EXCLUSIVE: Park Bo Gum On Transforming Into Yoon Dong Ju And Why 'GOOD BOY' Stands Out

Park Bo Gum is back, and boy, he made an appealing comeback. Appealing to our hearts, minds, and yes, our eyes. The South Korean actor is starring in the JTBC & Prime Video series, GOOD BOY. It's refreshing as it gets, especially knowing that Bo Gum's playing a completely different role from his past ones.

First things first: Bo Gum here plays an ex-Olympic boxer turned cop named Yoon Dong Ju. It goes without saying that he's absolutely ripped in this series. But in the simplest sense, GOOD BOY is about a group of former Olympians trying to find their purpose and fulfillment as cops in the violent crimes unit. They'll be like, "Olympic Avengers," or something.

It's already evident in the first two episodes of the series, where Bo Gum is seen running after and catching culprits. Yes, everyone's talking about 1) the story, and 2) Bo Gum's body transformation that the series definitely wanted to highlight. (There's a shower scene already!)

Naturally, it's one of the things that we asked Park Bo Gum in our exclusive email interview. He briefly shares about his preparation for the role and how he wants viewers to pick up GOOD BOY as a fun action series (with a hint of romance).

So, if you ask us the secret to his ripped arms and toned physique, it's all about intense daily training. Bo Gum reveals, "I trained daily for six months, one hour of strength training and two hours of boxing. Even during location shoots, I trained with fellow actors [Lee] Sang Yi and [Tae] Won Seok." The two actors he mentioned also star in the series, namely Kim Jong Hyun and Shin Jae Hong, respectively.

With a new role comes new learning moments for Bo Gum. Admittedly, Bo Gum had to learn boxing to efficiently and effectively portray Yoon Dong Ju. "Thanks to learning boxing, I think my reflexes have improved than they were before," he tells Cosmopolitan Philippines.

Filming for GOOD BOY was something that felt incredibly wonderful for the actor. As the drama blends action, drama, and romance, Bo Gum expressed his gratitude to all the staff who worked so hard to make it all come together.

"It was wonderful! Every day on the set felt like a good day thanks to the visually stunning directing, dynamic shooting, sensational lighting, thrilling action, heart-pounding music, and the dedication of every staff member," he said.

He was lovely enough to share one memorable moment with them during their filming. Bo Gum told Cosmo, "One touching memory was when actor Won Seok, who plays Jae Hong, made a surprise visit on my last shoot—it meant a lot to me."

Bo Gum's Good Boy character is another thing that's worth noting and making a buzz on the Internet right now. On the surface, he's seen as a bright, hardworking, and righteous cop, who's unafraid of calling out his own teammates if they're doing something unethical.

But for most of us—the girlies—Yoon Dong Ju is absolutely a loser in love. You see, Yoon Dong Ju's head over heels for Kim So Hyun's character, Ji Han Na. She's also a former Olympian, a shooting athlete to be specific.

When asked about that one characteristic that he thinks differentiates Yoon Dong Ju from himself, Bo Gum said, "There is a difference in the amount of time we take to think. Dong Ju acts on impulse, whereas I take time to reflect."

Amid all of that, Bo Gum expresses how much he connects with the story and his character. "To me, it’s a title that says, 'You're doing great! You're cool!' to people who try to live righteously. It refers to Dong-ju, the righteous officer protecting good citizens, and also reflects the amazing teamwork of the five-person special unit," the actor noted.

There's more behind Dong Ju's character. Obviously, there's a drastic change that comes from diverging off his former world-class athletic path to becoming a cop. But in the first two episodes, it's clear that Dong Ju does not negatively dwell on that change in his career.

For the actor, it's one of the things that adds real depth to his character. And on a larger scale, that's what GOOD BOY aims to express: that life can remain meaningful—if you choose to see it that way.

Bo Gum emphasizes an overarching message from the drama, "Even if what you love doesn't become your career, I believe it is meaningful to discover something you’re good at and what you like from it. Even if your journey is slow, as long as you keep checking your direction, you'll get there. Take that first step with excitement for the adventure ahead."

GOOD BOY is now exclusively showing via JTBC channel and Prime Video for Filipino viewers, every Saturday and Sunday. Stay tuned on cosmo.ph for more stories about Prime Video shows.