Kang Ki-young finds peace through exercise: 'I deserve to rest fully'

Actor Kang Ki-young shared how exercise has provided him with mental stability and a renewed perspective on life. Appearing on the YouTube channel DdeunDdeun for the show "Just an Excuse," Kang discussed his recent daily routines and psychological shifts.

"Am I too predictable?" Self-reflection on personal patterns

During the video, Kang expressed concerns regarding his predictable nature. He revealed that while lying at home, he sometimes feels his life has become too routine. "It feels like I am sitting right in the palm of my own hand, so it's not fun," he remarked, expressing a desire to be more spontaneous. He added that while he used to enjoy unpredictability, he is currently in a phase of disciplining himself through consistency.

Overcoming anxiety through exercise and a new mindset

Exercise has been the catalyst for this change. Kang noted that after stopping the physical activities he had practiced since childhood, he felt himself becoming increasingly lethargic. He has since been practicing F45, a functional training program, for six months. Kang explained that this has resulted in both physical transformation and significant mental health benefits.

He confessed that he previously struggled with anxiety during holidays, often questioning if he was wasting precious downtime by doing nothing. However, by incorporating exercise into his routine, he has adopted a new mindset: "I worked yesterday, and I exercised both before and after work, so resting on today's holiday is so valuable." He emphasized that exercise helped eliminate his anxiety, allowing him to feel that he truly deserves to rest fully when he does.

Koo Kyo Hwan's dilemma: The courage to be vulnerable for art

Co-star Koo Kyo Hwan shared his own struggles as a creator during the film planning process. Koo believes that to truly convey a story, a filmmaker must include even their most unpleasant or "gross" qualities, but admitted how difficult that is to achieve. "It takes courage to say that when I fully reveal myself in this story, it is truly Koo Kyo Hwan's story," he said. The cast members empathized, noting that everyone possesses aspects of themselves they prefer to keep hidden.