[On the Record] Kim Kang-woo "Though Acting Is Tiresome and Difficult, I Love It"

Actor Kim Kang-woo Interview

Park Hoon-jung's Film 'The Nobleman' Han Isa Role
The Driving Force Behind 21 Years of Dedication Is Sincerity

Actor Kim Kang-woo Photo by Studio&New

Actor Kim Kang-woo (44) was once known as a devoted lover. He earned this nickname due to his deep love for his wife and children. In fact, he was a promising talent with outstanding looks and acting skills, once called the most handsome man in the Department of Theater at Chung-Ang University. He debuted with the film 'Coastline' (2002) and has steadily built his filmography over 21 years. His versatility is remarkable, shifting from melodrama to action, and from protagonist to antagonist roles.

We recently met Kim Kang-woo at a cafe in Samcheong-dong, Jongno-gu, Seoul. In the film 'The Nobleman' (directed by Park Hoon-jung), which was released on the 21st of last month, he portrayed Han Isa, a second-generation chaebol who relentlessly pursues Marco (played by Kim Seon-ho), revealing a terrifying face.

He said, "I liked the simplicity of the script. The clear direction of desire was also impressive. The story moves quickly without unnecessary twists. At the end, the clash of each character's desires adds an enjoyable tension. Among Park Hoon-jung's films, this one was the clearest, most fun, and the characters were endearing."

Park Hoon-jung's 'The Nobleman' to 'Tyrant'... Trust as the Foundation

Kim Kang-woo is also working with director Park on the new film 'Tyrant' following 'The Nobleman.' He cited 'trust' as the reason. He said, "Continuously working on projects by the same director without a break carries risks, but I had great faith that he would direct a character with a different feel." He added, "After reading the script, I wasn't worried. I tried to differentiate it from the previous work."

Han Isa is a character blinded by his own desires. He moves straight ahead with no remorse. Anything that stands in his way is easily removed. His cruelty is maximized in scenes where he toys with humans as if hunting them.

Kim Kang-woo said, "That was the most important scene defining Han Isa's personality." He continued, "After that, there is another action scene in the Philippines where he meets other characters, which needed to raise expectations and build tension. I paid a lot of attention to it. It was a scene where I couldn't be awkward or hesitant, so I filmed it with enjoyment."

[Photo by Studio&New]

He viewed Han Isa as "a sociopath who doesn't care about others' feelings." He added, "His word is law, and that's how he has lived. He thinks everything will be easily resolved, but when it comes to his own hands, it's just a headache, like a fly buzzing around."

Kim Kang-woo said he analyzes characters by associating them with animals during the character design process. This is a kind of acting image training. For the film 'The Treacherous' (2015), he drew inspiration from a wolf.

He revealed, "Han Isa is a lion. I imagined a lion with many claws growling, charging forward without hesitation." He explained, "I tend not to create characters or figures that seem familiar or simple. I often draw inspiration from memorable people in private situations or from animals."

These days, audiences say movies are not fun. Real-life incidents and accidents are scarier than films. We have entered an ironic era where reality surpasses movies. When this was mentioned, Kim Kang-woo strongly agreed and continued.

He said, "All the villains worth introducing in movies have appeared. Reality surpasses that. About ten years ago, psychopathic characters were novel, but now there are so many. As an actor, this is a point of concern. I need to pursue something new even in villain roles."

There Is No Satisfaction in Acting

Actor Kim Kang-woo [Photo by Studio&New]

Every time we meet, Kim Kang-woo is calm and soft-spoken as always. But when talking about acting or projects, his tone rises and he becomes more talkative. In his works, he can be endlessly kind one moment and cruel the next. What kind of person is he?

When asked, he laughed and said, "The hardest question for an actor is when people ask what kind of personality or person you really are." He continued, "I didn't know my personality well before. But as an actor, I don't want to define myself. The moment you do, your acting tends to lean one way and becomes difficult."

Kim Kang-woo laughed and said, "I'm not sociable or extroverted." He added with another laugh, "My personal life is nothing special; I live a boring life."

Over two decades, he has made acting his profession, showing various faces. Some say that to be chosen, an actor must never take a break from acting and must manage popularity. Kim Kang-woo's path as an actor has not been turbulent, but like a swan floating on a lake, he has kept paddling under the water, which has brought him to where he is today.

When asked how he feels about the path he has walked, he replied, "I must have done okay to last 20 years, but I've never felt that 'I'm doing well as an actor'." He added, "At first, you are brave because you don't know, but the more you do it, the harder acting becomes." After a brief pause, he continued.

"The moments standing at the top are short compared to the effort. An actor endlessly climbs and descends peaks. It's truly lonely. You have to show improved and developed sides. There are moments when you hit a wall. Sometimes acting becomes so tiresome and unbearable, but then I realize that I actually love acting and being an actor."

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.