The 2021 neo-noir gangster film Night in Paradise may have put his name on many a film fanatic's radars, and his part in Apple TV's show, Dr. Brain, has brought him even more popularity, but Uhm Tae-goo has been part of a number of critically-acclaimed productions for a while now.
We take a look at his most memorable roles!
The Age of Shadows (2016, film) | Coin Locker Girl (2015, film) | Hometown (2021) | Save Me Season 2 (2019) | Night in Paradise (2021, film) | My Sweet Mobster (2024)
The Age of Shadows (2016, film)
Available on AppleTV, Prime Video (territories and periods vary)
In the 2016 patriotic film The Age of Shadows, Uhm Tae-goo plays Hashimoto, an important supporting role. The film revolves around the story of a Korean policeman, Lee Jung-chool, and other brave Korean resistance fighters as they embark on a perilous mission to smuggle explosives through treacherous territories, all in a daring effort to demolish Japanese-controlled facilities.
He stars alongside Hallyu A-listers Gong Yoo and Song Kang-ho in the lead.
Coin Locker Girl (2015, film)
Available on Prime Video (territories and periods vary)
Uhm Tae-goo stars in a supporting role in this female-driven noir flick directed by Han Jun-hee. In it, he plays Woo-gon, one of Ma Woo-hee’s (Kim Hye-soo's) “adopted” children. As the default "big brother," Woo-gon is responsible for collecting debts, drafting dubious paperwork, and meting out violence against anyone who goes against his criminal family.
Hometown (2021)
Available on Netflix (territories and periods vary)
In the 12-part series Hometown (2021), Uhm Tae-goo takes on the unsettling role of Cho Kyung-ho, a convicted terrorist and suspected cult leader who is imprisoned for a gas attack. When his daughter disappears suddenly, his sister Cho Jung-hyun, portrayed by Han Ye-ri (known for her role in the acclaimed film Minari), is forced to deal with the aftermath of her brother’s actions. As a series of violent murders and suicides plague the town, a widowed detective suspects a potential connection to the gas attack years before. But will he have the strength to confront a psychopath as composed and strategic as the enigmatic Cho Kyung-ho?
Save Me Season 2 (2019)
Available on Prime Video (territories and periods vary)
Based on the 2013 animated movie The Fake by Yeon Sang-ho (Train to Busan, Hellbound), Save Me 2 serves as the sequel to the well-received 2017 drama that starred Seo Yea-ji and Ok Taec-yeon. The sequel stars Uhm Tae-goo as Kim Min-cheol, a troubled ex-convict who returns to his rural hometown. However, his troubles resurface when he begins to suspect that the local pastor may not be as virtuous as he appears to be.
Night in Paradise (2021, film)
Available on Netflix (territories and periods vary)
Uhm Tae-goo was born to play noir, and Netflix’s Night in Paradise is basically his habitat. The 2021 crime thriller sees him play the lead, Park Tae-goo, a mobster bent on taking revenge for the murder of his sister and niece before fleeing to Jeju Island. There, he crosses paths with a mysterious woman (Jeon Yeo-been) who seems to equal his sadness. Will these two lost souls ever find a smidgen of happiness? Or will both their fates bind them to a bitter end?
Renowned noir director Park Hoon-jung of 2013’s The New World takes the helm on this movie.
My Sweet Mobster (2024)
Available on Viki (territories and periods vary)
Based on a Naver webcomic, My Sweet Mobster is the hilarious romance between two complete opposites: one is a gang leader who’s had a rough life (Uhm Tae-goo), and the other is a sweet content creator who loves kids (Han Sun-hwa). Throw in all the classic rom-com tropes and add a zany gang of ex-mobsters in the mix, and you have what may be another unexpected K-drama hit for 2024.