'Bloodhounds': Woo Do Hwan Reveals He Had To Gain Weight For Series' Lead Role

Woo Do Hwan revealed that he had to gain more than 20 pounds while preparing for his role in Netflix's "Bloodhounds."

The 30-year-old South Korean actor is set to star in the highly anticipated Netflix drama as Gun Woo, who leaves his career as an up-and-coming boxer to enter the world of loan sharks and pay off his mother's debts.

In an interview with MyDramaList's Lily Ace, published Tuesday, Woo shared that his character initially solely relies on his boxing skills to battle against his opponents but eventually learns street-fighting techniques. Hence, the actor had to undergo several training sessions and a physical transformation to perfectly execute Gun Woo's skills.

"To build body, I packed my lunch box and ate four meals a day to gain 22 pounds, and finally I could see my body gradually changing," Woo shared in the interview.

His co-star Lee Sang Yi, who plays his partner-in-crime Hong Woo Jin, also told the outlet that he went through rigorous training to build ripped abs and hone the physique of an experienced boxer.

"Bloodhounds" director Jason Kim praised the cast for their efforts in bringing the characters to life for the drama.

Stunt coordinator Park Young Sik also hailed Woo as one of the most skilled young actors in performing action scenes and gave kudos to Lee's performance in his first attempt in the action genre.

The upcoming action-thriller series will dive into the grueling world of the money-lending business and how three young individuals — Gun, Hong and Hyun-Joo (Kim Sae Ron) — come together to fight against the rich and powerful who prey on the weak while working under one of the most powerful men in the business, CEO Choi (Heo Jun-Ho).

"Bloodhounds" marks Woo's third drama with the streaming giant. He previously starred in 2019's "My Country: The New Age" and 2020's "The King: Eternal Monarch" alongside Lee Min Ho and Kim Go Eun.

Woo also appeared in several other series over the past years, including "Joseon Attorney: A Morality," "Poong, The Joseon Psychiatrist 2," "Tempted," "Mad Dog" and "Save Me," among others.

"Bloodhounds" is slated to premiere on Netflix on June 9. It will run for a total of eight one-hour episodes.