“There’s something about a buzz-cut blond tennis coach,” Matthew Kim tells Tudum. He’s not wrong — and the women of Monte Vista Point country club would certainly agree.  

We first meet Kim’s BEEF Season 2 character, Woosh, in Episode 1, when he catches Lindsay’s (Carey Mulligan) gaze from across the court as she’s dejectedly lugging an upholstery-filled trash bag through the sprawling grounds of MVP. Woosh’s look instantly grabs her, and his sly stare is activating. As Kim explains, anyone sporting this particular cut and color is “trying to get a certain type of attention.” And “it works for Woosh.” But it’s not just his icy fade that makes this character stand out, it’s also the actor who portrays him.

Known to K-pop fans as BM or Big Matthew, Kim moved to Korea from his home in Los Angeles in 2011 and got his big break when he was recruited into the coed group KARD in 2016. Now, after also finding success as a solo artist, he’s making his acting debut as Woosh, a flirtatious country club sports instructor who covertly sells expensive Korean skin care to the rich women he trains in BEEF Season 2. Even with 15 years in entertainment and millions of followers across social media, Kim’s still reluctant to call himself a star. “I feel like I have a lot to learn before I can be truly viewed like that,” he says. But his experience on BEEF is an exciting step toward a new type of stardom, and he’s eager to continue proving himself.

Here, fresh from the red carpet glamour of BEEF Season 2’s LA premiere, Kim opens up about his transition from K-pop icon to working in Hollywood, learning on set with creator, showrunner, and executive producer Lee Sung Jin (who’s called Sonny by collaborators), and what Woosh’s striking style tells us about him. Plus, the global phenomenon shares what the support of his longtime fans means to him as he enters the next stage of his career.

So why BEEF? Why did you choose Woosh?

Matthew Kim: I got incredibly lucky. I think Woosh chose me. I sent an audition tape with no expectation of getting it, but the next day I was asked to be on a Zoom audition for a second round with Sonny. Honestly, I thought Sonny was just being nice the whole time, but after it was all over I got a call again the next day saying, “What is your schedule like for so-and-so months?” 

Was there anything Lee Sung Jin really helped you unlock with Woosh? 

Kim: Do you remember the scene where I’m with Lindsay, in Episode 6, and I get mad that my whole skin-care operation is messed up? As Ashley comes in to steal from the tennis shop? Sonny added a line. The original line was, “I should have just stayed in Seoul,” and that was it. But he added, “I just fucking eat lasagna all the time.” That was so funny to me that, in a couple of the takes, I laughed as I was doing it. 

I think Sonny’s comical sense is absolutely hilarious, and it’s not even blatant, big comedy. It’s little nuances. I was really happy to be able to catch that. That was one of the most fun parts of taking direction on set, changing and making adjustments on the fly.

It’s perfect that Woosh has beef with lasagna.

Kim: I’m not going to lie. The lasagna they had me eating was really good. So while Woosh has beef with lasagna, Matthew does not. Matthew loves lasagna.

You’re a Cali boy originally. What is it like to have your acting debut on such an LA-centric show? 

Kim: It’s so interesting how I left America to pursue a career in Korea. My mom actually sent me to Korea because, at the time, she felt like there was no way an Asian American could make it in entertainment. It’s funny that she sent me to the country of my heritage to do entertainment just so I could end up in Hollywood. 

What was your first premiere like?

Kim: When you’re young, it’s something that just seems so unattainable. Just being in those lights and on that carpet and in front of a big billboard with Netflix and the name of the show on it, I was having an out-of-body experience. I felt like I was just walking on clouds the whole time, like, is this even real? After living 14 years in the system of K-pop, having BEEF be the start of a new side of my career, it’s insane.

Right now you have dark hair, but Woosh’s platinum color is so striking. You’ve been blond before, so what is different about Woosh’s blond? How often did you get the color touched up?

Kim: Had I had black hair, it would have felt more traditionally Korean. But having him blond makes him feel like he’s bridging the gap a little bit more between the two cultures. I’m not going to lie, blond is tough with any length of hair, especially when it’s short. My roots grow fast, so every two to three weeks, I had to get them retouched, because it had to be cohesive.

What do you think Woosh is trying to tell people with his overall style?

Kim: Because he’s in between the club’s luxury and the transactional underbelly that has its dark sides, he sees money move around him all the time — yet he doesn’t have a lot of it. He’s always on that ladder trying to climb, trying to get commission out of coercing the rich women at the club to buy packages of skin care and whatnot. But for him, that’s a struggle, and I think that shows in his attire, like, ‘I’m trying to show that I have.’

Do you think he’s actually good at tennis, or do you think he has this job because he’s a nepo baby who loves tennis?

Kim: He is absolutely good at it. I think the level is not enough to go pro, but enough to teach someone and enough to know what he’s talking about. That’s why I tried to get myself as good as I could. I took lessons. I think I got enough to where I could play against someone and make it look like it’s a good game.

Do you think he likes the women he’s coaching? Is he actually attracted to any of them, or is he just a very smart hustler?

Kim: He feels attraction to them. I think he likes it. It isn’t purely just acting on his end. He’s flirting. He likes the attention.

Considering how long your career has been, what do you have to say to people who have loved you for a very long time and are excited to see your next chapter?

Kim: You know how I think of it? We’re a friend group. For the average person, it’s tough to have many friends for over 10 years. Sometimes differences can come into play. Sometimes distance can come into play, where you just kind of grow apart. But to have people who have been riding with me for nearly a decade now, for me, the perspective is, “Thank you for putting up with me for so long.” I really appreciate them.

What do you have to say to new people who are excited about you and want to follow your acting career now?

Kim: Stay tuned. There’s a lot more coming. I think this completely new start is going to be, essentially, a huge springboard into, hopefully, a long and successful career. I’m trying my best to take these compliments but not let my head get big. I want to be a sponge. I know I’m a rookie in the game right now, and I can’t wait to show improvement in that process.

Dig into Kim’s acting debut now by watching BEEF Season 2, only on Netflix. 

Watch the BEEF Season 2 Cast Read Deleted Scenes with Creator Lee Sung Jin