“I wanted to take on the challenge”: SF9’s Rowoon dishes on the reasons behind choosing to act on The Matchmakers, first looks, and more

By Banhisha Kundu

Modified Oct 11, 2023 20:17 GMT

Upcoming K-drama starring Rowoon "The Matchmakers". (Images via X/@ViuMalaysia)

On October 10 KST, the latest pictures of Rowoon, the main protagonist of the forthcoming drama The Matchmakers on KBS2, were made public. The idol-turned-actor from SF9 looked regal in the latest pictures from the upcoming historic K-drama, which is set in the Joseon era and also stars the South Korean actress, Cho Yi-hyun.

However, during an interview, the actor recently discussed his excitement and difficulties surrounding his comeback to historical dramas. He said that he wanted to take on a more challenging role. He stressed how keen he was to get out of his comfort zone and pursue comedic acting and admitted his desire to learn more about comedy, a genre he finds both tough and interesting.

“I wanted to take on the challenge of the comedy genre. Actually, I think comedy is the most difficult genre.”— Rowoon (as translated by Soompi)

Latest stills from Viu Original "The Matchmakers". (Images via X/@ViuMalaysia)

Following a successful run in the Netflix historical drama The King's Affection, this is his second excursion into the same genre. The idol recently starred in another Netflix K-drama Destined With You which also stars the famous South Korean actress Jo Bo-ah.

In The Matchmakers, an elderly bachelor and an old maid from today's world are represented by two figures from the Joseon Dynasty: a father and a widow. In a lighthearted twist, they get into a wedding battle that is motivated by a matchmaking encounter gone wrong.

This produces a humorous narrative that is reminiscent of the beloved British romantic comedy Love Actually, evoking parallels to the charm and brightness of the original.

"Shim Jung Woo seems to be a child-like character": Rowoon describes further why he chose the role

In the interview, as reported by Soompi, the Tomorrow actor mentioned the character sketch of the main protagonist of the upcoming K-drama The Matchmakers, stating that Shim Jung Woo has a child-like innocence within him which occurred as time stopped flowing for him. Hence, the main lead's straightforwardness often comes off as rude in the storyline.

"Shim Jung Woo seems to be a child-like character whose time has stopped. I think he is a person who could be seen as rude due to his honesty," Rowoon said (as translated by Soompi).

Furthermore, when Rowoon was asked about the most-challenging part of the entire filming process, the idol-turned-actor stated that the character of Shim Jung Woo was quite complicated which made it difficult for him to portray.

Set in the Joseon dynasty, Shim Jung Woo's words often came off as insensitive as compared to today's world. Hence he tried his best to portray the role in a manner that would lighten the blow of the dialogue.

“There are parts where Shim Jung Woo’s words coming from the historical or situational background may feel a little different from [sentiments of] the current times. I tried to express those parts without making him seem hateful,” he said (as translated by Soompi).

The character of Shim Jung Woo, a moral guy who is frequently referred to as the most irritable man in Joseon, will be portrayed by Rowoon.

Rowoon also expressed his joy at returning to historical roles, saying he wanted to give his new character in The Matchmakers a unique taste. The K-drama stars the South Korean actress, Cho Yi-hyun, who is popular for her roles in All of Us Are Dead and one of the classic K-dramas, Hospital Playlist.

The first episode of The Matchmakers will be released on Viki on October 30, 2023, at 9:45 p.m. KST.

Edited by Windy Goodloe