Actor Woo Do Hwan has called his role in Mr. Plankton “the most romantic character” he has ever played. In a recent interview with iMBC Entertainment, Woo shared how the drama’s unique storyline and his character, Hae Jo, challenged him both emotionally and physically.

Woo Do Hwan’s Journey in Mr. Plankton

The Netflix series follows Hae Jo, a man who feels he was born by mistake. Facing a terminal diagnosis, he embarks on a final journey to find his biological father. Along the way, he is reluctantly accompanied by Jae Mi (played by Lee Yoo Mi), a woman with incredibly bad luck and his former lover.

Describing the essence of the character, Woo said:

“Hae Jo is like plankton, drifting aimlessly through life. After being abandoned at birth, he chose a wandering life, but his journey takes a profound turn as he confronts his past and mortality.”

Transforming Physically and Emotionally

Woo revealed that preparing for the role required significant changes to his lifestyle. Known for his disciplined fitness routine, he stopped exercising entirely during filming.

“I’ve always lived a very structured life, and I’m obsessed with exercise,” Woo explained. “But for this role, I thought, ‘If Hae Jo only has a short time to live, would he care about working out?’ So I stopped. Surprisingly, I started losing weight. I was 78kg during Bloodhounds, but for this series, I dropped to 71kg.”

The actor also shared the emotional depth that attracted him to the role:

“When I first read the script, I wanted to do this project because of Hae Jo’s free-spirited yet deeply wounded nature. He’s someone who has been betrayed and abandoned by people he loved, making him incredibly lonely.”

Exploring Romance and Vulnerability

Woo Do Hwan highlighted how Mr. Plankton stands apart from his previous roles, emphasizing its romantic elements.

“Most of my characters are action-heavy, fighting for survival, but this is the first time in six years I’ve played someone who loves just one woman. It’s not soft or sappy, but I wanted to show a realistic and relatable love story with Jae Mi.”

This departure from action roles allowed Woo to showcase a different side of his acting skills.

“People often say that my strength as an actor is portraying a sense of melancholy and childlike vulnerability. I wanted to express this character while I’m still at an age where I can fully embody him.”

Breaking Rigid Habits

To fully embody Hae Jo’s character, Woo stepped out of his comfort zone, even experimenting with drinking alcohol—a habit he had avoided until this role.

“I’ve never understood why people drink, but during this project, I learned there’s a reason people enjoy it, even if just to relax. In a way, it helped me let go of my usual rigid habits.”

Reflecting on how this impacted him, Woo added:

“On tough days, I’d think about having a drink. Before, I’d always relieve stress with exercise, but since I wasn’t working out, I turned to alcohol for a while. After filming wrapped, though, I stopped drinking entirely. I had too many things to focus on, and I wanted to get back to managing myself.”

A Must-Watch Series

The 10-episode drama, now streaming on Netflix, offers a heartfelt story of love and self-discovery. Woo Do Hwan’s transformative performance as Hae Jo promises to leave a lasting impression on viewers.

Watch Mr. Plankton trailer here.

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