Sung Kang
Sung Kang | |
---|---|
Born | |
Occupation(s) | Actor, Producer |
Years active | 1999–present |
Spouse | Miki Yim |
Korean name | |
Hangul | |
Hanja | |
Revised Romanization | Gang Seongho |
McCune–Reischauer | Kang Sŏngho |
Sung Kang (Korean name: Kang Sung-Ho; Korean: 강성호; born April 8, 1972) is an American actor, known for his role as Han Lue in The Fast and the Furious franchise.[1]
Early life
Kang was born in Gainesville, Georgia, to South Korean immigrant parents and spent his adolescence in California.[2][3] He attended the University of California, Riverside.[3] While in college he chose acting over law school, a decision which was met with disappointment from his parents due to their concerns over the lack of Asians on American television and lack of job prospects.[3]
Career
His first major role was in Better Luck Tomorrow (2002), in which he played Han Hu, an aloof gang member and the cousin of Virgil Hu (played by Jason Tobin). He was one of the stars in The Motel, in which he played Sam Kim. He played the recurring character Han Lue in The Fast and the Furious film franchise, appearing in The Fast and the Furious: Tokyo Drift, Fast & Furious, Fast Five, and Fast & Furious 6, as well as the short film Los Bandoleros. He also had a role in Jet Li's film War (2007), playing an FBI agent, and was featured in the movie Forbidden Warrior as Doran, a son of Genghis Khan. He had a small role in the action movie Live Free or Die Hard, and he appeared in Walter Hill's movie Bullet to the Head (2013) as Detective Taylor Kwon, opposite Sylvester Stallone.
Kang has had several notable television roles, including the recurring role of the narcissistic President Gin Kew Yun Chun Yew Nee in the Korean drama parody "Tae Do (Attitudes and Feelings, Both Desirable and Sometimes Secretive)" alongside Bobby Lee on MADtv. He portrayed FBI Agent Tae Kim in the short-lived crime procedural Gang Related on FOX. Both roles required him to speak Korean, which he is conversant in. The character Tae Kim was written specifically for him by creator Chris Morgan, who had worked on the Fast & Furious film franchise.[4]
Other ventures
Business
He owned a restaurant called Saketini in Brentwood, Los Angeles, California, which closed in early 2013.[5]
Auto drifting
Kang has said that, prior to his casting as Han in The Fast and the Furious: Tokyo Drift, he had been unaware of the drifting culture that existed in Japan. It was not until he began researching the part that he perfected his skills in this popular sport, which is a global craze.[6] He stated that filming the Fast & Furious film franchise rekindled a long-dormant interest in cars; he had grown up watching an elderly neighbor restore vintage cars.[7]
Filmography
Film
Year | Title | Role | Notes |
---|---|---|---|
2000 | Talk to Taka | Co-Producer | Co-producer |
2001 | Pearl Harbor | Listener | |
2002 | Better Luck Tomorrow | Han Hu | Associate producer |
2002 | Antwone Fisher | Receptionist | |
2004 | 9:30 | Chan Kin Fai | Short film |
2004 | Forbidden Warrior | Doran | |
2005 | The Motel | Sam | |
2006 | The Fast and the Furious: Tokyo Drift | Han | |
2006 | Undoing | Samuel | Producer |
2007 | War | Goi | |
2007 | Finishing the Game | Cole Kim | |
2007 | Live Free or Die Hard | Raj | |
2009 | Fast & Furious | Han | |
2009 | Los Bandoleros | Han | Short film |
2009 | Ninja Assassin | Hollywood | |
2009 | Clap Clap | Roy | Short film |
2011 | Fast Five | Han | |
2011 | 4 Wedding Planners | Kai | |
2012 | Sunset Stories | JP | |
2012 | Bullet to the Head | Taylor Kwon | |
2013 | Fast & Furious 6 | Han | |
2013 | The Come Up | Douchey Actor | Short film |
2014 | Eden | Connie | |
2015 | Furious 7 | Han | Credited only (archive footage from Tokyo Drift) |
2015 | Hollywood Adventures | Manny | |
2016 | Pali Road | Mitch Kayne | |
2016 | The Free World | Detective Shin | |
2016 | Code 8 | Officer Alex Park | Short film |
2017 | Party Boat | Greg |
Television
Year | Title | Role | Notes |
---|---|---|---|
1999 | Felicity | Student | Episode: "The Love Bug" |
2000 | Martial Law | Xian Law | Last 3 episodes |
2001 | NYPD Blue | Asian Uniform | Episode: "Fools Russian" |
2001 | Girlfriends | Bartender | Episode: "You Better Watch Out" |
2002 | Spin City | Jordan | Episode: "Look Who's Not Talking" |
2003 | The Shield | Malcom Rama | Episode: "Scar Tissue" |
2004 | Threat Matrix | Ray Lee | Episode: "PPX" |
2004 | Cold Case | Sen Dhiet/Varin Toan | Episode: "Who's Your Daddy" |
2004 | Without a Trace | Deke | Episode: "Nickel and Dimed: Part 2" |
2005 | Monk | Mr. Huang (Disciple) | Episode: "Mr. Monk vs. the Cobra" |
2006–2008 | MADtv | President Gin Kew Yun Chun Yew Nee | 4 episodes |
2006 | Standoff | David Lau | Episode: "Shanghai'd" |
2006 | CSI: Miami | Lee Choi | Episode: "Death Pool 100" |
2008 | Samurai Girl | ||
2008 | Knight Rider | Ian Chang | Episode: "Journey to the End of the Knight" |
2008 | CSI: Crime Scene Investigation | Jang | Episode: "Say Uncle" |
2009 | Monk | Vince Kuramoto | Episode: "Mr. Monk on Wheels" |
2009 | Mental | Jimmy | Episode: "Rainy Days" |
2010 | Easy to Assemble | Sung Skjulstad / Sung Skjulestad | Webseries, 3 episodes |
2012 | Acting for Action with Sung Kang | Himself | TV mini-series, director, producer, writer |
2014 | Robot Chicken | Episode: "Link's Sausages" | |
2014 | Gang Related | Tae Kim | Main Cast[8] |
2016 | Family Guy | Soap Opera Actor (voice) | Episode: "Candy, Quahog Marshmallow" |
2016 | Hawaii Five-0 | Dae Wan | Episode: "O Ke Ali'i Wale No Ka'u Makemake" |
2017 | Power | Assistant U.S. Attorney John Mak | TV series: Season 4 |
Video games
Year | Title | Role |
---|---|---|
2013 | Fast & Furious: Showdown | Han (voice) |
References
- ^ "Sung Kang". The New York Times. Retrieved 2016-07-23.
- ^ Stevenson, Elena (2008-10-14). "Chow Talk with Sung Kang, Part 1". Elena Stevenson. Archived from the original on 2010-01-14. Retrieved 2010-09-14.
- ^ a b c Ho, Rodney. "Former Clarkston resident Sung Kang stars in Fox's 'Gang Related'". The Atlanta Journal-Constitution.
- ^ Nicholson, Amy (May 20, 2014). "Fast & Furious' Breakout Star Sung Kang Anchors Fox TV's Gang Related". LA Weekly.
- ^ "Index of /". Sungkang.com. Retrieved 2016-07-23.
- ^ "Archived copy". Archived from the original on 2008-09-19. Retrieved 2008-08-31.
{{cite web}}
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suggested) (help)CS1 maint: archived copy as title (link) - ^ Klein, Jonathon (August 9, 2016). "Catching Up With "Fast and Furious" Star Sung Kang". Automobile.
- ^ Jeffery, Morgan (2013-02-21). "'Fast & Furious' star Sung Kang joins Fox drama 'Gang Related'". Digitalspy.com. Retrieved 2016-07-23.