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Ro Woon opens up about his experience playing a rogue in Disney+'s The Murky Stream.
On October 15, actor Ro Woon sat for an interview for the Disney+ original series The Murky Stream, in which he showcased a new side of himself through the character of Jang Si Yul.
The Murky Stream follows the struggles of three people who each have different dreams of living a life of dignity. The K-drama is set against the backdrop of the lawless Joseon era, where the once-pure Gyeong River has turned into a murky stream.
Talking about his transformation, Ro Woon said, "In the past, I often played characters who were good-looking or handsome. When I told my high school friends that this time I'm playing a rogue, they said, 'Then you don't even need to act.' Before, when I played cool or good-looking characters, they'd say, 'That must be hard to act,'... It's been a while since The Matchmakers ended, so I'm really glad to be able to bring something after such a long time."
He also expressed satisfaction with his physical transformation. "I did makeup tests for four days, four hours each, and every single moment of it was fun. I remember thinking, 'So I can look like this too,' and it made me feel really good. When you only read the script, you don’t know exactly how the makeup will turn out, right? But once we actually did it, there were many moments where I thought, 'This is it.' I was just excited because I could clearly picture what Si Yul looks like. Other than the fact that the makeup took quite a long time, everything was fine," he shared.
He added, "The fans' reactions were also fun. I even enjoyed imagining how surprised they'd be. At first, some people didn't recognize me, and some had expected a rom-com. But there were also those who said it was nice to watch."
He also put effort into creating a wild physique rather than a sculpted one. Ro Woon explained, "I had reduced my body fat for a commercial, but the director told me he wanted a body that seemed more like [that of] a stray cat. Not a perfectly built one, but one with a raw, untamed vibe. He said having a six-pack would look unrealistic. So I reshaped my body, and when I asked the director, 'Is this okay now?' he said, 'You look good.'"
Ro Woon also revealed he had many in-depth conversations with director Choo Chang Min about his character. "I started preparing for the action scenes for about two months before filming. It wasn't so much about preparing something in particular, but I had many conversations with the director. As we talked, I felt like I could tell him my entire life story, and that I couldn't lie to him. We spoke a lot about the ups and downs in my life… The director told me, 'You're lonelier than I thought. You should try bringing that out.’ I felt something inside me being released while acting. Through Si Yul, I was able to release a lot emotionally, and it felt cathartic. After every shoot, I'd say, 'The Murky Stream tastes good.' I think I poured out every bit of acting I could possibly do at 28."
Ro Woon also recalled the moments when he was completely immersed in his character. "In the drama, Jang Si Yul worked but still went three days without eating, and that made me really angry. There's a scene where he goes to Shin Ye Eun's character to ask for his wages. I was quite tense during that scene, but I suddenly started tearing up. He hadn't eaten for three days, and all he was asking for was some food…"
"When I acted in that scene, I was so angry that I cried. Normally, I don't cry when I'm angry, but the environment was perfect for acting. At that moment, the director fully pushed me to get me into the scene," he said, adding with a laugh, "But he also told me I shouldn’t be crying then. It would look too weak."
Was it difficult to portray a character with not many lines? "During the test shoot, the director told me, 'Try putting something in there.' So I imagined the scene where Park dies, and the director said that was good. I tried to act as if I were an empty person — like someone without color. I think I tried to perform like a flower with the color of death."
Ro Woon admitted that he often searches his own name after The Murky Stream was released. "I've seen comments like 'He's good at action,' and 'Even without lines, his eyes say everything,' and those reactions made me really happy. I even wanted to comment, 'It's all thanks to the director.'" "I feel so proud. I look myself up several times a day, and since this character has a very different vibe from the ones I've played before, I was quite worried about how people would receive it. But it was also an image I really wanted to try."
He continued, "I thought that after coming back from the military, my spectrum could widen even more. Good looks don't last forever. Even in the army, I'll have to lose weight and shouldn't bulk up, because I want to act for a long time. But I also wonder if I can truly become a mentally strong actor with just one strength to rely on. I think that's something I've always struggled with whenever I questioned whether I could be persuaded."
