"YADANG": Kang Ha-neul's dynamic performance [Enokido Ichiro's Film A-Ka-S-T-Ana Vol. 95]

Kang Ha-neul, the star, is absolutely amazing. The film is directed at a great pace, with a perfectly concluded ending, and when you leave your seat you think, "Wow, that was interesting," but if you ask me, "What impressed you the most?" it's Kang Ha-neul's dynamism. The character he plays, Lee Kang-soo, is a villain. It's a kind of picaresque novel, and the audience is made to empathize with the villain. So, the film itself is designed to bring out Kang Ha-neul's charm and let him go on a rampage in a satisfying way. He's great when he No Way Out and panicking. His movements are sharp, and they match the tempo of the direction.

Kang Ha-neul's character, Kang-soo, is known as a "Yadan" in the Korean underworld. This is a kind of informant. He uses his unique network of contacts to obtain information on crimes such as drug trafficking and negotiates plea bargains. In Korean, "Yadan" is usually the political term for "opposition party." Perhaps the term "Yadan" is a derivative of the phrase "not in power = opposition party," and refers to a dark broker who is not actively involved in crimes but lurks on the periphery and is well-versed in information. He's a villain, but not "evil" per se; it sounds a bit like a derogatory term. He's a cunning figure who uses his smooth talk and clever maneuvering to take a cut of the "evil" he's dealing with.

Gan-soo is a "Yadan" discovered by Prosecutor Koo Gwan-hee. He was originally a thug arrested under the Narcotics Control Act. He was tested in prison and scouted for his outstanding memory and good form. Prosecutor Koo Gwan-hee is an ambitious man who was off the promotion track and smoldering. He finds a "Yadan" named Gan-soo and begins to build up a track record of arrests. Of course, with the prosecutors and the "Yadan" in cahoots, crimes can be uncovered at will, even if they are fabricated or fixed. I was reminded of the Hokkaido Prefectural Police that appeared in director Kazuya Shiraishi's " The World's Most Evil Guys " (2016).

Prosecutor Goo Gwan-hee is rapidly promoted. And along with that, Kang-soo in "Yadang" is also getting better and better. Since Kang-soo is on good terms with the prosecutors, it's beneficial for the criminal organization's bigwigs. He's useful for pulling off plea bargains and crushing opposing forces. I loved Kang Ha-neul, who was in such good shape and doing so well. It's important for an actor to have a certain "hula" or a confident look that looks good. As a viewer, you're completely drawn into Kang Ha-neul's pace.

“YADANG”ⓒ 2025 PLUS M ENTERTAINMENT AND HIVE MEDIA CORP, ALL RIGHTS RESERVED.

The overall structure of the film is fascinating as the roles of right and wrong, good and evil, are constantly reversed. In "Yadang," Kang-soo is a villain who makes a living through his connections with a criminal organization, but in reality, he can also be seen as on the side of "justice" (?) as he is in league with the prosecution. Prosecutor Goo Gwan-hee is of course on the side of "justice" in terms of his job, but he is also "evil" who abuses his authority for his own advancement. It is not easy to say who is right and who is evil, who is the enemy and who is the ally. This changes in thrilling ways as the story progresses.

The only distinction there is between "guys who get it done" and "slow and foolish guys." It's the worldview of Korean noir. Director Hwang Byung-guk researched the reality of drug crimes to find realistic settings and locations, while also demanding that the actors deliver their lines quickly. This is partly an attempt to achieve a sense of speed and tempo, but to me it also feels like a competition to determine who will be the best "guy who gets it done."

So, to put it very simply, this is a movie in which "those who get it right" survive. It's an entertainment piece, and it doesn't have any particular Arrival to convey, but if you were to try to read something like that into it, it would be that thugs without backing, the weak, must be determined to get it right and survive. It's also connected to the guts that runs through the works of our director Kinji Fukasaku.

Also, this is an unnecessary addition, but I'd like to know how the comedy duo "Yadan" reacts to "Yadan." Well, if I were a promoter, I'd contact SMA (Sony Music Artists) and ask them to come to a preview screening, but they've moved quickly, and in November of last year, Yadan's Nakajima Toru posted on social media, "Yadan!!! I want to go see it with all three members of Yadan!!!!" Ah, I'm relieved to hear that they got through to them. Of course, I'd like the King of Conte regulars to support it. I really hope it's a hit when it's released in the New Year.

Text: Ichiro Enoki

Born in 1959. Born in Akita Prefecture. Debuted in a commercial magazine with ``Takarajima'' in 1980 while studying at Chuo University. Since then, he has serialized columns and essays in various magazines, and continues to this day. Also active on radio and television. Twitter @ichiroenokido

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"YADANG"

Shinjuku Wald 9 and other releases nationwide

Distribution: Showgate

ⓒ 2025 PLUS M ENTERTAINMENT AND HIVE MEDIA CORP, ALL RIGHTS RESERVED.