[Sportschosun reporter Jung Bit] Actor Kang Ha-kyung shared how he felt about taking the stage at the Blue Dragon Series Awards as part of Taste Boys' "Bitter Kim Gwan-cheol."
Kang, who drew attention for playing Kim Gwan-cheol in TVING's Legendary Chef, spoke in a photo interview with AtStyle about the moment he realized how popular the project had become.
Kang said, "I took the subway recently, and even though I was wearing a mask and a hat, someone recognized me and said, 'Oh, Bitter Kim Gwan-cheol!'" He added, "I had a bit of makeup on that day, but I think they recognized me because my eyes are distinctive. It was a little embarrassing, but also amazing."
About the character Kim Gwan-cheol, he explained, "I tried to bring out a cute side as well so he wouldn't come across as just a bad person." He added, "I wanted him to seem more like someone who is annoying, rather than someone truly hateful."
Regarding the buzz surrounding Taste Boys in the drama, he said, "What we used to joke about among ourselves on 'M Countdown' became real." He added, "I really had no idea it would go all the way to the Blue Dragon Series Awards stage." When asked what position he would want if the group were to continue real activities, he replied, "I think I should probably be the center. You have to dream big."
Now in his 10th year since debut, Kang said, "Through Legendary Chef, I think I can finally say I have a signature work." He continued, "I was always embarrassed to call myself an actor, so I lived like an ordinary person. But seeing people reach out to me because of Kim Gwan-cheol and Legendary Chef makes me wonder, cautiously, whether I can now call it my signature work."
To his fans, he said, "I want to remain someone who can keep giving joy and emotion, not just a pleasant surprise I happened to stumble upon, but someone who feels like they've always been by your side."
He also spoke about his fan cafe, Neul Yesol, saying, "It means I will always stay by your side like a pine tree, and it is a promise in itself. The fans have carried that resolve in the name and stayed with me all this time. I am truly grateful that they have remained by my side for so long despite everything that has happened. I hope they will continue to stay with me just as that name says, and I will work hard to become an actor worthy of it."
Reporter Jung Bit, rightlight@sportschosun.com
This article has been translated by GripLabs Mingo AI.
