Actor Kang Ha-neul, who gave a remarkable performance in the film 'Opposition,' revealed his feelings about portraying a high-intensity drug addiction character.

Kang Ha-neul conducted an interview on the morning of the 8th at a cafe in Seocho-dong, Gangnam-gu, Seoul. He spoke with local reporters about the upcoming release of the film 'Opposition' (directed by Hwang Byeong-kook, provided/distributed by Plus M Entertainment, produced by HYBE Media Corp) and his recent activities.

'Opposition' is a crime action film that unfolds as a broker (Kang Ha-neul) designs the drug scene in South Korea, a prosecutor (Yoo Hae-jin) aiming for higher achievements, and a detective (Park Hae-joon) who has committed everything to eradicate drug crime, each with different objectives. It is the latest work from HYBE Media Corp, praised as a well-made social critique crime movie with 'The Inside Men.' It is also the directorial debut feature film of director Hwang Byeong-kook, who has worked in supporting roles in numerous productions including 'The Inside Men' and 'Seoul's Spring.'

In this film, Kang Ha-neul played the role of a broker 'Opposition.' Although the title suggests political satire, 'Opposition' is actually slang used in drug crimes. According to a video of expert comments released by the production team, in drug crimes, 'Opposition' refers to a person who acts as an informant providing information to investigative agencies. Kang Ha-neul performs passionately, dreaming of revenge after being brutally betrayed while working as 'Opposition' to reduce the drug crime sentencing at the request of prosecutor Yoo Hae-jin.

Kang Ha-neul shared his thoughts on watching the movie, saying, "I had a lot of fun shooting my scenes. I could feel the pace on set. However, as the weight and character depth of others came together, I honestly felt a bit cringe-worthy seeing myself on screen. But everyone else did so well that I don’t know if I should say this, but I really enjoyed it. It wasn’t because I was in it; the work itself was enjoyable." He laughed.

Regarding his 'drugged acting' in the film, Kang Ha-neul said, "I always notice the parts I find lacking. When I think, 'Wasn't there a slightly different expression?' my scene has usually passed."

How was the challenging role of drug addiction? Kang Ha-neul responded, "Since I didn’t know much about it, I searched for foreign videos. There are so many things you can find on YouTube. I watched documentaries about people in rehabilitation and heard various stories. I also consulted drug detectives on set. A comforting thought was that not everyone experiences the (effects of drugs) in the same way. It comes differently for each person, so I thought I could express it in an open way."

He also noted, "Regarding drug acting, the director didn’t give specific instructions like tone adjustment. The tone related to drugs was discussed a lot with the director while shaping the overall character. The title is 'Opposition,' and my character has to be followed from the beginning, but his actions aren't good. If drawn too villainously, people wouldn’t want to follow him. However, I didn’t want to justify his actions to make him look good either. I focused a lot on balancing that line. I’d ask the director, 'If I do this here, won’t it make me look too nice?' and tried it differently. Also, conversely, if it’s too bad, he might become unlikeable, so I adjusted that tone significantly."

Regarding the stuttering performance in the latter part, Kang Ha-neul explained, "There are various symptoms from drug aftereffects, and I thought about including something. If I limped, I wouldn't be able to perform the action scenes in the latter part, and if I restricted my hand, it would be difficult to show continuously. So I wondered what could give people that 'huh?' feeling without being too significant, and I thought adding stuttering might feel like a drug aftereffect. The director initially had concerns, but after a few attempts, he said it was okay, so I went ahead with the stuttering performance."

He concluded by emphasizing, "As you will see in the movie, drugs are something you must not touch. Really."

'Opposition' is set to be released nationwide on the 16th.

(Continued in Interview②.)

[Photo] Provided by Plus M Entertainment, HYBE Media Corp, THN.

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