Uncle Samsik star Song Kang-ho shared his thoughts about what audiences could learn from his new drama on Disney+. ComicBook had the chance to sit down with the actor and unpack the themes of Uncle Samsik. In the show, the actor plays Park Doochill, a man who wants to make a better future for Korea back in the 1960s. Part of the character’s life is helping provide three hot meals for the people in his community. Song told us that there are some interesting parallels between the country’s past and our present that might prove enlightening when viewers complete the series on Disney+. In essence, shaping the world around us is an active choice and one that comes with a lot of introspection.
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“That was a very good question, thank you for that! So, on a superficial level, the drama talks about this character, Uncle Samsik. It evokes the scenery of the ’60s, Korea and what happened at that time,” Song began. “But, it’s not really about that only. It’s about the array of emotions that exist within us. Aspirations, ambitions, hope, hatred, pettiness, selfishness, all of the emotions that we harbor inside.”
“It’s about how we can analyze ourselves and analyze the community that we live in. How can we love people? How can we go forward? What kind of world should we envision? I think these are the questions that you might want to think about after you watch the entire show,” he mused. “So, instead of just focusing on the characters, like Samsik, Kim San, and the 1960s Korea, I hope that you can think about yourself. See how the drama kind of mirrors current society and the current lives that we are leading.”
What’s Uncle Samsik Really About?
This idea of prosperity runs throughout the fabric of Uncle Samsik. With 3 hot meals a day such a burgeoning topic in the show, the star had to talk about the bond between his character and the young politician Kim San. It turns out you need a little bit of help to inspire widespread changes.
“We had a line that goes, “You got me emotional with ‘a country where everyone is well-fed.’” e line cites a phrase in a speech delivered by Kim San, who says that he dreams of building a country where people can afford three meals “a day,” Song explained. “That’s the kind of world that Uncle Samsik dreams of. Having three meals a day, or being well-fed, was such an urgent need for Korean people in the early 1960s. The line is very concise, but it encapsulates everything the series is about.”
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