The year he turned 20, he became a stage actor as a member of the first class of the Hyundai Theater Company.
The breakthrough yearThe year he turned 37, he played Yeom Sang-gu in Im Kwon-taek’s film The Taebaek Mountains. He says it was the first work through which the public got to know him as an actor. That year he also won Best Supporting Actor at the Blue Dragon Film Awards.
In 1998, he founded the theater company Actors’ World. In 2000, he played Jong Gan, Kung Ye’s closest aide, in KBS’s Taejo Wang Geon. He says he was supposed to die in episode 70 but stayed on until episode 150.
In 2003, he played the father, Moo-hyeon, in the film A Tale of Two Sisters. In 2006, he played Emperor Yang of Sui in SBS’s Yeon Gaesomun. In 2008, he played Hwang Hui in The Great King, Sejong, and returned to the stage after five years in Where Are You Going, Sunwoo?
In 2010, he played Gu Dae-sung in KBS2’s Cinderella’s Stepsister. In 2011, he directed the original play Seoul Terror.
In 2018, he appeared as Hwang Eun-san in tvN’s Mr. Sunshine. In 2019, he was confirmed to appear in JTBC’s Chief of Staff. In 2020, he played the chairman Joo Jong-soo in Hospital Playlist, and in December he played Gil-seop in Netflix’s Sweet Home.
In 2021, he attended the press conference for the KBS2 variety show Godfather. In 2022, he filmed Jang Minho’s music video on Godfather.
In 2024, he played Hong Man-dae in tvN’s Queen of Tears. In 2025, he appeared on the YouTube show Jjanhan Hyung Shin Dong-yup, and in December he appeared as Oh Gyu-jang in tvN’s Pro Bono. In January 2026, Pro Bono ended.
Kim Kap-soo (born 1957) debuted on stage in 1977, the year he turned 20, as a member of the first class of the Hyundai Theater Company, and became known on Sep 17, 1994, the year he turned 37, when the film The Taebaek Mountains was released, in which he played Yeom Sang-gu. That year he also won Best Supporting Actor at the Blue Dragon Film Awards.
Ages are by calendar year (the year minus the birth year), birthdays aside.
Debuted as a stage actor, as a member of the first class of the Hyundai Theater Company.
Source 01 · Yonhap News Agency (Korean) · Actor Kim Kap-soo turns theater director · opens in a new tabSource 02 · OSEN (Korean) · Kim Kap-soo interview · opens in a new tabSource 32 · Korea Economic Daily (Korean) · Kim Kap-soo Queen of Tears interview · opens in a new tab The articles do not give the month or day.Played Yeom Sang-gu in the film directed by Im Kwon-taek. He says it was the first work through which the public got to know him as an actor.
Won Best Supporting Actor for The Taebaek Mountains.
Source 06 · Sports Chosun (Korean) · Blue Dragon Film Awards record of the Iris cast · opens in a new tabSource 07 · Wikipedia (Korean) · 15th Blue Dragon Film Awards · opens in a new tab The award is confirmed in news reports. The date of the ceremony is from Wikipedia and was not confirmed in news reports.Founded the theater company Actors’ World in Daehangno. The company has produced actors including Kim Sung-oh, Choi Eun and Kim Jin-yong.
Source 01 · Yonhap News Agency (Korean) · Actor Kim Kap-soo turns theater director · opens in a new tabSource 08 · Sports Chosun (Korean) · Hwang Min-ho, from the theater company Actors’ World · opens in a new tab The articles do not give the month or day of the founding.Played Jong Gan, Kung Ye’s closest aide. He says he was supposed to die in episode 70 but stayed on until episode 150.
Source 05 · JTBC (Korean) · Queen of Tears: Kim Kap-soo interview · opens in a new tabSource 09 · Herald Business (Korean) · Kim Kap-soo says impact is his criterion for choosing roles · opens in a new tabSource 10 · Hankook Ilbo (Korean) · Kim Kap-soo interview · opens in a new tabSource 31 · OSEN (Korean) · Daehangno Hope Theater Project ambassador · opens in a new tab The start date of the broadcast was not confirmed. The articles give the run as 2000 to 2001 or 2000 to 2002, depending on the outlet.Played the father, Moo-hyeon, in the film directed by Kim Jee-woon. The film drew 3.14 million admissions.
Source 11 · TV Report (Korean) · A Tale of Two Sisters 10th anniversary screening talk · opens in a new tabSource 12 · KBS (Korean) · [Critic’s view] A Tale of Two Sisters · opens in a new tab The articles give the release only as June.Played Emperor Yang of Sui in the SBS historical drama.
Source 16 · OSEN (Korean) · A line from Yeon Gaesomun · opens in a new tab The start date of the broadcast was not confirmed. His appearance is confirmed in an October 2006 article.Appeared as Hwang Hui.
Source 17 · OSEN (Korean) · The Great King, Sejong first airs · opens in a new tabPlayed the lead in the tenth production of Actors’ World, staged for the company’s 10th anniversary. It was his return to the stage after five years, since Actor Woo-bae in 2003.
Source 13 · Yonhap News Agency (Korean) · Kim Kap-soo returns to the stage after five years · opens in a new tab The date is the first day of the run.Played Gu Dae-sung. The drama portrayed a middle-aged romance with the character played by Lee Mi-sook.
Source 14 · Asia Economy (Korean) · Cinderella’s Stepsister · opens in a new tabSource 15 · Maeil Shinmun (Korean) · Designated Survivor: 60 Days character dies in the first episode · opens in a new tabDirected an original play about the struggles of the 880,000-won generation.
Source 01 · Yonhap News Agency (Korean) · Actor Kim Kap-soo turns theater director · opens in a new tab The date is the date of the report.Appeared as Hwang Eun-san.
Source 18 · TV Daily (Korean) · Mr. Sunshine: Lee Si-hoon · opens in a new tabSource 19 · News1 (Korean) · Mr. Sunshine episode 2 ratings · opens in a new tab The date of the first broadcast was not confirmed. Only the month is given, based on an article saying episode 2 aired on July 8.Was confirmed to appear in the JTBC Friday-Saturday drama Chief of Staff, along with Jung Jin-young, Jung Woong-in and Im Won-hee.
Source 20 · Seoul Economic Daily (Korean) · Chief of Staff casting confirmed · opens in a new tab The date is the date of the casting report.Appeared as Joo Jong-soo, board chairman of Yulje Hospital.
Source 21 · My Daily (Korean) · Hospital Playlist · opens in a new tabPlayed Gil-seop, who is terminally ill, in the Netflix original series. The series was released in more than 190 countries at the same time.
Source 22 · TenAsia (Korean) · Content to watch at Christmas · opens in a new tabSource 23 · Sports Donga (Korean) · Sweet Home survivors video · opens in a new tabAttended the press conference with Lee Soon-jae, Joo Hyun, Hur Jae and Jang Minho.
Source 24 · Maeil Business (Korean) · Godfather press conference · opens in a new tab The date is the date of the press conference. The date of the first broadcast was not confirmed.Appeared in the music video for a new song by the singer Jang Minho. The article says it was his first music video appearance in 46 years.
Source 25 · My Daily (Korean) · Godfather first music video · opens in a new tab The date is the broadcast date.Appeared as Hong Man-dae, the former chairman of Queens Group.
Source 26 · JTBC (Korean) · Queen of Tears first airs · opens in a new tabSource 27 · Star News (Korean) · Hong Man-dae in Queen of Tears · opens in a new tabTalked about how he joined BTS’s fan club ARMY after meeting Jin of BTS.
Source 28 · MK Sports (Korean) · Kim Kap-soo meets BTS’s Jin and joins ARMY · opens in a new tabFirst appeared as Oh Gyu-jang in episode 6.
Source 29 · MBN (Korean) · First appearance in Pro Bono · opens in a new tabAppeared through to the end as Oh Gyu-jang, the founder of O&Partners, the largest law firm in Korea.
Source 30 · Sports Seoul (Korean) · Pro Bono finale comments · opens in a new tabEND OF SELECTED RECORDSSelected records, 1977–2026 · not a complete list of work. “Key moment” is an editorial label, not a measure of success.
What did they do, and at what age?
AgeTrail lines up the key moments of a life by age.
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Film & TV · South Korea
1957 —
Ages are counted from the birth year 1957: the year of the event minus 1957, birthdays aside. “Key moment” labels and the connecting story are AgeTrail's editorial reading.
Fact-checked: 2026.10.12 · An independent archive, not affiliated with the person or their agency.