Currently revelling in the success of recently-uploaded Don Lee-starring film “Badland Hunters” and already teasing the second season of “Squid Game,” Netflix has unveiled a major slate of Korean films and series for 2024.
In August last year, Netflix publicly committed to investing $2.5 billion on Korean content over the next four years. That reflected both Netflix’s position as the country’s leading streamer, with an estimated 6.5 million subscribers, and its adopted role as one of the biggest exporters of Korean film and TV content.
“We were able to make this [investment] decision because we have great confidence that the Korean creative industry will continue to tell great stories,” said the streamer’s co-chief Ted Sarandos at the time of the spending commitment.
The Tuesday reveal is a mix of: first-look images and updates for previously announced projects (including the retitled Park Chan-wook-produced film “Uprising” and the second season of zombie horror series “Sweet Home”); additional seasons for returning series; and fresh commissions.
Among the re-ups are: Season 3 of the Studio Dragon-produced “Sweet Home,” which will premiere this summer, “as monsterization ends and a new humanity begins”; Season 2 of “Gyeongsang Creature”; Season 4 of reality dating series “Single’s Inferno,” due to release in the fourth quarter; Season 2 of entertainment show “Zombieverse,” also set for the fourth quarter; and the previously announced Season 2 of comic-book inspired thriller “Hellbound.” “Train to Busan” director Yeon Sang-ho directs and is set to deliver the completed season in the fourth quarter.
Before that, Yeon is due to complete “Parasyte: The Grey,” a live-action adaptation of Iwaaki Hitoshi’s hit manga about parasites in the human brain that are attempting to take over society, in the second quarter. It has a powerhouse cast including Jeon So-nee, Koo Kyo-hwan, Lee Jung-hyun, Kwon Hae-hyo and Kim In-kwon.
As well as zombies and horror, the new slate goes long on romance series. These include: “Captivating the King,” which explores love in a historical game of Go; modern-day “Queen of Tears,” featuring Kim Soo-hyun (“It’s Okay Not to Be Okay”) and Kim Ji-won; medical comedy in” Doctor Slump”; “Resident Playbook,” with Go Youn-jung (“Alchemy of Souls”) in a spin-off of “Hospital Playlist”; end of life comedy-romance in “Mr. Plankton”; teen revenge romance “Hierarchy”; and, the Gong Yoo-starring “The Trunk,” in which dark secrets emerge from a clandestine matchmaking service.
Four suspense series are: suspense enthusiasts, “The Bequeathed,” with murders, dark secrets and family burial grounds; “A Killer Paradox,” Choi Woo-sik (“Parasite”) and Son Suk-ku (“D.P.”) play an intricate game of chase; “The Frog,” set in a mysterious motel; and “The Whirlwind,” in which a political feud needs to be settled.
Park Chan-wook (“Old Boy,” “Decision to Leave”) is set as producer and screenwriter of historical drama film, “Uprising,” which was previously titled “War and Revolt.” Directed by Kim Sang-man and starring Gang Dong-won and Park Jeong-min, the picture recounts a story of two childhood friends turned adversaries and is set for delivery in the fourth quarter.
Other film include: romance and drama title “My Name is Loh Kiwan” with Song Joong-ki (Vincenzo); actioner “Officer Black Belt,” with Kim Woo-bin (“Black Knight”); sci-fi disaster “The Great Flood,” with Park Hae-soo (“Narco-Saints”).
The Korean unscripted slate includes: the previously announced Season 2 of “Physical 100”; special agents solving bizarre cases in “Agents of Mystery”; wealthy show-offs in “Super Rich in Korea”; influencers competing for attention in “The Influencer,” and a culinary showdown in “Unknown Chefs.”
