A Stalker's Guide to Song Ok Sook

I don’t consider myself a stalker of Song Ok Sook. It just happened that way. Have you ever watched a drama, then say to yourself “That’s that man or woman again? I keep seeing that person's face in every drama.”

Then you asked yourself “Am I stalking that person or is that person turning me into a stalker?”

Well honestly, I can’t answer that question. But I do know one thing: every performance Song Ok Sook has done in my mind has been memorable.

She is the coolest ahjumma anyone could have.

Let me introduce you to one of the best supporting actresses in the universe, not just Korean dramas. She is an award-winning actress who balances life between acting, teaching college classes, and spend valuable time with her husband and daughter. She is the one and only Song Ok Sook.



 
The first drama I saw her in was Queen Seon Duk. I did not like her character, the High Priestess Seori, because she was on the evil side. This side used destruction, trickery, deceit, murder, imprisonment, and too many other things to list. She sat proudly on her seat. For you comic book enthusiasts, think of her as the one of the members of the Justice of Doom. She was so convincing in her role that you actually believed she was a High Priestess. Unfortunately for her character, Seori, she believed in her lies so much that she forgot she truly did have the power of a high priestess.





 

The next drama I saw her in was Tree with Deep Roots. She played a strong-willed woman who did not take a bull from nobody. She appeared to be a sweet and loving woman, but boy if you… Just say you did not want to be on her bad side, but she was still a sweet, loving woman. Her character name was.. Well she did not have an official name. They called her Captain. Once again, she was part of that group that wanted to destroy the nation. In this drama, she lived and socialized with the poor people on purpose, but from her mannerisms and behavior, it was clear that she did not belong to them.

At one point, I thought Song Ok Sook could only play a wicked woman until I saw her in Rooftop Prince. My idea and image of her changed drastically.




 
In the two previous dramas, Queen Seon Duk and Tree with Deep Roots, she played an evil person. In this drama, she plays the mother or stepmother of an evil stepdaughter. Unlike the other characters, her character actually was poor. Her character, Gong Man Ok, tried her best to raise her daughter with love and affection. She was so blinded by her motherly love for her daughter that she did not realize her own daughter despised her own sister. You had to feel sorry for her.





In the historical drama, Deep-Rooted Tree, I was introduced to her sweet and gentle side, and yet cruel if anyone crosses her. In Bridal Mask, her character remained sweet and somber in her role as a widow who had two sons with opposing personalities. The younger son longs and begs to be a part of a group who ripped his country apart and the older son who was once a hero until his accident that left him mentally incompetent. She played the role of an endearing and sympathetic mother who wanted to relive those peaceful days before the war.




 
In the drama Brain, she plays the mother of the top student surgeon at the local medical college. Her role in Brain turned her into another sweet and caring mother, but this time her sweetness was to the point you knew something was not quite right with her. If you compare her performance in this drama and others, the slight change her stand made a big difference in her role. She played a slightly mentally impaired person. She functions okay in society, but there was something not quite right. Family members and close friends don’t recognize the person’s impairment until a stranger says something. She played the role perfectly.





 
In the drama, I Miss You she played a mother who hated her life. Her dead husband was a murderer and her poor daughter was being harassed and teased by everyone around her. Her life was filled with hopelessness and despair. She sat in misery - waiting and longing -for that one chance to give up on life. Until that one fateful day when her daughter was raped and murdered, her hopelessness and despair turned into regret and self-disappointment. The only child she gave birth to was no longer in her life. Her heart ached so much.  Two children who felt and shared her pain moved in with her. She poured so much love and care into those two children. If you look a little closer, there is a twinkle in her eye wishing she loved her daughter just a little bit better when she was young and alive.






Song Ok Sook has a cameo appearance in this movie. This is my first time seeing her in a comedic role. She was hilarious. She played the mother of a young detective. She was boycotting the police station where he worked.  She was only on the screen for less than ten minutes each time. I was in stitches when I saw her.

I hope you take the time to watch and notice the great actress, Song Ok Sook. She is the support and backbone of the success of any drama and movie she is in.

Ok Sook back in the days -she looked amazing, don't you think?

If there is an actor or an actress that is worthy of a Stalker's Guide in your opinion, and you have watched enough dramas of his/hers to prove it, please contact Elisabetta about it.