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| Actor Kang Ha-neul / Courtesy of Kidari ENT |
By Kwak Yeon-soo
Kang Ha-neul, who has played a variety of youthful characters in films such as "Twenty" (2015), "C'est Si Bon" (2015) and "Midnight Runners" (2017), is back with another film that inspires feelings of youthful innocence.
In "Waiting for Rain," Kang stars as Young-ho, an unmotivated student who is studying for the college entrance exam for the third time. One day, he sends a letter to his elementary school classmate So-yeon, whom he had crush on, to regain his verve.
On behalf of So-yeon who is ill, her sister So-hee (Chun Woo-hee) writes back and the two continue to exchange letters while trying to sort out their lives. The two agree to meet each other in person if it rains on Dec. 31.
"People call me a youth icon, but I honestly don't know what that means. I think youth is undefinable," he said during an interview with The Korea Times via Zoom, Thursday. "Therefore, I don't choose such characters intentionally. The script is the most important thing when it comes to choosing my next project."
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| Kang Ha-neul in a scene from "Waiting for Rain" / Courtesy of Kidari ENT, Sony Pictures |
As the film is mostly set in 2003, Kang said it reminded him of his own childhood and first love. "I still remember the first time I fell in love. I often sent her hand-written letters, adding wise quotes from then-popular social media, Cyworld, to sound smart and serious," he laughed.
Kang explained that "Waiting for Rain" is different from other romance films because the main characters ― Young-ho and So-hee ― communicate entirely through letters that are narrated by both actors. The two impact each other, but they never meet in person.
Moreover, the film focuses on how the two characters fall in love rather than telling what happens after falling in love. Both develop feelings for each other after exchanging letters and small gifts.
"I think this unique characteristic of the film will allow the audience to explore the true meaning of intimacy. For me personally, I feel a film that leaves more room to imagine has a far bigger reach. It lingers on far longer," he said.
The 32-year-old actor shared his thoughts on the big question that arises from the film ― whether you should do what you love or love what you do. "As I grow older, I think about this a lot. Most of all, it's important to just do it. Even if you have regrets, you can't turn back time. So it's best to just believe that you made the right choices and move on," he said.
When asked if he feels burdened by his humble media personality, Kang said he doesn't let himself be swayed by media attention. "I'm not easily weighed down by others' opinions. I have one daily goal, which is to encounter people with a smile each day," he said.
The actor, whose career spans 14 years, said he wishes to take on more interesting roles in the future ― be it a stage play, TV series or film. "I don't have a favorite film genre or platform. Compared to a stage play that requires energy from the beginning to the end as the actors engage with a live audience, film or TV requires focusing on one scene at a time," he said.
"Waiting for Rain" will hit local theaters, April 28.
