Actor Rowoon breaks the mould in The Murky Stream

Introduced alongside Netflix Korea’s tentpole series Genie, Make A Wish starring power duo Bae Suzy and Kim Woo-bin, The Murky Stream arrived amid fierce competition during the Chuseok holidays, when streamers typically unleash their most high-profile titles.

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The Disney+ historical drama anchored by Rowoon (The King’s Affection, 2021) and Shin Ye-eun (Jeongnyeon: The Star Is Born, 2024) surprised many, becoming an unexpected breakout despite the marquee stars of its Netflix rival.

The series held the top spot in Disney+ Korea’s TV show rankings from Sept 29 to Oct 10, when its sixth and seventh episodes dropped.

For South Korean actor-singer Kim Seok-woo, who goes by his stage name Rowoon, The Murky Stream is nothing short of a turning point.

As Si-yul, a “walpae” - a term referring to a Joseon-era (1392 to 1910) gangster — who claws his way up from a haunted past, the former SF9 idol sheds the heartthrob exterior that once defined him.