Actor Kang Ha-neul is closing out an already busy 2025 with one final film. After a year that earned him the nickname “Monthly Kang Ha-neul” thanks to five major leading projects across screens and television, he’s returning to theaters on October 29 with the comedy First Ride.
The film follows a group of longtime friends who embark on their first overseas trip together, only to face a series of unpredictable misadventures. It also reunites Kang Ha-neul with director Nam Dae-joong, who helmed the 2023 hit 30 Days. “Japanese films have been dominating lately,” Kang Ha-neul said with a laugh. “It’s about time for a Korean film to take the stage again.”
“I’m not the model student people think I am”
In First Ride, Kang Ha-neul plays Tae-jung, a top-scoring student who once achieved a perfect score on the college entrance exam. Yet, despite the “model student” label that follows him from his earlier film Twenty, the actor insists the reality was very different.
“I was just an average kid,” he said. “People assume I was a straight-A student because I went to Chung-Ang University, but honestly, I got in through an early admission round — never could’ve passed the regular exam.”
Filmed largely in Thailand, the production became one of the most light-hearted sets of his career. “It felt more like a variety-show shoot than a film,” he admitted. “We laughed nonstop. But I’m such a homebody that after a month abroad, I really missed cleaning my own apartment.”
On Cha Eun-woo: “He’s unbelievably good-looking”
Sharing the screen with Cha Eun-woo, Kim Young-kwang, Kang Young-seok, and Han Sun-hwa, Kang Ha-neul was quick to praise his co-stars — especially Cha Eun-woo.
“I’ve met plenty of handsome actors, but Eun-woo is on another level,” he said, smiling. “His face alone can make you laugh — whether he’s smiling or tired, it’s still entertaining. Honestly, his face might be the most fun part of the movie!”
“I’ll never quit acting because of a scandal”
While others might highlight charisma or intensity as their strengths, Kang Ha-neul believes his greatest asset is his ordinariness and relatability.
“I want to stay sincere and grounded,” he said. “Acting isn’t something I can do forever just because I want to — one day, the calls might stop coming. If that happens, I’ll accept it gracefully. But until then, I’ll give my best. One thing’s for sure: I’ll never have to quit acting because of a scandal.”
With his trademark honesty and down-to-earth charm, Kang Ha-neul once again proves why audiences continue to connect with him — not because he’s extraordinary, but because he makes the ordinary feel unforgettable.
“First Ride” premieres in Korean theaters on October 29.