On December 26, Park Jong-nam, renowned as the master of jackstones (gonggi) through SBS’ “Life Perfectionist”, shared on his personal account: “I made my debut on Netflix as a stunt double.“
Park recounted how, just two days before his wedding in October 2023, he was approached through the producer of “Life Perfectionist” to act as a stand-in for a globally acclaimed OTT project. He added: “Luckily I had already taken time off for my wedding, so I accepted the offer, even though I wasn’t sure what the gonggi scene entailed.”
He described the experience: “When I arrived at the filming location in Daejeon, I signed an extensive confidentiality agreement before entering. They suggested having lunch first, so I joined the table with Lee Byung-hun, Lee Jung-jae, Kang Ha-neul, director Hwang Dong-hyuk, and the assistant director who contacted me. I couldn’t believe I was having dinner with such famous actors.”
During the meal, the cast and crew chatted warmly with him, thanking him for coming despite his impending wedding and asking him how he had become so skilled at gonggi. They even congratulated her on her wedding.
Park expressed particular admiration for Kang Ha-neul, with whom he worked directly as a stunt double. In “Squid Game 2”, Kang Ha-neul plays Kang Dae-ho. In episode 4, Kang Dae-ho’s gonggi skills take center stage as he recalls that as a child he often played with his older sisters. The intricate handwork shown in the scene was brought to life by Park Jong-nam’s expertise.
Park said: “Filming the gonggi scene wasn’t particularly challenging. We finished after two takes, which was faster than I expected. What impressed me the most was Kang Ha-neul constantly helping me relax and even asking me to teach him how to play the gonggi. We played together. After the shoot he gave me some bread for my wife. Now I really understand why everyone loves Kang Ha-neul.”
Kang Ha-neul’s reputation for kindness precedes him. Along with Yoo Jae-suk and Park Bo-gum, he is often mentioned as one of the “good deed stars” in the entertainment industry. In 2023, he made headlines for secretly supporting struggling actors by personally funding rehearsal spaces. During an interview for his romantic comedy “Love Reset” (directed by Nam Dae-jung), Kang Ha-neul explained: “The pandemic has changed the industry significantly and there are now more virtual auditions. Some aspiring actors and performers told me they didn’t have adequate space to record audition tapes. Renting rehearsal space for between 30,000 and 50,000 won represents a significant burden. I wanted to relieve that burden, even if only for those close to me. Plus, I myself use the space occasionally, so it wasn’t a big deal.” He humbly added that he had drawn inspiration from older colleagues who had performed similar acts of kindness. In addition to his support of other actors, Kang Ha-neul’s thoughtfulness extended to his work on “Squid Game 2,” earning him the title of “apex predator of good deeds” as he continues to spread warmth and positivity in 2025 .
