Woo Do Hwan and Lee Sang Yi join forces in Netflix's Bloodhounds, an action-packed thriller that, quite literally, pulls no punches. In the 14-episode K-drama, the two bring to life Geon-woo and Woo-jin, two highly-skilled boxers who get tapped to take down a corrupt loan shark and his goons.
The show serves as Do Hwan's first project after completing his military enlistment, marking his return to the small screen after The King: Eternal Monarch. Meanwhile, Sang Yi, who you might remember from Hometown Cha-Cha-Cha and Youth of May, makes his action star debut with this show.
Being in tip top shape was imperative to their roles, given the physical obstacles they would be facing. "I think building our bodies makes it more believable for the audience. In order for these two guys to win a fight against a group of people, they need to be that fit," Do Hwan shares in an interview.
In preparation for shooting, the two immersed themselves in intense fitness routines that required their utmost strength and stamina. "Whenever we went on set, it didn't feel like we were here to act, but it always felt like we were going to work out," Sang Yi says.
The pair took on boxing lessons for their roles, and had to master the sport to a point where they could "choreograph" each jab and thrust they would do. "I think these action scenes reflect our character's personalities well," they share. "We worked with the action team to portray our personalities better, so our fights were choreographed with that in mind. I think the stunt team worked harder than the both of us."
Nowadays, most action-themed productions make use of CGI in order to make some scenes appear more realistic. Though, Do Hwan points out that the rumbles in Bloodhounds are "as real as [they] can get." Sang Yi adds: "There are no secrets. When you have to get hit in a scene, it's best to just accept it."
To show their viewers what it was really like to be in those brawls, the two leading men learned the importance of coordinating with the camera movement. As they put it, "the realness of the punches depends on the angle of the camera."
In episode seven of the drama, the twosome can be seen exercising to their body's limits. To show how much they've grown since the premiere, Do Hwan and Sang Yi actually had to get distinct haircuts and have their skin tanned. Talk about dedication!
Overall, the heartthrobs attest that nothing beats the real deal when it comes to portraying athleticism on screen. "These days, CGI is constantly evolving, but when we put real effort into training and preparing, I think it shows on screen. You can see that it's for real."
"It's honesty. The body doesn't lie," Do Hwan concludes.
See what all the action is about by streaming Bloodhounds on Netflix now.
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