[OSENWORLD] Actor Kang Ha-neul spoke fondly of his co-star Cha Eun-woo, who couldn’t join the First Ride promotions due to his ongoing military service.
Directed by Nam Dae-joong (Thirty), the comedy film follows five lifelong friends on their chaotic first overseas trip — a long-awaited getaway that quickly turns into total mayhem. Kang stars as Jung Tae-jung, a former top student turned political aide, alongside Kim Young-kwang, Cha Eun-woo, Kang Yeong-seok, and Han Sun-hwa. The film is distributed by Showbox Corp. and produced by Brain Shower and TH Story.
Reuniting with director Nam after their 2023 hit Love Reset, Kang delivers another performance that balances humor and heart. This year alone, he has appeared in multiple projects — including the films Streaming and YADANG: The Snitch, Netflix’s Squid Game Season 3 and Wall To Wall, and Genie TV’s Tastefully Yours — earning him the nickname “Monthly Kang Ha-neul” for his nonstop schedule.
When asked about viewers comparing First Ride to his 2015 coming-of-age film Twenty, Kang admitted,
“I didn’t feel it while filming, but when I watched it later, I thought, ‘This does remind me of Twenty.’ Maybe it’s the colors, or the fact that I’m playing a smart guy again even though I wasn’t one in real life,”
he said with a laugh.
First Ride also marks Cha Eun-woo’s final film before enlistment. Having joined the army band in July, Cha is currently fulfilling his service and unable to participate in the film’s promotions — something Kang says he truly misses.
“I’ve met many good-looking people — even Woo-bin, right?” Kang joked. “But Eun-woo is really something else. Honestly, his face is funnier than our movie. Even when he’s exhausted, just seeing him makes you laugh. When he walks into the makeup trailer all tired, it’s still funny somehow.”
Kang also shared that the cast knew in advance that Cha wouldn’t be available for the promotional tour.
“It wasn’t sudden. Near the end of filming, we told him, ‘We’ll promote hard for you — come back safe,’”
he recalled.
“If he were here for the post-screening events, I’m sure the audience numbers would skyrocket. Fans would come just to see him. But since he’s still part of the film, I hope many people will come watch.”
First Ride opens in theaters on October 29.
/k_inside@osen.co.kr
Courtesy of Showbox, OSEN
