Actor Song Kangho of Broker, the Winner of the Best Actor at the 75th Festival de Cannes

Director Park Chanwook, who didn’t watch Broker yet due to his busy schedule at Cannes, asked Actor Song Kangho, “I heard your acting in Broker is fabulous. Is it true?” Then, Song Kangho replied, “No, I just played a supporting role. I’m nothing in the film.” Song Kangho, who lowered himself by saying ‘I’m nothing’ and repeatedly emphasized the ensemble of the actors, who acted together in the movie, became the first Korean actor who won the Best Actor at the Festival de Cannes.

The relationship between Actor Song Kangho and the Festival de Cannes is deep and long. He was first invited to Directors’ Fortnight at Cannes for Director Bong Joonho’s The Host (2006). Since then, 4 films he starred in have been invited to the Competition, starting with Secret Sunshine in 2007, THIRST (2009), PARASITE (2019), and Broker this year, none of which have returned empty-handed from Cannes. Secret Sunshine won the Best Actress at Cannes for the first time in Korean cinema history, THIRST won the Grand Prix, and PARASITE won the Palme d’Or. According to Cannes’ custom of granting only one award to one movie, the awards the movies received were also a tribute to Song Kangho’s fabulous acting. And finally, Broker allowed him to win the Best Actor trophy with his name engraved on it. 

When Song Kangho was called for the Best Actor, Kang Dongwon next to him shared a deep hug with Song with teary eyes. Director Park Chanwook and Actor Park Haeil, who were sitting far away, ran toward Song and hugged him hard. Park Haeil and Song Kangho first came to Cannes through Director Bong Joonho’sThe Host. As Director Park Chanwook said, “If you wait, the time will come,” Song Kangho’s time has finally come at Cannes. After Broker was invited to the Competition, Song Kangho was a strong nominee for the Best Actor award. Now his name has become a ‘reliable actor guaranteed by the world.’ Actor Song Kangho had an interview with the Korean press group shortly after he won the award. He looked happy, but he seemed calm as a ‘seasoned actor of Cannes.’ 

Congratulations on winning the Best Actor Award at the 75th Cannes Film Festival. 

It’s an honor. I’d like to thank Director Kore-eda Hirokazu, who is a great artist. I would like to express my deep gratitude to Kang Dongwon, Lee Jieun, Lee Jooyoung, and Bae Doona and share this honor with them. I also thank Lee Yoojin, CEO of ZIP CINEMA, and CJ ENM officials. My beloved family came here with me, and I’m glad that this award can be a big gift for them.

You have become the first Korean actor who won the Best Actor at Cannes. It is also the first Best Actor award at Cannes, Berlin, and Venice, which are called the world’s top 3 film festivals. How do you feel about it?  

An actor cannot act to win an award, and there is no actor who does so. There is only a process of constantly challenging good films, being invited to such a great film festival like this one, encouraged there, and winning awards. I don't think winning an award is an absolute value for an actor. I am very happy and honored to win this award, but winning an award will never be my goal.

This year, the President of Jury of the Festival de Cannes is an actor as well as a lot of the jurors are actors. As such, many predicted that Song Kangho was likely to win the award. 

Since the jury group included a lot of actors, it seems more meaningful to me. I think I’ll have to think it over. As you can see from the movie Broker, not only I but many great actors, including Kang Dongwon, Bae Doona, Lee Jieun, and Lee Jooyoung acted so hard making great harmony. On behalf of all of them, I think I won the award. Every single actor in Broker is so precious.

What do you think is the reason Korean films are so popular around the world? 

I had been asked similar questions a lot at Cannes. ‘Why is Korea so dynamic and diverse?’ ‘Why moviegoers and fans all over the world are so crazy about Korean films?’ Korea may be a small country, but we always find ways to change and develop dynamically. We try not to be stagnant and do our best every moment for changes. I think such efforts seem to have also affected cultural content. As creators, we can’t be lazy even for a moment. The hot encouragements and criticisms from the audience make us keep going. In the end, I can tell the audience’s support has become the driving force to create this wonderful result.

How do you think the Best Actor award at Cannes will affect you as Actor Song Kangho in the future? 

I hope it won’t affect me at all. After winning the award, nothing has changed, and I am still who I am. I just try to deliver good films and good stories to the audience. It’s meaningless if you act only ‘to win an award.’ I think that kind of mindset matters most for an actor.

What kind of effort do you make to liberate yourself as an actor? 

Being new is not something new for newness. As an actor and as an artist, my job is to constantly study, research, and think about the forms I can deliver stories to the audience. Whether my performance was good or not in a movie will be evaluated later. It is important to always think and try hard about what mindset and attitude I should have as an actor.