Kang Ha-neul is a South Korean actor. He is best known for his roles in television dramasThe Heirs, Angel Eyes, , ', and When the Camellia Blooms ; and the films Mourning Grave, Twenty, ', New Trial, and Midnight Runners.
Career
Kang began his career in musical theatre, notably in Thrill Me, Prince Puzzle, Black Mary Poppins, and Assassins. He later shifted to the screen, starring in the television dramas To the Beautiful You, The Heirs and '. 2015 was a busy year for Kang as he appeared in three films; musical filmC'est si bon, period filmEmpire of Lust, and coming-of-age filmTwenty, for which he managed to clinch several Best New Actor awards and nominations. In 2016, Kang starred in the black and whitebiographical period film ', where he played the titular role of poet Yun Dong-ju. His role as Yun Dong-ju earned him Best Actor nominations at the 25th Buil Film Awards and 4th Wildflower Film Awards. He also appeared in the romantic comedy filmLike for Likes, playing a young songwriter who suffers a hearing disability. The same year, he co-starred in the historical drama , playing the role of 8th Prince :ko:고려 대종|Wang Wook, which earned him an Excellence Award at the 2016 SBS Drama Awards. In 2017, Kang starred in the film New Trial, acting as a young man who spent a decade in prison after an abusive investigation for a crime he did not commit. He then starred alongside Park Seo-joon in the action comedy filmMidnight Runners, playing a nerdy student of the Korean National Police University. The film was a success, becoming the 4th highest-grossing South Korean film in 2017. In the same year, he also appeared in mysterythriller film Forgotten alongside Kim Mu-yeol. In September 2018, Kang co-starred with fellow actor Ji Chang-wook and kpop idolKim Sung-kyu in military musical Shinheung Military Academy. The musical is regarded as one of the largest productions of the Republic of Korea Army, with cumulative audiences recorded totaling to 110,000 viewers. Kang's excellent performance as Paldo has earned him a nomination for Best Actor at the 7th Yegreen Musical Awards. In 2019, Kang made a comeback in the entertainment industry in the KBS2 TV seriesWhen the Camellia Blooms alongside actress Gong Hyo-jin. The drama achieved impressive ratings, and was the highest-rated miniseries in 2019. It also led to numerous accolades and critical acclaim for Kang, including Best Actor at the 56th Baeksang Arts Awards. When the Camellia Blooms was followed by Kang's return to theater in Fantasy Tale in January 2020. This will be his comeback performance after Harold and Maude in 2015. On December 10, 2019, TH Company, Kang's new agency confirmed that the actor is making his comeback to the silver screen with Rain and Your Story, a melodrama that tells about the love story between a man and a woman who have yearned for each other for a long time but could not meet due to certain circumstances. Kang will play the role of Young Ho, a man who lives his life aimlessly while exchanging letters with his lover. Filming will begin on the first half of 2020.
Personal life
Kang began his mandatory military service on September 11, 2017 at Nonsan Korean Army Training Center. The completion ceremony took place on October 24 wherein Kang was recognized for his exemplary performance during basic training. On February 22, 2019, Kang was appointed as honorary ambassador of the Military Manpower Administration. The ceremony took place at the Air Force Hall in Yeongdeungpo, Seoul. As an honorary ambassador, Kang participated in events organized by the MMA until December 2019. Kang completed military service on May 23, 2019. In November 6, 2019, SEM Company, his agency since 2010, announced that Kang would be under contract until the TV series When the Camellia Blooms concluded. After that, he joined his former manager in the newly established entertainment agency, TH Company.
