Kang Mal-geum (; born January 3, 1979) is a South Korean actress. She graduated in Arts from Pusan National University, Department of Korean Language and Literature. She made her acting debut in 2010 in the film Yong-Tae: The Ordinary Memories. She is known for her role in the film Lucky Chan-sil (2019), for which she earned six "Best New Actress" and one "Best Actress" awards in seven different award shows. She also appeared in the film The Chase (2017) and the television series Legal High (2019) and Missing: The Other Side (2020). In 2021, she appeared in a small role on the hit Netflix survival drama series Squid Game.
Early life Kang was born in Busan in 1979 and graduated from Busan National University in Korean Language and Literature. After graduating, she worked for a trading company for 4 years, then made her debut in Chungmuro in 2010 after debuted earlier onstage in Daehak-ro in 2007.
Director Kim Cho-hee, who watched "Free acting" at the Jeongdongjin Independent Film Festival, contacted Kang directly and suggested appearing in Lucky Chanshil. While working at the tasting corner of the mart, Kang became the main character of a feature film for the first time at forty while going back and forth between theatrical stages and short films.
Filmography Film Year Title Role Notes 2010 Yong-Tae: The Ordinary Memories 2011 From the End Short film 2014 Encounter 2016 A Man in the Midnight 2017 The Chase Caregiver 2 Daydream (Baek-il-mong) 2018 The Monologue 2019 Idol Myung-hui's wife Family Affair Homeroom teacher Lucky Chan-sil Lee Chan-sil Won 7 awards Gyeongwon Short film 2020 A Bedsore Nurse More Than Family Ho Hoon's mother 2022 In Our Prime Han Ji-woo's mother Drown Hye-soo BirthTeresa Kim2023Soulmatea curator at an art museum2024Land of Happiness Ok Jeong-ae2025 LobbyMinister Cho
Television series Year Title Role Notes 2018 Children of Nobody Si-wan's mother 2019Legal High Lee Eun-jiBeautiful World Eun Kyeong-seon2020Missing: The Other Side Kim Hyeon-mi Season 1Please Don't Date Him Telegram girlKBS Drama Special:"The Joys and Sorrows of Work" Lee Ji-hye one act-drama2021Mouse Ba Reum's aunt Cameo Sell Your Haunted House Manager Joo / Joo Hwa-jeong Squid Game Gi-hun's ex-wife The Silent Sea Song Won-kyung 2021–2022 The Red Sleeve Hong Hye-bin / Lady Hyegyŏng 2022Thirty-NineCha Mi-hyun Military Prosecutor Doberman Do Soo-kyung2023 Divorce Attorney Shin Kim So-yeon The Good Bad Mother Jung Gum-ja Miraculous Brothers Chae Woo-jung 2023–2024Gyeongseong CreatureChoi Seong-simSeason 1 2025When Life Gives You TangerinesMotel OwnerCameo (episode 2,3) Knock-Off Jegal Hyeon-suk 2026 We Are All Trying Here Ko Hye-jin
Stage Musical +Musical performances Year Title Role Theater English Korean2013Heavy Metal Girls 헤비메탈 걸스 Hansung Art Hall 1
Theatre +Theater performances Year Title Role Theater English Korean2008Commedia꼬메디아ScaramoucheSangmyeong Art Hall 12012Penn뻘JimakiDoosan Art Centre Space1112012Ro Pung Chan's Nomadic Theater로풍찬 유랑극장GobongjaYeonwoo Small Theatre (Daehak-ro)2014Hermes헤르메스Yoo Jeong-sookTheatre out of2014Ro Pung Chan's Nomadic Theater로풍찬 유랑극장GobongjaDaehakro Arts Theatre Small Theatre2015Kyung-sook Kyung-sook's Father경숙이, 경숙아버지JayaYes24 Stage 32015Uncle Sunwoo순우 삼촌Daehak-ro Sundol Theatre20162016 Mountain Forest Classic Theatre - Oresteia2016 산울림 고전극장 - 오레스테이아Sanullim Small Theatre2016Doosan Humanities Theatre 2016 Adventure - Game두산인문극장 2016 모험 - 게임Florence MargaretDoosan Art Center Space1112016Dandelion Wind민들레 바람되어Old ladyYes24 Stage 32017Richard III리처드3세Arko Arts Theatre Grand Theatre2017The Women of Troy트로이의 여인들Art Space Seoul2018Red Peters - K's Reading빨간 피터들 - K의 낭독회Samil-il Warehouse Theatre 2018 Lonely person, difficult person, sad person Aleksandr Vladimirovich Serebryakov Doosan Art Center Space111
Ambassadorship Year Title 2021 21st Seoul International Alternative Visual Arts Festival 2022 22nd Seoul International Alternative Visual Arts Festival
Accolades Awards and nominations + Name of the award ceremony, year presented, category, nominee of the award, and the result of the nomination Award ceremony Year Category Nominee / Work Result Baeksang Arts Awards 2020 Best New Actress – FilmLucky Chan-sil 2022 Best Supporting Actress – Television Thirty-Nine 2024 The Good Bad Mother Blue Dragon Film Awards 2021 Best New ActressLucky Chan-sil Buil Film Awards 2020 Best New Actress Busan Film Critics Awards 2020 Best Actress Cine21 Film Awards Best New Actress Chunsa Film Art Awards 2021Best New Actress Director's Cut Awards2022 Best Actress in Film Best New Actress in Film KBS Drama Awards 2020 Best New Actress Drama Special – The Joys and Sorrows of Work 2021 Best Supporting Actress Sell Your Haunted House Korean Association of Film Critics Awards 2020 Best New ActressLucky Chan-sil Wildflower Film Awards Best Actress Best New Actress Women in Film Korea Festival
Listicles + Name of publisher, year listed, name of listicle, and placement Publisher Year Listicle Placement Korean Film Council 2021Korean Actors 200
Notes
References
External links
Kang Mal-geum on Daum