(Lotte Entertainment)

Actor Cho Jin-woong has ditched his trademark hulking body, by losing 18 kilograms for his role as a doctor suffering a mental breakdown, in the newly-released thriller movie “Bluebeard.”

The 40-year-old veteran actor’s decision to abandon his trademark look surprised production staff on location, according to Lee Chung-ah who features in the movie.

“An employee asked me one day, ’Is that really Cho?‘” Lee said in the SBS entertainment news program “Night of Real Entertainment.”

Cho has gained attention with roles in movies such as “Asura” and “The Handmaiden,” as well as TV series including “Signal.”

(Lotte Entertainment)

“Bluebeard” revolves around an internal medicine doctor draped in fear over a mysterious old man, played by veteran actor Shin Koo. The thriller flick, which opens nationwide Wednesday, has topped American flick “Logan” in ticket pre-sales on Tuesday.

By Son Ji-hyoung (consnow@heraldcorp.com)