Heo Sung-tae's Best Movies and TV Shows, Ranked - MovieWeb
Although most of you know Heo Sung-tae as the gangster Jang Deok-su from Netflix's Squid Game, you're probably not aware of his peculiar story. Born in Busan, Heo majored in Russian and went on to sell televisions in the Russian market for the LG Corporation. He only began his acting career in 2011 when, in a drunken haze, he signed up for the talent show, Miraculous Audition. Heo subsequently rose to national prominence thanks to his role in Age of Shadows, and then, five years later, to worldwide recognition thanks to Squid Game.
Given how "late" Heo started his acting career, he has a lot of past projects under his belt. Let's take a look at his best movies and TV shows, ranked.
10 Big Bet (2022)
Directed by Kang Yoon-sung and starring the legendary Choi Min-sik in the leading role, Big Bet is a South Korean TV series. It revolves around a legendary figure in the Philippines' casino world, as he gets involved in a murder case. Heo Sung-tae plays one of the people at the casinos, Seo Tae-seok, who flew from Korea to Phillippiness to hide his illegal entrepreneurial activities. It has a great storyline, excellent acting — especially by Choi and Heo — and you get to see the two countries from the 1970s to the 2000s. It's quite unfortunate how people don't expect more from Disney+ other than the big franchises' projects; otherwise, this would have drawn more attention.
9 The Royal Tailor (2014)
As a South Korean period film, The Royal Tailor tells the story of two rival tailors, who were in charge of making the attire for Joseon dynasty royalty. This rivalry leads the kingdom into scandal and tragedy. Directed by Lee Won-suk, it stars Han Suk-kyu, Go Soo, Park Shin-hye, while Heo plays the character of Officer Jong. For those who haven't seen any Korean historical movie, it can be quite mesmerizing. Per usual with South Korean cinema, don't expect a happy ending, but given how it's essentially a movie about royal attire, you can expect quite an amazing wardrobe throughout the film.
8 The Swindlers (2017)
The Swindlers is a crime action film directed by Jang Chang-won and starring Hyun Bin in the leading role. It tells the story of a group of people from different sides of the law coming together, to catch a sneaky con-man. Heo plays the character Jang Du-chil, one of the people involved in the investigation. Although there are many movies with similar storylines, the difference with this movie is its simplicity. It's made very easy to follow, with a comical protagonist and an antagonist that ends up stealing the show. If you have nothing to do and want to watch a movie to kill time, this one's for you.
7 Rampant (2018)
Anyone in a mood for a period zombie movie? Well, Rampant brings exactly that to the equation and more. This South Korean film follows a clash between an exiled Prince and a Joseon minister with the backdrop of a zombie plague. Although Heo Sung-Tae plays a minimal role in the grand plot line, it's definitely worth watching if you want to see a glimpse of him. If you've watched series like Kingdom, you may have notice differences that could've been done better, but it's still worth watching for any zombie enthusiastic. And, make sure to watch with the original audio, of course.
6 The Fortress (2017)
Directed by Hwang Dong-hyuk, The Fortress is yet another historical drama starring Lee Byung-hun in the main role. Based on the novel Namhansanseong, the plot is set in 1636, during the Qing invasion of Joseon. It follows King Injo and his retainers as they seek refuge in a fortress. Heo plays a supporting character of one of the retainers, Yong Gol-dae. Lovers of medieval stories always look everywhere for a dose of historical politics and war, but those who enjoy the ones told truthfully will definitely be interested in The Fortress. There's no fantasy here, just politics and bloodshed. It's more about survival than victory, the settings are beautiful and very fascinating to watch.
5 Hunt (2022)
Directed by Squid Game's Lee Jung-jae in his feature directorial debut, Hunt is a South Korean espionage action film. It deals with three major historical events in the 1980s in South Korea: the Gwanju uprising, the defection of North Korean pilot Lee Woong-pyung and the Rangoon bombing. It focuses on two senior detective officers as they try hunting down the North Korean infiltrator. The character of ANSP Domestic Unit agent Jang Cheol-seong is played by Heo. It provides a turbulent ride of many twists, exciting action and white-knuckle tension galore.
4 The Silent Sea (2021)
As an adaptation of his 2014 short film, The Sea of Tranquility, The Silent Sea is a South Korean Netflix TV series that blends science-fiction, thriller, and mystery. It stars Bae Doona and Gong Yoo in the leading roles, and Heo as Kim Jae-sun, Chief of Resource Group of Aviation Administration. It follows a crew of astronauts who have 24 hours to retrieve a lunar sample. It delivers a plenty of tension throughout and characters that you would expect in this setting: the leader, the one worried about a family member, the one always complaining and the one who can't be trusted. Sometimes, science gets ignored, but if you're ready to suspend your disbelief, this is a pretty solid series for you.
3 The Outlaws (2017)
As the first installment of Crime City series, The Outlaws is a South Korean crime action film starring Ma Dong-seok and Yoon Kye-sang in the leading roles. The plot is set in 2004 and revolves around a detective who tries to control Korean-Chinese gang wars, while dealing with a loan shark. Heo plays one of the gang members nicknamed as the Viper. Given how The Outlaws is directed by a newbie director at that time, Yoon-Seong Kang, it's very impressive and able to embarrass any seasoned Hollywood filmmaker. In addition to being based on true events, its drama, comedy and action are all top-notch. The casting and their performances were all outstanding.
2 Squid Game (2021)
Everyone has heard about Squid Game, and that's probably where you know Heo Sung-Tae from, right? The Netflix series has broken numerous records as the most-watched Netflix series, and there's a high probability it's one of the few South Korean series that you've watched. It follows a group of people desperate for money as they compete each other in a deadly program where they play children's games. Heo plays the gangster character of Jang Deok-su, who enters the game to settle his gambling debts and to escape from his boss who he's stolen money from. It provides very compelling episodes, great acting, amazing sets and unravels an important discussion about capitalism.
1 The Age of Shadows (2016)
Last but not least, you definitely have to check out the South Korean period thriller, The Age of Shadows. It stars Song Kang-ho and Gong Yoo in the leading roles, and Heo as the character of Ha Il-soo. Set in the 1920s Japan and Korea, it follows Korean resistance fighters known as Heroic Corps, who smuggle explosives to destroy Japanese-led organizations in South Korea. For those not familiar with the quality of South Korean movies, The Age of Shadows may feel life-changing. It has a wonderful story, well-paced script and a greatly talented cast.
Comments
Post a Comment