Kang Ha-neul Reflects on His School Days and New Film 'First Ride'

In the film, Kang Ha-neul plays a character who scores perfectly on the college entrance exam, but what was his real school life like? During an interview, Kang Ha-neul reminisced about his past as if he had returned to his childhood.

Recently, I met Kang Ha-neul, the star of the movie 'First Ride,' at a café in Samcheong-dong, Jongno-gu, Seoul. Familiar with the press, Kang Ha-neul arrived comfortably dressed in training attire.

'First Ride' is a comedy about a group of friends who embark on their first overseas trip together, leading to unpredictable chaos. Kang Ha-neul plays Tae-jung, a character who aced the college entrance exam.

Was Kang Ha-neul as academically inclined as his character? He shared, "I've erased the college entrance exam from my memory. I had no chance with regular admissions; I had to get in through early admissions." He added, "I liked science subjects. I still enjoy science, including physics, chemistry, and astronomy. However, I had no interest in math or English."

Besides science, Kang Ha-neul had another passion: filming and editing. He has always been curious about these techniques and still asks staff about lenses and editing.

He said, "I ask about the cost of equipment, how to use lenses, and so on. I've been able to apply some of this knowledge to acting, like adjusting my performance based on camera angles. But I'm not interested in directing; I'll stick to acting."

Reflecting on his school days, Kang Ha-neul mentioned his friendships, saying, "I was friendly with both the academically inclined and those who weren't. I naturally fit in with different groups. I had a round personality and many interests, including animation and games."

His easygoing nature extended to friendships with girls. He recalled, "I often talked about accessories with female friends. I even tried on circle lenses once, which made my eyes red, so I had to use eye drops."

Even now, Kang Ha-neul enjoys spending time with friends in a carefree manner. He shared, "When guys gather in groups of three or more, we become silly. We waste time doing pointless things, like joking about how someone resembles a cup of ice. The fun comes from just being together."

While filming 'First Ride,' Kang Ha-neul formed new friendships. He spoke about 'big brother' Kim Young-kwang, saying, "Young-kwang was every boy's idol growing up. He's like a celebrity. I wanted to meet and greet him." He added, "We have similar tastes in movies, music, and humor. I share funny YouTube videos with him."

He was already friends with Kang Young-seok, and appreciated Han Sun-hwa's caring nature. Regarding 'youngest' Cha Eun-woo, he said, "I wondered if I could even meet him. He's handsome, has a great physique, and a good personality."

With such strong chemistry among the cast, 'First Ride' is set to hit theaters nationwide on the 29th.

Ryu Ye-ji, TenAsia Reporter ryuperstar@tenasia.co.kr