Song Kang-ho Won an Oscar for His Role in the South Korean Thriller Film ‘Parasite,’ How Rich Is He?

In 2020, he was ranked sixth in The New York Times' list of 25 internationally known screen figures.

PUBLISHED JAN 4, 2024

Cover Image Source: Song Kang-ho attends the "Cobweb (Dans La Toile)" red carpet | Photo by Stephane Cardinale | Getty Images

Name	Song Kang-ho
Net Worth	$20 Million
Sources of Income	Acting and Endorsements
Gender	Male
Date of Birth	January 17, 1967
Age	56 Years
Nationality	South Korea
Profession	Actor

Song Kang-ho's net worth

Song Kang-ho is a renowned South Korean actor with a net worth of $20 million. Despite lacking formal training, Song ventured into acting through social theater groups and eventually joined Kee Kuk-seo's theater company. He made his film debut in 1996 with "The Day a Pig Fell into the Well," marking the beginning of a prolific career that saw him become one of South Korea's most celebrated actors.

Song Kang-Ho poses with the Best Actor Palme d'Or Award for the movie 'Broker' | John Phillips | Getty Images — Song Kang-Ho poses with the Best Actor Palme d'Or Award for the movie 'Broker' | Photo by John Phillips | Getty Images

What are Song Kang-ho's sources of income?

After his success in Hong Sang-soo's film "The Day a Pig Fell into the Well," Song portrayed Pan-soo in Lee Chang-dong's "Green Fish" in 1997. The subsequent year, he played a homeless character in the documentary-style film "Bad Movie." His cult-favorite performance as Jopil in "No. 3" earned him widespread recognition.

Jeon Yeo-Been (L) and Song Kang-ho attend Chopard ART Evening at the Martinez | Pascal Le Segretain | Getty Images — Jeon Yeo-Been (L) and Song Kang-ho attend Chopard ART Evening at the Martinez | Photo by Pascal Le Segretain | Getty Images

Song Kang-ho's box-office hits

Song's career includes a string of critically acclaimed and commercially successful films. One of his standout achievements is the film "Parasite," directed by Bong Joon-ho. Released on May 21, 2019, the movie tells the story of two families entangled in a parasitic relationship. The film not only received widespread critical acclaim but also made history by winning the Oscar for Best Picture.

His appearance in the film, "A Taxi Driver," directed by Jang Hoon was released on August 2, 2017. Set against the backdrop of the Gwangju Uprising in 1980, the film portrays the story of a taxi driver navigating the challenges and dangers of the historical event. The film's success made Song the first Korean actor to appear in three films that attracted over 10 million movie-goers each.

Song Kang-ho's endorsements

In 2001, Song signed a five-year contract with traditional liquor company Kooksoondang to promote baeksaju, significantly boosting the brand's popularity in Japan. His three-year exclusive model contract with Kooksoondang in 2009 was a first in the industry.

He endorsed various brands, including Kimchi refrigerators in 2002 and a pizza brand in 2003. In 2005, he secured a 100 million won deal for an air purifier brand. Following the success of "Parasite" in 2020, he signed a contract with Lina Life Insurance and featured in an overseas campaign for China's Lilith Games.