Jaehwa Bernardo

(Left to right) Park Seo-ham, Shin Ye-eun and Rowoon pose for a photo during the press conference for 'The Murky Stream' in Seoul, South Korea, September 23, 2025. Photos courtesy of Disney+

Article (news)

Period K-drama ‘The Murky Stream’ explores corruption, lower classes

ABS-CBN News

<div><img src="https://od2-image-api.abs-cbn.com/prod/editorImage/1758699520400탁류_박서함, 신예은, 로운.jpg" style="width:950px" class="fr-fic fr-dib"/>(Left to right) Park Seo-ham, Shin Ye-eun and Rowoon pose for a photo during the press conference for &#x27;The Murky Stream&#x27; in Seoul, South Korea, September 23, 2025. Photos courtesy of Disney+</div>When we think of South Korean period pieces, it’s usually love stories or war epics about royals, noblemen, or powerful generals that come to mind. But “The Murky Stream,” premiering on Disney+ this September 26, turns the spotlight toward a different side of dynastic Korea: its underclass of gangsters and laborers.Set in 16th-century Joseon, the series follows three individuals who form an unlikely alliance to challenge the powerful forces preying on the weak.“Traditional historical dramas often focus on kings, nobles, or the yangban (ruling) class. But what struck me most when I read writer Chun Sung-il’s script was its focus on the lower classes,” director Choo Chang-min said through an interpreter during a press conference in Seoul, which was livestreamed to foreign press.“Among them, I found the walpae especially fascinating. These outlaw bands, living along what is now the Han River and stirring up incidents there, were such a compelling subject to explore — that’s what drew me to take on this project,” he said.<div><iframe width="640" height="360" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/eQu-lxaZmwA?&amp;wmode=opaque&amp;rel=0" frameBorder="0" allowfullscreen="" class="fr-draggable"></iframe></div>Leading the project is a cast of young rising stars, including K-drama heartthrob Rowoon, who plays Jang Si-yul, a laborer at the Gyeong River (now the Han River) trade port where corrupt officials and bandits hold sway.“A person’s name and home give them a sense of belonging — having somewhere to lean on, having a name to be called by. But Si-yul is a character who must not have his name called and who has no home to return to. I think of him as a lonely wolf,” said the 29-year-old actor, who marks “The Murky Stream” as his final project <a href="https://www.abs-cbn.com/entertainment/showbiz/movies-series/2025/9/4/rowoon-stars-in-gritty-the-murky-stream-ahead-of-military-enlistment-1211">before enlisting</a> for mandatory military service.<div><img src="https://od2-image-api.abs-cbn.com/prod/editorImage/1758699754799탁류_로운 (3).jpg" style="width:950px" class="fr-fic fr-dib"/>Rowoon</div>Shin Ye-eun, known for her versatility in series such as “The Glory” and “<a href="https://www.abs-cbn.com/entertainment/2024/9/10/kim-tae-ri-s-jeongnyeon-the-star-is-born-premieres-oct-12-on-disney-1621">Jeongnyeon: The Star Is Born</a>,” plays Choi Eun, the daughter of a prominent merchant family determined to prove herself as the guild&#x27;s female heir.“She’s exceptionally bright, wise, and intelligent, and whenever she encounters challenges or crises, she doesn’t falter. She faces them head-on with confidence and determination,” Ye-eun said of her character.Completing the lead trio is K-pop idol-turned-actor Park Seo-ham, best known for the hit boys’ love series “<a href="https://www.abs-cbn.com/entertainment/06/10/23/20-korean-bl-series-to-make-your-heart-flutter">Semantic Error</a>.” Here, he plays Jung Cheon, Si-yul’s childhood friend who grows up to become a principled police officer.“The character I play, Jung Cheon, is someone with a dream of creating a better world to live in,” Seo-ham said. “He’s upright, principled, and very by-the-book.”<div><img src="https://od2-image-api.abs-cbn.com/prod/editorImage/1758699850859탁류_추창민 감독 (2).jpg" style="width:950px" class="fr-fic fr-dib"/>Director Choo Chang-min</div><div>Casting</div>Explaining the casting decision, director Choo said he deliberately chose to work with younger actors.“I also met with these three individually and I felt that their desire as actors was very strong. They wanted to transform, improve and become better actors. That’s why I decided on them,” he said.Perhaps that transformation is most striking in Rowoon, who sheds his polished pretty boy image to play a rugged laborer struggling to survive and stave off starvation.Rowoon admitted that he was very surprised by his transformation. “The makeup process for ‘The Murky Stream’ was so enjoyable, and realizing that I could show such a different side of myself made me think, ‘If I just keep working harder, I’ll be able to act for a long time to come,’” he said.The actor even earned praise from his co-stars for his commitment to the role. Ye-eun, for instance, recalled how Rowoon did not seem to mind sweating through grueling outdoor shoots in the sweltering summer heat.“The open set at Sangju doesn’t have any shade, so it was very hot. Everyone was sweating a lot. Rowoon, in particular, sweated a ton. Most people would wipe it off or use fans, but he... embraced it,” Ye-eun said. “That natural look was really charming.”<div><img src="https://od2-image-api.abs-cbn.com/prod/editorImage/1758699877122탁류_신예은 (5) (1).jpg" style="width:633px" class="fr-fic fr-dib"/>Shin Ye-eun</div>Rowoon returned the praise, noting that Ye-eun’s bright energy helped light up the set.“On set, it was really hot, and I was almost half-naked, so I barely felt the heat. But Ye-eun had to wear multiple layers of costume, which must have been uncomfortable, yet whenever she came on set, the atmosphere would brighten,” he said.The cast and director took pride in the fact that the series was filmed almost entirely on location, a choice that brought both authenticity and its own set of challenges.“Filming in a water environment was even more challenging. The water level kept rising and falling, and the weather kept changing — it rained, then didn’t rain — so it was very tough,” director Choo said.He added that the production team even considered building an indoor set and relying on CGI. “In the end, we built the main living space on-site and used CGI only for the expanded areas, which I think was a very good choice,” he said.<div><img src="https://od2-image-api.abs-cbn.com/prod/editorImage/1758699789019탁류_박서함 (2).jpg" style="width:950px" class="fr-fic fr-dib"/>Park Seo-ham</div><div>Action scenes</div>But “The Murky Stream” isn’t all drama. The nine-episode series, which premiered at the 30th Busan International Film Festival this September, also delivers gripping action sequences.“For action, I practiced swordsmanship, Korean archery, and horseback riding. I focused a lot on clean, precise sword techniques,” Seo-ham shared.Rowoon noted that each character wields a signature weapon, which he said was something viewers can look forward to spotting as the show unfolds.“We really trained intensely for the action scenes. I’m proud that many of the scenes look extremely realistic, especially the action,” Rowoon said.Given that “The Murky Stream” is Disney’s first-ever Korean period piece, one can’t help but wonder what director Choo considered in light of the platform’s global audience.But the director admitted: “I didn’t create it specifically with that in mind. However, I know our actors, especially Rowoon, are very popular overseas. I think just seeing their names will pique a lot of curiosity.”With only nine episodes, Choo is not discounting the possibility of creating a sequel. “I think the story can certainly be expanded,” he said. “However, the drama wasn’t created with sequels in mind. Episodes 1 through 9 form a complete narrative. Personally, if people enjoy it and want more, there’s definitely room for expansion.”

Disney's 'The Murky Stream' veers away from typical South Korean period pieces to focus on a different side of dynastic Korea: its underclass of gangsters and laborers.

Disney's 'The Murky Stream' veers away from typical South Korean period pieces to focus on a different side of dynastic Korea: its underclass of gangsters and laborers.

Disney+ period K-drama ‘The Murky Stream’ explores corruption, lower classes

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Disney+ period K-drama ‘The Murky Stream’ explores corruption, lower classes

Jaehwa Bernardo,

ABS-CBN News

Published Sep 26, 2025 08:00 AM PHT

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K-content

K-drama

The Murky Stream

Disney+

Rowoon

Shin Ye-eun

Park Seo-ham

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