak 2016 · steadily prominent in film for years. Top draw in 13 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.

By role

only this rolewith another role
Acting49 of 49: 48 only acting, 1 with another role · typical Midcredits score73rdProducing1 of 49: 0 only producing, 1 with another role

By decade

2000s15 · acting2010s14 · acting2020s15 · 15 acting · 1 crew

Billing

usually 2nd · top billed in 21% of 14 roles
0616

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 Nam-gil's films land?

Their typical MovieCove film has a Midcredits score in the 66th percentile, the median of all 15; across their 13 films with reception data, the typical film sits in the 67th percentile for acclaim.

Acclaim · how much people like their films

67thpercentile
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

82ndpercentile
Typical film, the median of 13

Midcredits score across 23 titles, by percentile

  • 75th and up10
  • 50th to 74th10
  • 25th to 49th2
  • Below 25th1

Shape of the crowd

13 of their 23 titles are Crowd Pleasers.

  • Universally Loved4
  • Crowd Pleaser13
  • Broadly Agreed1
  • Mixed5

Most divisive · actor

Portrait of a Beauty (2008)

57th percentile spread · 16% rated it 4 or lower

Most loved · actor

Memoir of a Murderer (2017)

Midcredits 92nd · 80% liked

Reviewers score the acting 75/100 in their films, across 12 reviewed titles; fans 80, detractors 47. 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.

Is Kim Nam-gil's work okay for kids?

Across up to 6 MovieCove titles with content scores, 1 of the 3 categories sits near the median of all films.

Their medianMedian of all filmsMiddle 80% of their titles
Violence & Gore4 titlesmedian 69 · intenseMedian of all films: 44
Sex & Nudity6 titles2–69 · median 37 · moderatenear the median of all filmsMedian of all films: 32
Frightening / Intense4 titlesmedian 83 · severeMedian of all films: 39

Severity 0–100 from the Content Guide. Categories with under 10 votes on a title are not counted. The band's colour is the severity of their median, named beside it.

Who does Kim Nam-gil work with?

People who share at least 2 of Kim Nam-gil's MovieCove titles, grouped by what they did on them; Park Sung-woong shares the most, 3.

Actors

Composers and editors

Producers