An honest, skilled boxer whose moral compass and physical strength drives the narrative of Bloodhounds, Kim Gun-woo is played by actor Woo Do-hwan. The newly dropped Season 2 of the vastly popular Korean action series on Netflix, which also packs in dollops of emotion, takes forward the earnest portrayal of Gun-Woo — who, in the first season, pauses his career to pay off his mother’s debt to a ruthless loan shark.
In the show’s second season, Woo Do-hwan ups the ante, both physically and mentally, to play the character who, teaming up with fellow boxer Hong Woo-jin (Lee Sang-yi), must navigate the dangers of the underworld to protect his family, even as he faces a new nemesis, played by K-pop icon and actor Rain.
When we caught up with Woo Do-hwan over a recent video call from Seoul, the 33-year-old handsome actor whose boyish charm has got him a sizeable fandom, was visibly upbeat. “I was happy to hear that it (Season 2) was as much fun and entertaining as Season 1 was for the audiences,” Woo Do-hwan told t2 via an interpreter.
Given that the second season has an audience approval rating of a whopping 85 per cent on aggregator website rottentomatoes.com, we had to ask Woo Do-hwan — who has notable credits like The King: Eternal Monarch (2020) and Save Me (2017), among others, to his name — what the response to the thrilling ending — that involves a pulsating showdown and a twisty turn of events — has been like. “Regarding the response to the ending, I hope Season 3 will be made. We still have a lot of world views to show you, so if we get the chance, we would like to share them with you,” he shared.
GLOBAL GIG
When we asked what, according to him, makes the world of Bloodhounds — described as “a solid action series with well-executed, realistic fight scenes” — a watch with a global appeal, Woo Do-hwan offered, with a smile: “I think it has to do with how the characters in Bloodhounds are very human, and yet, at the same time, they represent certain values that everyone aspires to, especially with my character Gun-woo.” Elaborating further on Gun-woo’s popularity, he said: “It is really the goodness of his heart that appeals to so many people. On top of that, of course, is the high-octane action. I think that is why it speaks to so many people.”
He added: “Gun-woo has a kind heart, but people are also enthusiastic about the action in the show and the pleasure that comes from it.”
A STEP FORWARD
Season 2 of Bloodhounds, which has broken into the Netflix global Top 10 and features among the top shows on Netflix India, is a leap forward from its first season, that arrived in 2023, most of all in terms of its action. In our conversation with Woo Do-hwan, we wanted to know in what ways had the experience of making the second season been an enhancement over creating Season 1. “I tried to upgrade the physical aspects of the character. Also, with the character Hong Woo-jin, played by Lee Sang-yi, we tried to showcase a more mature side of the two main characters. We also wanted to show that the villains this time around are much more powerful and stronger than the first season.”
So what kind of prep — physical, mental and emotional — went into playing Gun-woo across the show’s two successful seasons? “I worked hard on my physical fitness and diet. Mentally, I tried my best to have a very positive and optimistic outlook of the world because Gun-woo is just so good at heart. I believe Gun-woo, as a person, is not biased. He doesn’t see people in a stereotypical way. Physically, I went on an extremely strict diet and workout schedule to prepare for the role. I tried to eat more, I had to eat more! So, I worked out with the same regimen, but then I increased my food intake,” Woo Do-hwan told t2.
BEING GUN-WOO
Powerful fists and a strong sense of brotherhood prevail in Bloodhounds, which is all the more evident in its second season. With Gun-woo winning many fans, we asked the actor playing him if there were any qualities he wanted to imbibe from his screen persona. “I relate very deeply to everything he does. I can’t help but sympathise with all of his actions. I want to take two things of his with me — his inner strength and his very strong love for his family.”
To round off this chat, we asked Woo Do-hwan if he could name a favourite film or series, classic or otherwise, that centred around boxing, much in the vein of Bloodhounds. His pick? “In terms of boxing films, my favourite is Southpaw (2015). It is the story of a boxer who has lost everything in his life and is on his journey to return to the ring. I love the amount of effort that you can see in this boxer character’s life as well as the process, but also because he has such an incredible physique. That is why I love this movie,” he signed off.
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