Park Bo Gum reveals he gained 5 kg weight and tried to be “visibly darker” in When Life Gives You Tangerines

Park Bo Gum stars in When Life Gives You Tangerines

South Korean actors IU and Park Bo Gum are enjoying the whirlwind success of their latest series, When Life Gives You Tangerines. However, Park Bo Gu has undergone a surprising transformation to play the role of Yang Gwan Sik.

In a recent interview with Star News, Park Bo Gum revealed that he intentionally had to gain weight and wear distinctive makeup, making deliberate changes to his appearance to fit the character's background.

He notably gained 5 kg weight because "I looked more muscular than I thought, but my face looked slim." He insisted that his character used to work various physically demanding jobs such as fishing and selling fish, and that’s why the actor aimed to transform his appearance to resemble someone capable of withstanding the rigors of manual labor.

In addition to gaining weight, Park Bo Gum also aimed to achieve a darker complexion to accurately portray Yang Gwan Sik, a character who spends most of his time working outdoors in the fields and waters.

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Park Bo Gum also revealed that he deliberately acquired a sun-tanned look to authentically portray Yang Gwan Sik.

The actor noted, "For this, the makeup team applied dark-colored foundation from my face to my toes. I tried to make the areas where flesh was visible darker and thicker with makeup."

The actor’s character notably had spent an extended period living on Jeju Island. The recently released K-drama follows the intertwined lives of Ae-sun, a spirited girl with dreams of becoming a poet, and Gwan-sik, a devoted friend who supports her through decades of love, hardship, and family disapproval.