'A turning point in my career': Woo Do-hwan

Woo Do-hwan said completing Disney+’s Made in Korea was a turning point in his career after nearly three years on the historical thriller. He said the set reminded him of his debut days working with veteran actors and helped him reflect on more than a decade as a lead. He also described his bond with Hyun Bin and the drama’s final gun scene as deeply meaningful.

Woo said the project took nearly three years to complete and he still felt attached to it about six months after filming ended.

He said filming alongside many experienced actors, including Hyun Bin and Jung Woo-sung, felt like returning to his debut days.

Woo described Baek Ki-hyun as an elite officer who graduated top of his military academy class and was headed for the Defense Security Command.

He said the final gun scene symbolized drawing the curtain on the 1970s.

Woo said living as Ki-hyun across two seasons helped him grow further as an actor and deepen his emotional range.

Published Sep 28, 2026 9:09 pm KST

Actor reflects on sharing screen with veterans in 'Made in Korea'

Woo Do-hwan / Courtesy of Walt Disney Company Korea

For actor Woo Do-hwan, completing his journey on Disney+’s flagship original series "Made in Korea" was more than just wrapping another production — it marked a pivotal, transformative milestone in his decade-long career.

Stepping off set after spending nearly three years immersed in director Woo Min-ho’s sprawling historical thriller, the 34-year-old actor leaves behind a project defined by intense period storytelling, rigorous craftsmanship and a rare opportunity to share the screen with two of Korea's most venerated leading men.

Set against the turbulent backdrop of Korea in 1970s, "Made in Korea" traces the explosive ambition and fierce power struggles between Baek Ki-tae (Hyun Bin), a man driven by a need for wealth and power, and Jang Gun-young (Jung Woo-sung), the prosecutor who relentlessly pursues him.

Woo delivers a magnetic performance as Baek Ki-hyun, the younger brother of Ki-tae. Positioned as an elite officer who graduated at the top of his military academy class, Ki-hyun embarks on a fast-track trajectory toward the nation's Defense Security Command. Striving to forge his own path away from his older brother’s overpowering shadow, Ki-hyun navigates a complex, love-hate relationship with Ki-tae — a dynamic driven by deep familial loyalty, simmering resentment and an unyielding desire for individual authority.

Hyun Bin, left, and Woo Do-hwan are seen in this scene from Disney+ series "Made in Korea" Season 2. Courtesy of Disney Company Korea

Though nearly six months have passed since cameras stopped rolling, Woo said that the memory of filming remains remarkably fresh. "Because it’s only been half a year since we wrapped, I still feel a lingering sense of attachment to it," Woo said during an interview with The Korea Times at a cafe in Seoul, Monday.

For an actor who has spent the past decade carrying projects as a leading man, returning to an ensemble cast anchored by industry giants offered a much-needed moment of self-reflection.

"Looking back, I think this set was exactly what I needed. It had been a very long time since I filmed alongside so many experienced actors — probably my first time since 'Master' (2016)," he said.

"It brought me back to my debut days when I was surrounded by veteran actors. Having spent over 10 years carrying primary roles myself, I reached a point where I wanted to pause and look back at my path," he added. "It was a time when I could learn immensely from my seniors and truly lean on them. I can confidently call it a turning point in my acting career."

Woo made no effort to hide his deep reverence for his co-stars. Despite a 20-year age gap with Jung and a 10-year gap with Hyun Bin, Woo approached every day on set as an invaluable masterclass in professional longevity and artistic maturity.

"Just having those senior actors present on set gave me so much to learn," Woo noted. "It set a personal goal for me: Will I be able to become a senior actor like them in 10 or 20 years?"

While the heavy, high-stakes nature of the 1970s political thriller required intense focus during takes, the dynamic behind the scenes fostered genuine camaraderie and mentorship among the cast. Woo noted that his bond with Hyun Bin became an especially cherished aspect of the experience.

"Because the drama itself was quite heavy, we stayed serious while filming, but after wrap-up, he was like a real older brother to me," Woo said. "Hyun Bin told me, 'This was a project where the journey itself was truly great.' I think that warm, harmonious process will stay in my memory for a long time."

That emotional depth culminated in the show’s polarizing climax — a final scene where Ki-hyun points a gun at Ki-tae. The scene sparked intense debate among viewers, prompting a wave of backlash from fans calling Ki-hyun "the true villain of the series."

"I never realized a character could draw this much heat from viewers," Woo laughed lightheartedly regarding the public's reaction. "I take it as a sign that the show gave audiences a lot to discuss. I’m slowly collecting my thoughts and taking it all in stride."

When asked about the pivotal gunshot at the end, Woo revealed that he carefully pondered how the scene should land, experimenting with different tones and ways of drawing the weapon during filming.

"The gun Ki-hyun points at Ki-tae, along with that final gunshot, holds a deeper symbolic meaning — it represents drawing the curtain on the entire decade of the 1970s," Woo explained.

Embodying the layered psychology of Ki-hyun across two seasons offered Woo an unprecedented opportunity to refine his technique and deepen his emotional range, shifting his character from a conflicted youth into a grounded power player.

"Living as Ki-hyun over such a long period allowed me to grow another step forward as an actor," Woo reflected. As the curtain falls on this defining chapter, audiences are left eagerly anticipating what new face the actor will bring to his next project.

禹棹焕表示，在拍摄这部历时近三年的历史悬疑剧后，完成Disney+的《韩国制造》是他演艺生涯的转折点。他说，拍摄现场让他想起了出道之初与资深演员合作的时光，也让他反思了自己十多年来作为男主角的经历。他还表示，与玄彬的默契以及剧中最后那场枪战戏对他来说意义非凡。

吴宇森表示，这个项目耗时近三年才完成，拍摄结束后大约六个月，他仍然对这个项目念念不忘。

他表示，与玄彬、郑雨盛等众多经验丰富的演员一起拍戏，感觉就像回到了出道之时。

禹先生形容白基贤是一位精英军官，他以优异的成绩从军校毕业，即将前往国防安全司令部任职。

他说，最后的枪战场景象征着 20 世纪 70 年代的落幕。

禹表示，在两季的剧集中扮演基贤帮助他作为演员进一步成长，并加深了他的情感表达范围。

发布于2026年9月28日晚上9:09（韩国标准时间）

演员谈及与资深演员共同出演《韩国制造》的经历

禹棹焕 / 图片由华特迪士尼韩国公司提供

对于演员禹棹焕来说，完成 Disney+ 旗舰原创剧集《韩国制造》的拍摄不仅仅是结束另一部作品——它标志着他长达十年的职业生涯中一个关键的、具有变革意义的里程碑。

在导演禹民镐耗时近三年拍摄完这部宏大的历史惊悚片后，这位 34 岁的演员离开了片场。这部作品以其紧张的时代背景、严谨的制作以及与韩国两位最受尊敬的男主角同台演出的难得机会而著称。

《韩国制造》以 20 世纪 70 年代动荡的韩国为背景，讲述了白基泰（玄彬饰）和张建英（郑雨盛饰）之间充满爆发性的野心和激烈的权力斗争。白基泰是一个被对财富和权力的渴望所驱使的男人，而张建英则是对他穷追不舍的检察官。

禹棹浩饰演的白基贤，是基泰的弟弟，他的表演极具感染力。基贤从军校以优异的成绩毕业，成为一名精英军官，并迅速晋升至国防安全司令部。他努力摆脱哥哥强大的光环，走出自己的道路，与基泰之间有着复杂而爱恨交织的关系——这种关系源于深厚的亲情、暗藏的怨恨以及对个人权力的强烈渴望。

图中左侧为玄彬，右侧为禹棹焕，该剧出自Disney+剧集《韩国制造》第二季。图片由迪士尼韩国公司提供。

尽管距离拍摄结束已经过去了近六个月，但禹棹浩表示，拍摄时的记忆依然历历在目。“因为距离杀青才过了半年，我对那部剧仍然有一种挥之不去的感情，”禹棹浩周一在首尔一家咖啡馆接受《韩国时报》采访时说道。

对于一位过去十年一直担任男主角的演员来说，回归由业内巨星领衔的群戏阵容，提供了一个急需的自我反思时刻。

“回想起来，我觉得这组演员正是我需要的。我已经很久没有和这么多经验丰富的演员一起拍戏了——可能是我自《大师》（2016）以来第一次，”他说。

“这让我回想起出道之初，身边都是资深演员。在独自担纲主演十余年后，我意识到自己应该停下来，回顾一下自己的演艺之路，”他补充道。“那段时间，我得以从前辈们身上学到很多东西，真正地依靠他们。我可以自信地说，那是我演艺生涯的转折点。”

禹棹浩毫不掩饰他对合作演员的深深敬意。尽管他与郑秀妍相差20岁，与玄彬相差10岁，但他仍然将片场的每一天都视为学习职业素养和艺术修养的宝贵机会。

“能和这些资深演员一起在片场，我学到了很多东西，”吴宇森说道。“这给我定下了一个目标：10年或20年后，我能成为像他们一样的资深演员吗？”

虽然这部70年代政治惊悚片的紧张刺激和高风险剧情要求演员在拍摄时高度集中注意力，但幕后的工作氛围却在演员之间培养了真挚的友谊和师徒情谊。禹棹浩特别提到，他与玄彬的友谊成为了这段经历中最珍贵的部分。

“因为这部剧本身剧情比较沉重，所以在拍摄期间我们都很严肃，但杀青后，他就像我的亲哥哥一样，”禹棹熙说道。“玄彬告诉我，‘这个项目本身就是一段非常棒的旅程。’我想，这段温暖和谐的合作经历会永远留在我的记忆中。”

这种情感深度最终在剧中引发了巨大争议的高潮——最后一幕中，基贤用枪指着基泰。这一幕在观众中引发了激烈的争论，粉丝们纷纷指责基贤是“这部剧真正的反派”，并掀起了一股反弹浪潮。

“我从未想过一个角色会引起观众如此大的反响，”吴宇森笑着谈及公众的反应，“我认为这说明这部剧给观众留下了很多讨论的话题。我正在慢慢整理思绪，并坦然面对这一切。”

当被问及影片结尾的关键枪击镜头时，吴宇森透露，他仔细思考过这场戏应该如何呈现，并在拍摄过程中尝试了不同的语气和拔枪方式。

“基贤指着基泰的枪，以及最后一声枪响，都具有更深层的象征意义——它代表着整个 20 世纪 70 年代的落幕，”禹解释道。

在两季的剧集中，禹棹浩得以展现基贤这个角色多层次的心理，这为他提供了一个前所未有的机会来磨练自己的演技，加深自己的情感表达，将他的角色从一个内心矛盾的年轻人转变为一个脚踏实地的实力派人物。

“长时间扮演基贤这个角色，让我作为演员又向前迈进了一步，”禹棹浩感慨道。随着这一重要篇章的落幕，观众们也翘首以盼，期待这位演员在下一部作品中会带来怎样的全新面貌。