Netflix's 'Bloodhounds' Returns with Intense Action and New Villain in Season 2

After three years, the Netflix series 'Bloodhounds' is back, kicking off Season 2 with deeper relationships and intense action. The chemistry between Woo Do-hwan and Lee Sang-yi, which goes beyond bromance to what they call 'bromelo,' is set to evolve with the addition of a new villain, Jung Ji-hoon.

On the 31st, a production presentation for Season 2 of 'Bloodhounds' was held at the Ambassador Seoul Pullman Hotel in Jung-gu, Seoul. Actors Woo Do-hwan, Lee Sang-yi, Jung Ji-hoon, and director Kim Joo-hwan attended the event.

Season 2 of 'Bloodhounds' follows Geon-woo (played by Woo Do-hwan) and Woo-jin (played by Lee Sang-yi) as they take on a global illegal boxing league dominated by money and violence, delivering another satisfying straight hook.

Returning for Season 2 after three years, Woo Do-hwan revealed that he gained weight for his character. He stated, "I thought I should show that I've been working out hard for three years, so I gained about 13kg," adding, "I gained weight for Season 1 as well, but this time I gained about 5kg more."

He continued, "Having experienced weight gain once, I thought it might be a bit easier for Season 2," and explained, "Exercise is something you just have to keep doing, so it felt relatively easy compared to other preparation processes." Regarding his preparation as an actor, Woo Do-hwan said, "Building a body for a character is the easiest thing for an actor," and expressed responsibility by saying, "Creating external changes is much easier than studying the inner self or becoming the character."

To portray the passage of three years in the series, Woo Do-hwan said, "I thought many things had to change over the three years to show a closer relationship with Woo-jin," emphasizing, "If Season 1 had a youthful feel like a social novice, Season 2 aims to show a more mature and grown-up side."

Lee Sang-yi explained the passage of three years in the series, saying, "Geon-woo and Woo-jin have become like inseparable brothers." He added, "Over the three years, both characters have deepened and their sense of responsibility has grown. The biggest change is the expansion of responsibility, not only towards their goal of becoming world champions but also towards their profession and people."

Newly joining Season 2, Jung Ji-hoon plays Baek Jeong, the operator of the global illegal boxing league known as 'IKFC.' Jung Ji-hoon, who plays the villain opposing Woo Do-hwan and Lee Sang-yi, stated that he paid attention to character development.

Jung Ji-hoon shared his thoughts on taking on his first villain role in a Korean production. He said, "Taking on a villain role itself was a burden," adding, "Having mostly played roles with a good image or relatively happy roles, I always wanted to try a truly evil role." He continued, "I was worried that if I portrayed it wrong, it might be difficult for the audience to accept," and explained, "In this work, I decided to follow the director's direction, setting aside my own standards or philosophy."

He also mentioned the differentiation from existing villain characters. Jung Ji-hoon said, "There are many famous villains, but I tried to approach it from the perspective of the characters in the series rather than the audience," and added, "I focused on how to make (Woo Do-hwan and Lee Sang-yi's characters) more miserable and more disliked."

He believed that if emotions were conveyed properly, he could become a villain that viewers completely hate. Jung Ji-hoon said, "Since my role is to constantly inflict pain and despair on the two characters, I continuously pondered how to make myself appear hateful and evil," and added, "I focused on how to make them angrier."

Playing his first villain role came with its own challenges. Jung Ji-hoon said, "The director had a lot of demands," explaining, "I had to be scary even when smiling, and my eyes shouldn't smile even if my mouth did. I had to be extremely evil and be able to make the opponent miserable with any action." He added, "The director also said my body shouldn't look too good. It needed to be bulked up but still capable of boxing," and concluded, "There were many demands, but it felt good to be guided after a long time. I thought I'd just do as the director instructed."

Jung Ji-hoon also shared, "As I talked with the director, I felt myself gradually immersing into the character. My eyes and gestures had to be scary and sharp, but I thought they shouldn't look artificial," and added, "To appear as someone who has lived like that all their life, I maintained that state even at home, which sometimes got me in trouble. I lived as Baek Jeong for about a year."

Regarding the key points to watch, director Kim Joo-hwan said, "Season 2 is about the two protagonists meeting new enemies and engaging in more intense and fierce battles," adding, "We thought a lot about how to expand and make the elements loved in Season 1 more enjoyable." Woo Do-hwan expressed confidence, saying, "I want to call it 'bromelo' beyond bromance," and added, "Geon-woo and Woo-jin are like a shared destiny and each other's support."

Netflix's 'Bloodhounds' Season 2 will be released on April 3rd.

Kim Se-ah, Ten Asia Reporter haesmik@tenasia.co.kr