Kang Ha Neul Vaults to A-list Level with Baeksang Best Actor Win for When the Camellia Blooms

What I loved the most when the photo array was shown for the 5 Best Actor nominees for the 2020 Baeksang Drama Best Actor award was how 4 of them were in serious actor mode and 1 was in “I’m so happy to be here” puppy mode. That 1 being Kang Ha Neul who then won for his performance in When the Camellia Blooms over strong competition in Namgong Min, Hyun Bin, Park Seo Joon, and Joo Ji Hoon. Most Korean entertainment awards are pre-notified to the winner so the Baeksangs remain one of the lone bastions of surprise and true competition, so Kang Ha Neul looked just as floored to have won.

Any of the 5 nominees winning would be deserving in my mind but Kang Ha Neul was actually supporting Gong Hyo Jin in the drama and yet he blew her out of the water with his performance and was honestly the best part of the drama for me. If she was the Camellia flower then he was the roots, the soil, the water, the sunlight, the nutrition to make the flower bloom. To think that prior to his military enlistment he was playing second leads in Misaeng and Moon Lovers and even like the 6th male lead in Heirs. He’s now in the same league as similar age Baeksang Drama Actor winners Kim Soo Hyun and Yoo Ah In and he did it also with his first post-military project. Smart role selection and impressive return performance. He reminds me so much of Jo Jung Seok as well so not a bad similar vibe to cultivate.


Comments

Kang Ha Neul Vaults to A-list Level with Baeksang Best Actor Win for When the Camellia Blooms — 41 Comments

  1. He was already with his movie with park seo joon which was a big hit.
    I think kbs awarded gong grand prize bcoz of her seniority. She is amazing but he overshadowed her.
    Though i was hoping either hyun bin or park seo joon to win but congrats to this guy who has earned his place slowly by slowly. Wasn’t served on platters like idol actors .

  2. Im neutral even tho i thought HB or PSJ would win. Well, im a hardcore Hospital playlist and Dr. Kim’s fan so i hoped for them to be nominated but then they werent so i watched this without expectation but then looking at KHN, he was super duper adorable and humble. I might be not a fan, but i do like his attitude and his acting skill. Im glad he’s the winner. Look, he was the only one who didnt wear bow tie lmao. Chukae KHN. You deserved it.

  3. I’m so happy for him he totally deserves this! I started watching WTCB because I’m a fan of gong hyojin but his performance was so perfect that by the end I was rooting for him to catch the bad guy and be happy with the girl of his dreams.

  4. For me, it wasn’t NGM, HB or PSJ’s best role. They were good but they did better in other roles, more precisely I think they had roles that were more demanding for them. So I was really happy that KNH won, he’s really humble but worked hard during all these years.

    • That’s right, HB slayed more in Memories of the Alhambra. Like him better in it than CLOY.
      KHN is really my bet, tho subconsciously hehe. I couldn’t voice it out.

  5. LOVE him! I thought PSJ will win for Itaewon Class but still, happy that KHN won! And yes, he has the same vibe as Jo Jung Seok, love him too!!!

  6. I love Kang Ha Neul even in the heirs. It’s a surprise but sweet victory for him. Well deserved and congratulations ?

  7. i am so happy haneul won! i bet he would win the award and he did. his performance in camellia blooms was outstanding. i like his character. always like a happy person and smiles a lot.

  8. First time i watched kang ha neul acting in drama When the camilla blooms.
    He is a cutie Yong shik.
    Glad that he won the Best Actor Award.
    He was chosen among the best.
    Congratulations!

    • He more than deserves the award. One cause it was a totally different role than what he normally plays and he slayed it. Secondly, even though it was acting, I felt sincerety. Fell in love with the character and I wish I could meet such a person in real life. An innocent, fun-loving, righteous person. The drama itself was a hit, especially the final episodes were freaking good and satisfying. This drama also made me wish that our communities become like one family looking out for each other.

  9. i’ve watched him from small roles (angel eyes was the best) until Camelia and i couldn’t be anymore happier with his achievements. Now, he’ll definitely receive more projects. Indeed, he is the best thing in the drama. After the Baeksang, i saw a lot of memes and i was LMAO.

    Legend says that u nid to wear necktie
    4 waiters and the boss

  10. Yey, for Kang Ha Neul! I was rooting for him to win. He slayed the role of Yong Sik, a totally different personality that you will not see Ha Neul.

  11. KHN deserve this award….he always take different role either in drama or film.you all should try watch his film…he really had an excellent eye-acting.i like how he switch his emotion through his eyes.i agreed he had jo jung suk vibe and he so humble.hope his would be recognise more in future

  12. I’m glad that he is finally getting the well-deserved attention. Looking forward to his future projects. I hope he teams up with Nam Ji Hyun again.

  13. Congrats to Kang Hanuel for the win! But categorizing actors into A list or whatever list there is, bit too much.

    Leonardo DiCaprio has not won any Academy awards until his 41. Johnny Depp and Tom Cruise have not won any Academy Awards.

    Award are nothing but politics and I don’t think Baeksang is an exception.

    • Yes, totally agree. Awards are all politics.
      But among the 5, KHN’ was the most deserving of the award. Thanks to the excellent script that demanded KHN to showcase many emotions in one project.
      Though I could totally see Nam Goong Min as Yong Shik. Or Ji Sung! OMG, they would be great as Yong Shik as well!

  14. Happy for him, i notice him in Monstar 2013, since then i’ve watched him closely. The others actors are also great . For me the best award is having a career with a lot of good projects a la Leonardo Dicaprio !

  15. I am so happy that Kang Ha Nuel won best actor for When the Camellias Bloom. I truly believe he portrays each of his characters with so much detail of his emotions. He gives a different aspect to each action that makes him a good actor. I look forward to him in more dramas.

    • He very well deserved it. He had portrayed his character so well I even had to check his profile for comparison. The others were great (Hyun Bin had always been my bias) but he was the best on his role. Congrats KHN!

  16. Totally deserving of the award. He’s the one single reason Camellia was deemed watchable. GHJ was so over acting, conscious acting and full of herself acting in that drama that I got frustrated each time she shows up on the screen. I’m glad her performance did not affect his ability to deliver. Great for him. Well deserve. Cant say the same to GHJ.

  17. Heartiest congratulations to KHN. I love it when underrated but talented, humble and low-key actors finally get the recognition they deserve as opposed to rewarding those who are already well established and seemingly monopolised the best actor categories or snagging good roles year after year. Go KHN, the world is your oyster. I hope he will reunite with NJH to make a drama as adults. That would be icing on the cake.

  18. What is the criteria?
    I like KHN but too Disapointed for this 56th Baeksang Award for the
    last minute before airing then
    suddenly WTHCB get the GRAND AWARD
    tsk tsk tsk

  19. KHN acting was much better then HB n PSJ though they were very good actors too. My predicament is right. I hope to see more of his acting in the near future. Way you go Kang Na Neul.

  20. CONGRATULATIONS Kang Ha Neul?Hope Ok Taecyeon will have a good script/story/ and good timing where he can perform well and win, although nominated from his previousCla works *keep on fighting* Soon you will get the awaited awards??

  21. CONGRATULATIONS Kang Ha Neul?Hope Ok Taecyeon will have a good script/story/ and good timing where he can perform well and win, although nominated from his previous works *keep on fighting* Soon you will get the awaited awards??

  22. Saw an episode of Traveler 2 where all three travelers were admiring a postcard perfect view of an Argentine sunset. Someone was quietly pensive. And a sensitive soul waxed poetic about that majestic sunset. ‘Twas KHN. ( Now I’m really set on watching WTCB).

  23. Loved him in Misaeng. So happy for him! I think I have to watch WTCB now. I couldn’t get past the 2nd episode, but for him, I will endure.

  24. HGN is completely and absolutely deserving of this award. He gave justice and realism to his role with his superb acting skills. I hope to see more of this super talented actor soon…When the Camellia Blooms was gem. Ms. Go was also great as she always have been. Congratulations???

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