The American actor Sung Kang was born on April 8, 1972. His breakthrough performance was as the aloof high school student Han Lue in Justin Lin’s Better Luck Tomorrow. In 2006’s The Fast and the Furious: Tokyo Drift, he played Han Seoul-Oh. Later, in Fast & Furious, Fast Five, and Fast & Furious 6, Kang returned to continue playing the same character. Kang claims that he didn’t know about the Japanese drifting subculture until he was cast as Han in The Fast and the Furious: Tokyo Drift. It wasn’t until he started doing background work for the role that he discovered how widespread the sport of drifting truly is.
Sung Kang’s early life –
Sung Kang was born to South Korean immigrants in Clarkston, Georgia, before the family relocated to Gainesville, Georgia. His African American stepfather and Korean mother reared him. While still a high school student, he relocated to Barstow, California. Kang went to the Riverside campus of the University of California. His parents were disappointed by his choice to choose acting over law school when he was in college because they were worried about the absence of Asian Americans on American television and the lack of career opportunities.
Sung Kang’s career –
In Better Luck Tomorrow (2002), directed by Justin Lin, Sung Kang portrays Han Lue, an arrogant gang member. In The Motel, he portrayed one of the lead roles, Sam Kim.
Kang returned to the Fast & Furious franchise in the second film in the series, The Fast and the Furious: Tokyo Drift, once again directed by Justin Lin. Kang’s part in Tokyo Drift was originally conceived as a cameo for a rapper to fling his keys to the main character in a film that was almost exclusively destined for a direct-to-DVD release (portrayed by Lucas Black). As filming continued, Lin developed Han into a major supporting character, giving him “emotional impact” and “a more delicate touch than the Fast movies had seen before, or since.” Kang “[emulated] the laid-back cool of the Paul Newmans and Steve McQueen’s” while playing Han, and he also gave him “an extra Pitt-Esque fixation with continually munching.” Consequently, director Justin Lin called Kang back to the Fast & Furious series, where he has since appeared in Fast & Furious, Fast Five, Fast & Furious 6, and the short film Los Bandoleros, becoming a fan favorite in the process.
Forbidden Warrior featured Kang as Doran, a son of Genghis Khan, and Kang also had a cameo in Jet Li’s film War (2007) as an FBI agent. He had a minor part in Live Free or Die Hard and starred as Detective Taylor Kwon alongside Sylvester Stallone in Walter Hill’s Bullet to the Head (2013).
Although he is most known for his performance as the narcissistic President Gin Kew Yun Chun Yew Nee in the Korean drama spoof “Tae Do (Attitudes and Feelings, Both Desirable and Sometimes Secret),” co-starring Bobby Lee on MADtv, Kang has appeared in a number of other prominent television roles. In the short-lived FOX crime drama Gang Related, he portrays FBI Agent Tae Kim. His fluency in Korean was useful in both positions. Creator Chris Morgan, with whom he had previously collaborated on the Fast & Furious films, penned the character of Tae Kim with him in mind.
In January 2020, Kang launched the YouTube channel “Sung’s Garage,” where he posts videos related to his podcast of the same name.
The #JusticeForHan social media campaign started by Los Angeles Times writer Jen Yamato is credited by Kang as the driving force behind the public’s demand to see Han Lue’s return to the Fast & Furious series for F9 (2021) and his subsequent reunion with franchise director Justin Lin.
In the 2022 Disney+ series Obi-Wan Kenobi, Kang played the role of Fifth Brother.
Sung Kang’s other business –
The restaurant he operated, Saketini, in Brentwood, Los Angeles, California, was shut down in 2013.
In 2016, Kang and Perrelet released a timepiece designed by Kang.
Sung Kang’s family –
The family of Sung Kang’s parents immigrated from South Korea and eventually settled in Gainesville, Georgia. Notably, Kang was raised by his Korean mother and an African American stepfather, making his upbringing in a multiracial household. Kang, however, relocated to Barstow, Riverside, while still a high school student.
Sung Kang’s spouse is Miki Yim.
Sung Kang’s wife, Miki Yim, is the love of his life. Although Miki was born and lived in South Korea, nothing is known about her early years, her parents, or her siblings. So it is assumed that she prefers to keep her personal life private.
She attended a neighborhood high school, graduated in 2008, and then enrolled in Tokyo’s Meiji Gakuin University, where she graduated in 2012 with a Bachelor of Arts.
Miki Yim, a fashion designer from South Korea, has experience working for renowned fashion businesses like Chanel and Louis Vuitton as well as serving as an assistant manager for Sephora and Coco Chanel cosmetics.
She speaks Korean, Japanese, English, and French well and works as a general manager for the prominent brand Prada in Honolulu, Hawaii.
Sung Kang’s movies –
Year | Title |
2000 | Talk to Taka |
2001 | Pearl Harbor |
2002 | Better Luck Tomorrow, Antwone Fisher |
2004 | 9:30, Forbidden Warrior |
2005 | The Motel |
2006 | The Fast and the Furious: Tokyo Drift, Undoing |
2007 | War, Finishing the Game, Live Free or Die Hard |
2009 | Fast & Furious, Los Bandoleros, Ninja Assassin, Clap Clap |
2011 | Fast Five, 4 Wedding Planners |
2012 | Sunset Stories, Bullet to the Head |
2013 | Fast & Furious 6, The Come Up |
2015 | Eden, Furious 7, Hollywood Adventures |
2016 | Pali Road, The Free World, Code 8 |
2017 | Party Boat |
2019 | Code 8 |
2020 | We Can Be Heroes |
2021 | Raya and the Last Dragon, F9, Snakehead |
Sung Kang’s TV series –
1999 | Felicity |
2000 | Martial Law |
2001 | NYPD Blue |
2002 | Girlfriends |
2002 | Spin City |
2003 | The Shield |
2004 | Threat Matrix |
2004 | Cold Case |
2005 | Without a Trace |
2005 | Monk |
2006–2008 | MADtv |
2006 | Standoff |
2006 | CSI: Miami |
2008 | Knight Rider |
2008 | CSI: Crime Scene Investigation |
2009 | Monk |
2009 | Mental |
2010 | Easy to Assemble |
2014 | Robot Chicken |
2014 | Gang Related |
2016 | Family Guy |
2016 | Hawaii Five-0 |
2017–2020 | Power |
2018 | Magnum P.I. |
2019 | Whiskey Cavalier |
2020 | Power Book II: Ghost |
2021 | Lisey’s Story |
2022 | Obi-Wan Kenobi |
Sung Kang’s upcoming movies –
Fast X in 2023 and Fast & Furious 10 Part 2 are the upcoming movies of Sung Kang.
Sung Kang’s net worth –
Sung Kang has a net worth of $10 million dollars in 2023
Overall –
Nickname | Sung |
Gender | Male |
Age | 50 years old (in 2023) |
Height | 6′ (1.83 m) |
Weight | 70kg |
Date of Birth | April 8, 1972 |
Full Name | Kang Sung-Ho |
Profession | Actor |
Nationality | American |
Birthplace | Gainesville, Georgia, United States |
Zodiac Sign | Aries |
Spouse | Miki Yim |
Net Worth | $10M |
What are Sung Kang’s most-rated movies?
F9, Code 8, War, Live Free or Die Hard, Fast & Furious 6, Fast Five, Tokyo Drift, Raya & the Last Dragon, Pearl Harbor, Fast & Furious 7, Fast & Furious, and the Outlaws.
What is Sung Kang famous for?
Sung Kang is famous for playing Better Luck Tomorrow and for the Fast & Furious series of movies.
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