“I Actually Ripped My Hair Out in Frustration”: Rain Gets Real About His First Villain Role in ‘Bloodhounds 2’

In the world of high-stakes action, Jung Ji-hoon (better known as Rain) has played everything from a ninja to a fighter pilot. But his latest transformation into Baek-jeong, the ruthless villain of Netflix’s ‘Bloodhounds 2‘, pushed him to a mental and physical breaking point he never expected.

In a recent interview in Samcheong-dong with Sport Kyunhyung, the global star opened up about the “mission impossible” of playing a character who is simply, purely, and inexplicably angry.

A Villain Without a Backstory: The Challenge of Baek-jeong

Unlike typical villains who have a tragic past to explain their malice, Baek-jeong is a “pure” antagonist—the operator of a global illegal boxing league who destroys lives simply because someone says “no.”

“Director Kim Joo-hwan told me, ‘There’s no need for persuasion.’ Baek-jeong isn’t a psychopath or a sociopath; he’s just someone who gets angry the moment things don’t go his way,” Jung revealed. “He told me not to use the cliché ‘smiling-then-turning-evil’ trope. He wanted the audience to stop breathing the moment I appeared on screen.”

The pressure to maintain that constant, suffocating tension was so high that Jung Ji-hoon admitted to a hilariously honest moment on set: “There’s a scene where Baek-jeong rips his hair out in a fit of rage. I didn’t act that—I actually ripped it out because I was so frustrated and stuck during the shoot!”

The “Tyson” Transformation: 6 Hours of Training a Day

If you thought Rain was already in peak shape, ‘Bloodhounds 2’ took it to another level. Director Kim Joo-hwan had a very specific request for the villain’s physique: “Huge muscles, but Mike Tyson speed.”

• The Routine: Jung trained for 5 to 6 hours every single day to build a massive, intimidating frame that still moved with lethal quickness.
• The Reality of Boxing: Despite his background in martial arts films like Ninja Assassin, Jung admitted boxing was the scariest. “We don’t just ‘hit and dodge’; we ‘hit while being hit.’ The rhythm is bone-breaking. After this, I’ve decided I’m never picking a fight with a real boxer.”

A Global Success: Reaching Top 3 on Netflix

The hard work has paid off. As of April 14, ‘Bloodhounds 2’ is sitting comfortably at #3 on the Netflix Global Top 10 (reaching as high as #2 shortly after release). For Jung Ji-hoon, who was a huge fan of the first season, the success is a massive relief.

“When a project fails, people usually blame the actors first. Even if you work desperately hard, you’re constantly being judged by the results,” he confessed. “I feel like I can finally breathe now. I’m so grateful to the director for giving me a completely new career path as a villain.”

Editor’s Insight: The “Villain Rain” Era

Jung Ji-hoon is successfully building authority in the “Physical Villain” category. By completely stripping away his “Global Star” persona and leaning into a raw, unlikable, and terrifying character.

From a strategic perspective, this move into villainy is a brilliant “Act 2” for his career. It proves he isn’t afraid to be the “bad guy” to elevate younger stars like Woo Do-hwan and Lee Sang-yi. In the 2026 streaming landscape, where grit is king, Jung Ji-hoon has just reminded everyone why he’s a legend.

Do you think Jung Ji-hoon is more terrifying as a cold-blooded villain than he is charismatic as a hero?