After an 18-year illustrious film career, Song Kang-ho (Cobweb) makes his television series debut in Disney+’s 1960s period drama Uncle Sam-shik. Set against the backdrop of post-war Korea — a time of political revolution and corruption — this upcoming drama tells the story of a legendary man whose name is spread far and wide: Uncle Sam-shik.
The teaser opens with a child asking who Uncle Sam-shik is as they receive two bundles of food at their front door. We then get a glimpse of the various characters that will populate this world as they each call out to Sam-shik. The list of faces includes Yoo Jae-myung (Song of the Bandits), Tiffany Young (Reborn Rich), Lee Kyu-hyung (Big Bet), Jin Ki-joo (My Perfect Stranger), Seo Hyun-woo (A Shop for Killers), and many more.
As someone asks what Uncle Sam-shik means, Byun Yo-han (Mr. Sunshine) explains its significance: even during the war, he fed his family three meals a day and wouldn’t starve them. In Korean, “samshik” means three meals a day, adding to the lore that Uncle Sam-shik isn’t just a name but a title.
Song Kang-ho then answers, as the titular Uncle Sam-shik, that everyone calls him that out of love and respect. He couldn’t be happier with his nickname, and in a dark room, he chuckles as the camera cuts away. Given the time period, I suspect our hero is being “interrogated,” but even in the face of danger, he laughs.
Like the teaser, the poster explains the origin of his nickname (i.e., he kept his family fed) and depicts Uncle Sam-shik in a similar vein. As if offering the audience some food, Song Kang-ho holds sweets in one hand and dried fish in the other while standing in what looks like a bakery. The tagline also reads, “If the belly is full, the heart will open.”
Written and directed by filmmaker Shin Yeon-shik (Cassiopeia), Disney+’s Uncle Sam-shik is slated for 16 episodes and will premiere May 15.