Actor Kang Dong-won is teasing a radical transformation with the film Wild Thing, fueling major anticipation.
On the 19th, Kang sat down for an interview in Jongno-gu, Seoul, and discussed Wild Thing, which is slated to hit theaters on June 3. The film is a comedy about Triangle, a co-ed dance group that once dominated the music scene, as they bumble their way through a comeback 20 years later. Kang plays Hwang Hyun-woo, the former leader and "dancing machine" who now makes ends meet as a TV personality.
The project drew huge buzz the moment its trailer dropped, thanks to Kang’s shocking visuals and laugh-out-loud comedic acting. "The online reactions are hilarious. The way the comments snowball like collective intelligence cracks me up," he said, adding, "Friends even joked, 'Are you broke these days?'"
Kang also took an active role in shaping the character. The Y2K-inspired styling was his idea, and he deliberately aimed for a "so ridiculous it’s funny" concept. "I wanted to create a comedy where audiences are thrown off at first and then burst into laughter," he explained.
He poured extraordinary effort into the role. To nail the breakdancing, Kang began training in Los Angeles and continued practicing for four to five hours a day for about five months during filming in Korea. He even suffered a rib injury along the way, but still pulled off a real headspin for bigger laughs. "I chose the hard road because I figured it would be funnier," Kang said.
He also praised his comedic chemistry with co-star Oh Jung-se. "Our styles are different, but we clicked in a weirdly perfect way," Kang noted. "I’m timing-focused, while senior Oh Jung-se’s pure absurdity becomes the punchline."
Meanwhile, Wild Thing blends 2000s-inspired music and styling with the cast’s comedic performances, and is building hype as a film that will showcase a brand-new side of Kang Dong-won.