Sung Kang
- Actor
- director
- producer
Sung-Ho Kang (Korean: 강성호; RR: Gang Seong-ho; born April 8, 1972) is an American actor. His first major role was as Han Lue in the Fast & Furious franchise, a character he first portrayed in Better Luck Tomorrow (2002).[1][2] Kang also played John Mak in the television series Power.
Early life
Kang was born in Clarkston, Georgia, to Korean immigrant parents. He was raised by his Korean mother and Black stepfather in Gainesville, Georgia.[3][4][5] He moved to Barstow, California, while in high school.[4]
Kang attended the University of California, Riverside.[4] While in college, he chose acting over law school, a decision that disappointed his parents, who worried that the lack of Asian Americans on American television meant a lack of job prospects.[4]
Career
Kang's first major role was in Better Luck Tomorrow (2002), directed by Justin Lin, in which he played Han Lue, an aloof gang member. He was one of the stars in The Motel, in which he played Sam Kim.
Kang reprised his role as Han Lue in the Fast & Furious franchise, first appearing in The Fast and the Furious: Tokyo Drift, Lin's second movie. Kang's role in Tokyo Drift was originally written as a one-off character in an almost straight-to-DVD release: an opportunity for a rapper to make a cameo, tossing his keys to the main character (portrayed by Lucas Black). As production progressed, Lin expanded Han to a significant supporting character who proved "emotionally affecting" and provided "a more delicate touch than the Fast movies had seen before, or since".[citation needed] In portraying Han, Kang emulated "the laid-back cool of the Paul Newmans and Steve McQueens" with "an added Pitt-esque obsession with constantly snacking". An unexpected fan favorite, Kang was brought back to the Fast & Furious franchise by Lin, appearing in Fast & Furious, Fast Five, Fast & Furious 6, and the short film Los Bandoleros.[6]
Kang played an FBI agent in Jet Li's film War (2007), 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 for him by creator Chris Morgan, with whom he had worked on the Fast & Furious franchise.[7]
Kang started the YouTube channel "Sung's Garage" in January 2020, which hosts the videos for the podcast of the same name.[5][8]
Kang credits reporter Jen Yamato of the Los Angeles Times and her #JusticeForHan social media campaign for rallying public interest and bringing the character of Han Lue back to the Fast & Furious franchise, in which he reprises his role in F9 (2021), reuniting with director Lin once more.[5][8]
In 2022, Kang portrayed Fifth Brother in the Disney+ series Obi-Wan Kenobi.[9] The same year, Kang made his directorial debut in the horror comedy film Shaky Shivers.[10]
Other ventures
Business
He owned a restaurant called Saketini in Brentwood, Los Angeles, California, which closed in early 2013.[11]
Kang launched a watch with Perrelet in 2016.[12]
Auto drifting
Kang has said that he had been unaware of the drifting culture that existed in Japan before he was cast as Han in The Fast and the Furious: Tokyo Drift. He learned to drift for the role.[13] He said that filming the Fast & Furious film franchise rekindled his long-dormant interest in cars; he had grown up watching an elderly neighbor restore vintage cars.[14]
Filmography
† | Denotes films that have not yet been released |
Film
Year | Title | Role | Notes |
---|---|---|---|
1999 | Mystery Men | Susie | |
2000 | Talk to Taka | Co-producer | |
2001 | Pearl Harbor | Listener/Japanese Translator | |
2002 | Better Luck Tomorrow | Han Lue | Associate producer |
Antwone Fisher | Receptionist | ||
2004 | 9:30 | Chan Kin Fai | Short film |
Forbidden Warrior | Doran | ||
2005 | The Motel | Sam | |
2006 | The Fast and the Furious: Tokyo Drift | Han Lue | |
Undoing | Samuel | Producer | |
2007 | War | Goi | |
Finishing the Game | Cole Kim | ||
Live Free or Die Hard | Raj | ||
2009 | Fast & Furious | Han Lue | |
Los Bandoleros | Short film | ||
Ninja Assassin | Hollywood | ||
Clap Clap | Roy | Short film | |
2011 | Fast Five | Han Lue | |
4 Wedding Planners | Kai | ||
2012 | Sunset Stories | JP | |
Bullet to the Head | Taylor Kwon | ||
2013 | Fast & Furious 6 | Han Lue | |
The Come Up | Douchey Actor | Short film | |
2015 | Eden | Connie | |
Furious 7 | Han Lue | Archive footage | |
Hollywood Adventures | Manny | ||
2016 | Pali Road | Mitch Kayne | |
The Free World | Detective Shin | ||
Code 8 | Officer Alex Park | Short film | |
2017 | Party Boat | Greg | |
2019 | Code 8 | Officer Alex Park | |
2020 | We Can Be Heroes | Blinding Fast | |
2021 | Raya and the Last Dragon | Dang Hai (voice) | |
F9 | Han Lue | ||
Snakehead | Rambo | ||
2023 | Fast X | Han Lue | |
2024 | Worth the Wait | TBA | Post-Production |
Weekend in Taipei | TBA | Post-Production |
Television
Year | Title | Role | Notes |
---|---|---|---|
1999 | Felicity | Student | 1 episode |
2000 | Martial Law | Xian Law | 3 episodes |
2001 | NYPD Blue | Asian Uniform | 1 episode |
2002 | Girlfriends | Bartender | 1 episode |
2002 | Spin City | Jordan | 1 episode |
2003 | The Shield | Malcom Rama | 1 episode |
2004 | Threat Matrix | Ray Lee | 1 episode |
2004 | Cold Case | Sen Dhiet/Varin Toan | 1 episode |
2005 | Without a Trace | Deke | 1 episode |
2005 | Monk | Mr. Huang (Disciple) | 1 episode |
2006–2008 | MADtv | President Gin Kew Yun Chun Yew Nee | 4 episodes |
2006 | Standoff | David Lau | 1 episode |
2006 | CSI: Miami | Lee Choi | 1 episode |
2008 | Knight Rider | Johnny Chang | 1 episode |
2008 | CSI: Crime Scene Investigation | Jang | 1 episode |
2009 | Monk | Vince Kuramoto | 1 episode |
2009 | Mental | Jimmy | 1 episode |
2010 | Easy to Assemble | Sung Skjulstad / Sung Skjulestad | Webseries, 3 episodes |
2014 | Robot Chicken | Hook / Stratos (voice) | 1 episode |
2014 | Gang Related | Tae Kim | Main role, 13 episodes[15] |
2016 | Family Guy | Soap Opera Actor (voice) | Episode: "Candy, Quahog Marshmallow" |
2016 | Hawaii Five-0 | Dae Wan | 1 episode |
2017–2020 | Power | Assistant U.S. Attorney John Mak | Main role, 22 episodes |
2018 | Magnum P.I. | Lieutenant Yoshi Tanaka | 1 episode |
2019 | Whiskey Cavalier | Daniel Lou | 1 episode |
2020 | Power Book II: Ghost | Assistant U.S. Attorney John Mak | 3 episodes |
2021 | Lisey's Story | Officer Dan Beckman | Miniseries, 7 episodes |
2022 | Obi-Wan Kenobi | The Fifth Brother | Miniseries, 4 episodes |
2023 | Hot Wheels: Ultimate Challenge | Himself / Guest Judge | Episode: "Skater Boy vs. Jaipur Jewel"[16] |
Director
Year | Title | Notes |
---|---|---|
2022 | Shaky Shivers |
Music videos
Year | Title | Artist(s) | Ref. |
---|---|---|---|
2000 | "Lies" | G.o.d. | [17] |
2006 | "Round Round" | Far East Movement featuring Storm | |
2007 | "Satisfaction" | Far East Movement | |
2015 | "Real People" | Lyrics Born | [18] |
Video games
Year | Title | Role |
---|---|---|
2013 | Fast & Furious: Showdown | Han Lue (voice) |
References
- ^ Earl, William (March 24, 2021). "GOOD: Sung Kang as Han Lue in 'Better Luck Tomorrow' and 'Fast & Furious' Franchise". Variety. Retrieved April 6, 2021.
- ^ CAAMFest (February 19, 2016). "The Fast and Furious Star Sung Kang talks about his career and future". Center for Asian American Media.
- ^ Stevenson, Elena (October 14, 2008). "Chow Talk with Sung Kang, Part 1". Elena Stevenson. Archived from the original on January 14, 2010. Retrieved September 14, 2010.
- ^ a b c d Ho, Rodney (May 22, 2014). "Former Clarkston resident Sung Kang stars in Fox's 'Gang Related'". The Atlanta Journal-Constitution. Archived from the original on December 4, 2017. Retrieved February 22, 2017.
- ^ a b c Yamato, Jen; Shyong, Frank (May 19, 2020). "Sung Kang". Asian Enough (Podcast). Los Angeles Times. Retrieved May 19, 2020.
- ^ Klinkenberg, Brendan (June 23, 2021). "Sung Kang's Road Home: How His Fast & Furious Character Became a Lightning Rod". GQ.
- ^ Nicholson, Amy (May 20, 2014). "Fast & Furious' Breakout Star Sung Kang Anchors Fox TV's Gang Related". LA Weekly.
- ^ a b Kang, Sung (January 31, 2020). "Ep#1 - Jen Yamato #JusticeForHan". Sung's Garage (Podcast). Archived from the original on December 21, 2021. Retrieved May 20, 2020.
- ^ "Obi-Wan Kenobi Series to Begin Production in April, Cast Revealed". StarWars.com. Retrieved March 29, 2021.
- ^ Perry, Joseph (October 18, 2022). "Movie Reviews: "The Revelation" and "Shaky Shivers" (Screamfest)". Horror Fuel. Retrieved August 15, 2023.
- ^ "Index of /". Sungkang.com. Archived from the original on July 16, 2011. Retrieved July 23, 2016.
- ^ Naas, Robert (October 25, 2016). "Actor Sung Kang Talks Cars, Kids, Time and Watches". Haute Time.
- ^ "Sung Kang Bio - Sung Kang Biography - Sung Kang Stories". Archived from the original on September 19, 2008. Retrieved August 31, 2008.
- ^ Klein, Jonathon (August 9, 2016). "Catching Up With "Fast and Furious" Star Sung Kang". Automobile.
- ^ Jeffery, Morgan (February 21, 2013). "'Fast & Furious' star Sung Kang joins Fox drama 'Gang Related'". Digitalspy.com. Retrieved July 23, 2016.
- ^ Perine, Aaron (May 6, 2023). "Hot Wheels: Ultimate Challenge Announces Celebrity Guest Judges". Comic Book.com. Retrieved June 17, 2023.
- ^ "Lookin' Back – Sung Kang The MV Star". A-Tunes. July 19, 2008. Retrieved May 28, 2023.
- ^ "Lyrics Born "Real People" Official Music Video". YouTube. October 18, 2015.
External links
![](http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/thumb/4/4a/Commons-logo.svg/30px-Commons-logo.svg.png)
- Official website
- Sung Kang at IMDb
- UCLA Asia Pacific Arts Interview
- Back Stage Interview
- Sung Kang's 2015 profile at The New York Times