Actor Rowoon shared the behind-the-scenes story of his now-viral underwear photoshoot and the surprising transformation he went through afterward.
During an interview held on October 15 at a café in Samcheong-dong, Jongno-gu, Seoul, for the Disney+ original series 'The Murky Stream' (written by Chun Sung Il and directed by Choo Chang Min), Rowoon talked about the buzz surrounding a recent underwear brand photoshoot that revealed his underarms.
“I honestly didn’t expect it to become such a big deal,” he said with a laugh. “I just thought, ‘This is what fits the times.’ Our job is to be seen, after all. It was a commercial, so everything was approved through the brand’s process. The final cuts were selected to fit the brand’s image.”
However, Rowoon’s physique did not stay the same for long. After the photoshoot, he had to adjust his body to suit his new role as Jang Si Yool in 'The Murky Stream.'
“I had lowered my body fat for the underwear shoot, but the director told me he wanted a body that looked more like a stray cat, wild and natural, not too polished,” Rowoon explained. “He said six-pack abs would look too unrealistic. So I reshaped my body, and when I asked him, ‘Is this okay?’ he said, ‘It’s perfect.’ I was so happy that I immediately ate two hamburgers.”
After filming ended, Rowoon’s weight changed dramatically. Appearing noticeably slimmer at the press conference, he revealed the reason behind his rapid weight loss.
“I just really enjoyed my mom’s cooking,” he said, smiling. “It was right before my military enlistment, so my mom made sure I ate well. But when I saw my face afterward, even a senior actor told me, ‘You’ve gained some weight,’ and I was shocked. So I lost 8 kilograms, about 17 pounds, in just one week. Since I would be photographed in the military, I simply stopped eating.”
Rowoon’s latest project, 'The Murky Stream,' is a historical action drama set in Joseon’s bustling trading hub of Gyeonggang, where money and goods constantly move in and out. The series follows the intertwined fates of people who fight to overturn a corrupt world and reclaim their humanity. Episodes 8 and 9, the final two installments, will be released on October 17.
SEE ALSO: Rowoon embarks on first Japanese movie project before enlistment
SHARE
