Actor Kwak Dong Yeon Shocks Fans With His Physical Transformation For New K-Drama “Monstrous”

Even BTOB’s Eunkwang couldn’t believe it!

Content Warning

This article includes descriptions of violence that may disturb some readers.

You may recognize actor Kwak Dong Yeon looking a bit something like this…

Kwak Dong Yeon

Well, that’s not what he looks like anymore. In fact, he’s got even more fit for a new role…

| Esquire Korea

He’s a versatile actor but often portrays an imperfect yet endearing character with an unfortunate ending.

Kwak Dong Yeon in Vincenzo.

Kwak Dong Yeon has been in numerous K-Dramas since 2012, with his first role being Bang Jang Goon in KBS2‘s My Husband Got a Family. It earned him the “Best Young Actor Award” at the Korea Drama Awards.

Kwak Dong Yeon in “My Husband Got a Family.” | KBS2

Some of his breakout roles include Kim Moo Ki and Jason in the KBS2 dramas Fight for My Way and Radio Romance, respectively.

Kwak Dong Yeon in Fight for My Way
Kwak Dong Yeon in Radio Romance. 

Of course, no one could resist his charms as the handsome TA Yeon Woo Young in JTBC‘s My ID Is Gangnam Beauty.

Kwak Dong Yeon in My ID Is Gangnam Beauty.

Since then, he has only continued to rise in popularity. In MBC‘s Never Twice (also known as No Second Chances), he even had a main role. Not a second lead here!

You can also see Kwak Dong Yeon in cameo roles in the hit K-Dramas It’s Okay to Not Be Okay and Our Beloved Summer. 

Kwak Dong Yeon in It’s Okay to Not Be Okay.
Kwak Dong Yeon in Our Beloved Summer.

Still, despite being a supporting actor in tvN‘s Vincenzo, it’s one of his most popular roles.

During a visit to his motherland, a Korean-Italian mafia lawyer gives an unrivaled conglomerate a taste of its own medicine with a side of justice.

— IMDb

Kwak Dong Yeon in Vincenzo. | tvN

Kwak Dong Yeon portrayed Jang Han Seo, the half-brother of Jang Jun Woo (2PM‘s Taecyeon) and Babel Group’s previous chairman’s illegitimate son.

Taecyeon (left) and Kwak Dong Yeon (right) in Vincenzo.

Initially, Jang Han Seo appeared pretentious and even rude, but he turned out to be way better than we thought.

| tvN

In reality, he just wanted to be loved.

| tvN

And while the character in the drama maybe didn’t get the love he deserved, viewers all loved him!

Now, Kwak Dong Yeon has taken on a much more similar role to Jang Jun Woo than Jang Han Seo.

Recently, TVING‘s horror thriller Monstrous (also known as Strange) premiered all six episodes. It previously premiered at the 2022 Cannes International Series Festival.

Jung Ki-Hoon (Koo Gyo-Hwan) used to search for strange supernatural phenomena as an archaeologist. An unexpected case caused his life to change. He now publishes occult magazine Monthly Strange Story and runs YouTube channel Monthly Strange Story. Because of his ex-wife Lee Soo-Jin (Shin Hyun-Bin), he goes to Jinyang County and researches ‘Gwibul’ (a Buddhist statue that is possessed by an evil spirt). There, he faces an incredibly bizarre & fearful phenomena.

Lee Soo-Jin used to decipher letters and symbols as an archaeologist. She was excellent at her work. But, her only child died and then she went to Jinyang County. There, she experiences a mysterious phenomena. She searches for answers behind the mysterious phenomena.

Meanwhile, the people of Jinyang County, including police substation chief Han Seok-Hee (Kim Ji-Young), her son Han Do-Kyung (Nam Da-Reum), governor Kwon Jong-Soo (Park Ho-San), and trouble maker Kwak Yong-Joo (Kwak Dong-Yeon) face an incredibly bizarre phenomena.

— AsianWiki

Monstrous poster.

Kwak Dong Yeon portrays Kwak Yong Joo in Monstrous. And to do so, he had to make quite the physical transformation, and it’s coming as a shock to viewers as he even goes shirtless for a scene.

Now we’ve seen Kwak Dong Yeon shirtless a couple of times already…

Kwak Dong Yeon in Love in the Moonlight.

Who can forget his iconic role in It’s Okay to Not Be Okay?

However, the side-by-side differences from what he looked like at that time to now are only more telling.

Kwak Dong Yeon in “Monstrous.” | TVING

Naturally, fans are stunned by the transformation!

@oatmi1kpapi

wont hurt cause im a pro #monstrous #fy #kdrama #kwakdongyeon #kdramalover #kdramatok #kdramas #greenscreen #monstrouskdrama #vincenzo

♬ original sound – Danï

| @oatmi1kpapi/TikTok

As a result, many fan edits of Kwak Dong Yeon in his new role, primarily shirtless, are going viral online.

@…leedongmin

DIOS MÍO SANTO ME LES VOY 😍 #kwakdongyeon #kdrama #fyp #monstruos #parati #vincenzo #namdareum #viral #8

♬ Stargirl Interlude – The Weeknd

Taecyeon had made Kwak Dong Yeon appear so small in Vincenzo.

Kwak Dong Yeon (left) and Taecyeon (right). | tvN

Now, he looks just as muscular. Not to mention the full-back tattoo… Oh my gosh.

Kwak Dong Yeon in “Monstrous.” | TVING

And, Kwak Dong Yeon knows he looks good too. Shortly after his new K-Drama’s premiere, he shared total boyfriend-style pictures with the new look…

His followers were freaking out, including none other than BTOB‘s Eunkwang. Same, Eunkwang, same.

| @kwakdongyeon0/Instagram

Monstrous premiered on April 29, 2022. All six episodes are available for streaming on TVING.

Watch the trailer below:

Source: @kwakdongyeon0 and AsianWiki

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