Former 2PM member and actor Hwang Chansung is riding a hot streak with back-to-back appearances in buzzy projects, commanding the screen with overwhelming presence.
On April 3, he appeared in the Netflix original series Bloodhounds Season 2 and the TVING original drama Yumi's Cells Season 3, showing off polar-opposite charms.
First in 'Bloodhounds 2', he left a powerful impression as Yoon Tae-geom, the right-hand enforcer to main villain Baek Jeong (portrayed by Jung Ji-hoon), the mastermind behind the IKFC boxing league entangled in illegal gambling. Yoon Tae-geom is a disgraced former ROK Army Special Forces staff sergeant with overwhelming combat prowess, skilled in bare-knuckle fights as well as adept with knives and explosives.
Hwang shared behind-the-scenes grit: "I performed every action scene without a stunt double, and there were moments where I actually took hits," he said. "During filming, the adrenaline masked the pain, but afterward my whole body would be covered in bruises." On the show's surging global success, he added, "We gave our all every moment on set, so I'm happy and grateful."
Viewers reacted to his shocking villain turn with praise like, "His acting is much stronger than expected," "His physique makes the action incredibly satisfying," and "That chilling gaze is everything."
Before the action-noir afterglow even faded, Hwang unveiled a completely different side in 'Yumi's Cells 3', which premiered on April 13. He made a surprise appearance as the PD overseeing Yumi (played by Kim Go-eun), now a successful author, opening the door to Season 3. Despite the brief screentime, viewers said, "Never expected Yumi's PD to be Hwang Chansung," and "That unexpected early cameo was such a pleasant surprise."
As he proves a wide acting spectrum across genres and solidifies his status as a trending actor, all eyes are on which new project he'll use to shock audiences next.