Actor Ryu Un (27) has made a 180-degree transformation in his acting. He gained 10kg for 'Weak Hero Class 2' and expressed pride in broadening his acting spectrum through this work.
The Netflix series 'Weak Hero Class 2', released on the 25th of last month, tells the story of a model student, Yeon Si-eun (played by Park Ji-hoon), who transfers to Eunjang High School with the trauma of having fought against violence for a friend but ultimately failing to protect them. To avoid losing another friend, he faces even greater violence, leading to a brutal survival story and a brilliant coming-of-age tale.
In an interview for 'Weak Hero Class 2' held at a cafe in Jongno-gu, Seoul, Ryu Un said, "I enjoyed the original and season 1 so much that I immediately expressed my desire to participate." He added, "The charm of each character is clearly revealed, and the tension that keeps viewers on the edge of their seats is a key point of this work."
According to FlixPatrol, a global OTT platform viewing ranking site, 'Weak Hero Class 2' ranked second globally in the Netflix TV show category immediately after its release and topped the charts in a total of 32 countries, including South Korea.
Ryu Un expressed gratitude and honor, saying, "I thought season 2 would be good because season 1 received such a great response, but the reaction has been even better than expected." He added, "I've never received so many messages from acquaintances. I heard 'I enjoyed it so much,' and what stood out was 'You really don't suit red at all,' which made me laugh."
In the series, Ryu Un plays the role of 'Baku' Park Hu-min, the leader of Eunjang High School, who is known for his strength and sense of justice. With his unique charm, he approaches Yeon Si-eun to fight against violence and protect their precious friends.
When asked how he characterized and portrayed Park Hu-min, Ryu Un replied, "I referenced Kang Baek-ho." He continued, "He may seem foolish, but he is steadfast, cheerful, and has a sense of justice. I thought Park Hu-min and Kang Baek-ho were similar in that regard. Also, despite his difficult family background, Park Hu-min's brightness comes from having a mature mindset. So, I aimed to portray him as mature and cheerful."
So, what kind of student was Ryu Un in his actual school days? Introducing himself as an introvert, he said, "I didn't lead the kids as a leader." He added, "So, doing this (school king) role made me feel like I was really the 'king.' It's a dream for guys, right? When I turned around during the fight scene and saw my friends, it really warmed my heart," which made everyone laugh.
In the released episodes, Ryu Un made a strong first appearance by suddenly appearing to save his friends alongside Park Ji-hoon, Lee Min-jae (played by Ko Hyun-tak), and Choi Min-young (played by Seo Joon-tae). From his first appearance, he showcased refreshing action and revealed the charming and lively side of an 'in-crowd cool guy' who treats all students at Eunjang High School warmly.
When asked how he prepared for the action scenes, Ryu Un said, "I attended an action school for about two months before filming to practice the choreography, and on set, I continuously practiced with the martial arts director and the co-actors." He added, "I had done sword action in 'Flower Scholar's Love Story,' but this time it was with fists, so it was difficult at first. However, once I got used to it, it was fun."
Ryu Un attracted attention by revealing that he gained 10kg to build the robust character of Park Hu-min, completing the righteous and reliable 'loyalty guy' image.
“When I received the project offer, I was a bit thin, so I thought, 'I need to eat a lot and work out hard from now on.' The director also said that since the character is very strong, it wouldn't work with a thin body and suggested, 'Let's bulk up a bit.' I gained 10kg in two months by eating mala xiang guo 3-4 times a week, and I was so happy to be able to eat whatever I wanted. (laughs) Now, I've managed to return to my original weight.”
He also shared insights about his acting chemistry with the co-stars.
Ryu Un said, "Park Ji-hoon was great; he was friendly before the camera rolled, but once the camera was on, the atmosphere changed completely, which made me think he was an amazing friend. Lee Min-jae was very playful, and we acted really closely, while Seo Joon-tae is such a cute friend in real life that I wanted to protect him, which I think contributed to our good chemistry."
The set had a lot of peers. Did he feel any inspiration from the surrounding actors?
Ryu Un replied, "When I acted with peers, we learned from each other, creating synergy. I learned a lot from Yoo Soo-bin (played by Choi Hyo-man), who came to encourage us even when he didn't have his own scenes. I also saw his script, which was really densely analyzed, and thought, 'I need to work harder too.'
So, what kind of growth did Ryu Un achieve through this work?
“I played a character that is the complete opposite of the roles I've done so far. I realized that I can handle such characters and that I can broaden my spectrum a bit more. So, if season 3 comes out, I hope I can be a part of it too. (laughs)”
[Lee Da-gyeom, Star Today Reporter]
