Son Suk-ku

Son Suk-ku is not an actor who rose overnight. He spent nearly a decade in bit parts and supporting roles before everything broke open in 2022. Born in Daejeon in 1983, he has worked on set since 2012, and because recognition came late, his choices and the way he builds characters feel deliberate. This piece lays out which roles he played in which works, and what is coming next.

A breakout year: 2022

The name Son Suk-ku stuck with the public in 2022. He played the main villain Kang Hae-sang in the film The Roundup, his first film to draw over ten million admissions, and at almost the same time he was "Mr. Gu" (Gu Ja-gyeong) in JTBC's My Liberation Notes — a completely different register. One was a chilling antagonist, the other a quiet man whose thoughts you could never quite read. That contrast created the impression that Son Suk-ku has more than one face, and the same year brought him Cine21's Actor of the Year and the New Actor award at the Korean Association of Film Critics Awards.

Films — from supporting roles to leads

• The Roundup (2022) — Kang Hae-sang. His first ten-million-admission film and a turning point for his villain work.
• Nothing Serious (2021) — Park Woo-ri. A lead in a grounded romantic comedy.
• Hit-and-Run Squad (2019) — Ki Tae-ho. From his supporting era before stardom.
• Troll Factory (2024) — Im Sang-jin, a reporter chasing online opinion manipulation.
• Night Fishing (2024) — an agent, in an experimental short-form work.
• It's Okay! (2025) — Dong-uk.
• Virus — Nam Su-pil, a film released long after shooting wrapped.

Dramas — an actor who builds characters

• JTBC My Liberation Notes (2022) — Gu Ja-gyeong ("Mr. Gu"), widely cited as his signature character.
• Disney+ Big Bet / Casino (2022–2023) — Oh Seung-hoon, a Korean officer dispatched to the Philippines.
• Netflix D.P. (2021) and D.P. Season 2 (2023) — Im Ji-seop.
• A Killer Paradox (2023) — Jang Nan-gam, a buzzed-about thriller about an ordinary young man who kills by accident.
• tvN Jirisan (2021) — Im Cheol-gyeong.
• JTBC Be Melodramatic (2019) — Kim Sang-su.
• tvN Mother (2018) — Lee Seol-ak, a striking early supporting turn.
• Designated Survivor: 60 Days (2019) — Cha Yeong-jin.

How he acts — why directors keep calling

Son Suk-ku's characters are often defined by silence and breath rather than lines. He is especially strong with reticent figures like Mr. Gu, yet he can also carry a menacing villain like Kang Hae-sang without overplaying it. The fact that the same actor moves across melodrama, noir, crime and human drama without looking the same each time is why the offers never stop.

Recent and upcoming — what to watch next

• JTBC More Beautiful Than Heaven (2025) — Go Nak-jun.
• Disney+ Nine Puzzles (2025) — Kim Han-saem.
• Netflix Road (expected 2026) — Kim Seok.
• Film Bedford Park (expected 2026) — Eli.

Release windows for the 2026 lineup may shift, so confirm exact dates through each platform or distributor's official announcements. Still, with both a Netflix series and a film on the slate, his back-and-forth between television and the big screen looks set to continue.

At a glance

Son Suk-ku is the classic case of "noticed late, but quick to lead." Pulling off both a villain (Kang Hae-sang) and an understated man (Mr. Gu) convincingly in the same year shows his range, and Big Bet, D.P. and A Killer Paradox cemented his reputation as an actor unbound by genre. As an entry point, watch My Liberation Notes (Mr. Gu) and The Roundup (Kang Hae-sang) side by side — it is the fastest way to feel one actor's two extremes.