(continuing from interview 1) Bloodhounds2 actor Woo Do Hwan talked about a friendship with his close friend actor Lee Sang Yi that goes beyond chemistry.
Woo Do Hwan conducted an interview at a cafe in Samcheong-dong, Jongno-gu, Seoul, on the afternoon of the 9th. At the meeting with domestic reporters, he discussed the recently released Netflix original series Bloodhounds2.
Bloodhounds2 is a drama that tells the story of Geon-woo (played by Woo Do Hwan) and Woo-jin (played by Lee Sang Yi), who previously beat up a gang of brutal illegal loan sharks, landing another satisfying straight hook against a global illegal boxing league dominated by money and violence. Following season 1, which was released in 2023, season 2 was released three years later.
Released as a seven-episode series on Netflix on the 3rd, Bloodhounds2 recorded 5 million view counts (the number of views calculated by dividing total watch time by the work's total running time) within three days of release, ranking No. 2 in the global top 10 non-English series on the Netflix Tudum TOP10 website as of the 8th. It also immediately took the No. 1 spot on Korea's top 10 series and appeared on top 10 lists in 67 countries worldwide, continuing its strong popularity.
Among them, Woo Do Hwan gave an intense performance reprising the lead role Geon-woo from season 1. Having shown a hot bromance with Lee Sang Yi, who plays Woo-jin, in season 1, he displayed an even deeper bromance, known as a 'bromelo,' in Bloodhounds2, creating a warm feeling. Earlier, Lee Sang Yi jokingly said, "I like Woo Do Hwan more than Park Bo Gum." Woo Do Hwan laughed brightly while joking, "How much criticism is that brother going to get?"
If Lee Sang Yi had Park Bo Gum and Woo Do Hwan, Woo Do Hwan had Lee Sang Yi and Park Seo Jun. Woo Do Hwan, who worked with director Kim Joo-hwan, who directed the Bloodhounds series, on his first collaboration in the film Kingdom of the Planet of the Apes, and who had acted with Park Seo Jun in the film Heaven: To the Land of Happiness, expressed gratitude that Park Seo Jun made a special appearance in Bloodhounds2. Woo Do Hwan emphasized, "I saw him on set and he was shooting 'Surely Tomorrow' and was busy, but he still came. When he was so tired he was resting in the car, he came out and told me I worked hard when he heard I had come. He was really busy, but he took a day out to make a special appearance, and I was very grateful. In season 1 he also told me I 'did well.'"
When asked whether he would choose Park Seo Jun or Lee Sang Yi, he laughed and answered, "Of course, Sang Yi hyung." Still, he exclaimed, "This is a big problem. How much from our two 'Parks'..." and explained, "But now is the Bloodhounds2 promotion period." When Lee Sang Yi said, "Park Bo Gum doesn't get sulky," he laughed and said, "Seo Jun hyung doesn't get sulky either. Between us, it's more teasing than sulking."
Above all, Woo Do Hwan said of Lee Sang Yi, "This hyung is a true friend. He is a friend and an older brother. He's the actor I have had the most chemistry with in my acting career. We showed each other our bare faces. There is a saying that men get close when they mix bodies and sweat together. We've been doing that for 300 takes. Also, Sang Yi hyung is such a good person. So I couldn't imagine Hong Woo-jin being anyone but Lee Sang Yi. We were in sync in acting; one move and the other understood. If I said something, he understood even better."
He laughed and said, "We usually need to be together. Sang Yi hyung needs someone a little cautious by his side. It's not that he wants to play a lot of pranks, but because variety show shoots keep taking Sang Yi hyung along, there are moments when accidents almost happen. When he tries to get up from a chair and almost falls, you have to help him from the side. I think I play that role, and hyung thinks so too, so in real life it's a good bromelo."
Although Woo-jin coaches Geon-woo in the drama, reality is the opposite. Woo Do Hwan said, "Hyung is more pure than a younger brother. It's like when a small child punches a wall and the father comes and says you'll get hurt. He often says, 'Hyung, you'll get hurt.' He has a lot of curiosities and always tells me not to get hurt during action. Because I do a lot of action, he gets very anxious. Even in the climbing scenes, he touches and checks each thing to make sure it's sturdy. That's how we shot the scenes."
Revealing their closeness, Woo Do Hwan said, "We called each other before coming today. We just call each other often. We also often don't pick up, but when bored we press the button. If they don't pick up, there's no follow-up asking why; we just assume they're working. We send a single 'ㅇㅇ.' I called today because it suddenly came to mind. I thought of yesterday's interview and asked, 'Did it go well?'" He laughed and said, "It's hard to imagine meeting Sang Yi hyung in another work. Director Kim Joo-hwan feels the same. Although I first met him in Kingdom of the Planet of the Apes, I don't think I could act in another role with Joo-hwan hyung other than Geon-woo from Bloodhounds."
(to be continued in interview 3)<
[photo] Provided by Netflix.
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