It’s 2020, the height of the COVID-19 pandemic in Seoul, where a new scourge emerges in the form of scheming loan sharks who prey on people struggling to keep their small businesses afloat. But these ruthless companies may be no match for two young ex-marines turned competitive boxers who suddenly find themselves working for a different sort of money lender. Created by Midnight Runners and The Divine Fury showrunner Jason Kim and based on a webtoon by Jeong Chan, the riveting drama series Bloodhounds tells their story.
Gun-woo is a rising young star in the boxing world whose quiet but effective talent is on par with his noble-minded nature: Whether in the form of prize money or earnings from his part-time gigs, his priority is to help out his mother, who’s struggling to keep her coffee shop afloat in the midst of COVID. But a predatory loan shark tricks her into signing a contract that’s impossible for her to pay, and what happens next puts Gun-woo’s boxing dreams on hold.
Woo Do-hwan won the Golden Cinema Festival’s best new actor award for his roles in both Mad Dog and The Divine Fury. He’s also known for his roles in The King: Eternal Monarch; Save Me; Tempted, opposite Joy of Red Velvet fame; and My Country: The New Age.
You can follow Woo on Instagram.
Living in the shadow of his Olympic bronze medalist dad, Woo-jin chafes at coming in second to younger boxing rookie Gun-woo. But eventually the two fellow ex-marines become friends and take a stand against villainous loan shark Myeong-gil.
Lee Sang-yi is known for his roles in the series Hometown Cha-Cha-Cha and When the Camellia Blooms and as a member of the Korean supergroup MSG Wannabe. Lee also appears in several episodes of Crash Course in Romance.
You can follow Lee on Instagram.
Tae-ho is an anomaly: a money lender who gives out loans with 0% interest. Paralyzed from the waist down in a long-ago fight with Myeong-gil, he worries about the safety of his foster daughter, Hyeon-ju, who’s been digging into a scam ring targeting houseless people. Tae-ho recruits Gun-woo and Woo-jin as her bodyguards.
Son of the well-known Korean actor Heo Jang-kang, Huh Joon-ho has made a name for himself in musical theater, film and television. Among Huh’s awards: a best supporting actor nod from the Grand Bell Awards for the 2003 box office hit Silmido. His extensive list of film and television credits also includes the series Missing: The Other Side.
You can follow Huh on Instagram.
Vulturous loan shark Myeong-gil’s fortunes first rose after his rival Tae-ho’s injury. Now, through the ironically named company Smile Capital, he makes money off the same people Tae-ho seeks to help. His real dream is to own a casino.
Park Sung-woong studied law to please his father, but found his calling as a film and television actor. His decades-long career includes roles in Rugal and Unlock My Boss.
Born into a wealthy family, Min-beom’s dreams of owning a hotel of his own come crashing down when the pandemic hits — that is, until Myeong-gil promises financial backing.
Also known mononymously as Siwon, the actor is a member of the South Korean pop group Super Junior. His film and TV credits include Revolutionary Love and Work Later, Drink Now. Choi is also a UN ambassador: In 2015, he was appointed as the special representative of the South Korea committee for UNICEF.
You can follow Choi on Instagram.
Watch Bloodhounds on Netflix now.
