Actor Kang Ha-neul plays Woo-sang, an internet streamer chasing the truth behind a serial murder case in the film "Streaming." Courtesy of Lotte Entertainment

Actor Kang Ha-neul burst into laughter several times during a recent interview, showing his trademark easygoing charm. While some are calling his latest role in the upcoming thriller "Streaming" a refreshing new side of the actor, Kang modestly responded, "If audiences feel that way, I'm grateful."

Kang sat down for an interview Tuesday at a cafe in Samcheong-dong, central Seoul, to discuss the new film. "Streaming" follows Woo-sang, a top crime streamer who begins broadcasting his pursuit of a serial killer after stumbling upon key clues. The film is a psychological thriller that explores media, obsession and identity.

Describing his character, Kang said, "Woo-sang is the kind of person you don't want to get close to." He added that although the character may appear polished on the surface, he's hollow inside and driven by vanity.

Kang said he enjoyed playing a character so different from himself. "Woo-sang may have once tried to live a decent life, but after encountering the platform WEG (a fictional streaming site in the film), he got swallowed up by money. He probably thought, ‘Even if I became a cop, I couldn't make this kind of money,' and stayed."

Kang also shared how Woo-sang's visual concept evolved through an emergency meeting with the creative team. "Initially, he looked like any ordinary person during test shoots. But we felt he needed to stand out more to keep the audience engaged," he said.

As a result, the character was redesigned with a distinctive look, donning a black suit and black tie to sharpen his on-screen persona.

"Streaming" also includes scenes where Kang had to act alone in front of the camera, without any reaction from co-actors, a format typical for streamers. "That was the part I found most interesting when reading the script," he said. "Usually, film scripts only have four or five lines per scene. But Woo-sang had very long monologues. It reminded me of theater." He even rehearsed as he would for a stage play.

Actor Kang Ha-neul / Courtesy of Lotte Entertainment

The film has received a 19+ rating, a classification Kang agrees with. "After watching it, I understood why it needed a restricted rating. Kids really do mimic things easily," he said. "There's plenty of good content on YouTube. If they're going to imitate something, I hope it's the positive stuff."

While "Streaming" has been described as a Kang Ha-neul one-man show, the actor downplayed the idea. "I never saw it as a one-top film. Even now, I just think, ‘Oh, it's only me on the poster,'" he laughed. "It's a project we created together, and that's what makes it meaningful."

As for the talk about this film showing a new face of Kang Ha-neul, he said, "Honestly, it's the same face I see every day, so I don't really think of it that way."

The film also touches on the power of words, a subject Kang shared his thoughts about. "It's not just because I'm a celebrity. I think everyone has that power," he said. "But because my words reach a wider audience, I feel a stronger responsibility to speak kindly and give others courage."

"Streaming" opens Friday in theaters nationwide.

Actor Kang Ha-neul speaks during a press conference and screening for the film "Streaming" at Lotte Cinema World Tower in Songpa District, Seoul, Monday. Yonhap

This article from the Hankook Ilbo, the sister publication of The Korea Times, is translated by a generative AI system and edited by The Korea Times.