Kang Mal-geum

Biography:

Kang Mal-geum ( born January 3, 1979) is a South Korean actress known for her compelling performances in both film and television. She graduated from Pusan National University with a degree in Korean Language and Literature. Before pursuing acting full-time, she worked at a trading company for four years.

Kang made her acting debut in 2010 with the film Yong-Tae: The Ordinary Memories after gaining early experience on the Daehak-ro theater stage in 2007. She rose to prominence with her role in the independent film Lucky Chan-sil (2019), which earned her six “Best New Actress” awards and one “Best Actress” award across multiple film festivals.

She has also appeared in notable films such as The Chase (2017) and television series including Legal High (2019) and Missing: The Other Side (2020). In 2021, she made a brief but memorable appearance in the global hit Netflix series Squid Game.

Kang’s journey into mainstream cinema was unexpected. Director Kim Cho-hee discovered her at the Jeongdongjin Independent Film Festival after watching her “Free Acting” performance. At the time, Kang was balancing her passion for acting with a job at a mart tasting corner, moving between theater and short films. At forty, she landed her first leading role in Lucky Chan-sil, marking a major breakthrough in her career.