Netflix Beefs Up its Korean Slate with these New and Upcoming Releases

Screening Room

Korea –From the global critical and box-office success of Bong Joon Ho’s Parasite, the South Korean entertainment dominance continues with more and more audiences taking a second look at its fully-blossomed entertainment offerings. In streaming powerhouse, Netflix, a new slate of best-in-class Korean shows – from reality to crime and sci-fi to romance, dramas and more are coming to the world’s enjoyment.

“From K-pop and K-food, to K-zombie and K-content, we’ve seen how much people in different parts of the world love Korean cultures and stories. So, we’re excited to announce these new best in class Korean stories for our members,” said Minyoung Kim, Vice President of Korean Content at Netflix. “It’s amazing to see how these Korean films and TV shows resonate with audiences around the world – from Korea to South East Asia and the Americas. By making it easy for people to watch films and shows from other countries, we can help them build empathy and develop a shared understanding of the world”. 

In 2019, ‘Crash Landing on You,’ a romance story about featuring star-crossed lovers from the warring regions of Korea, showed the popularity of K-content making the top 10 list in the Philippines, Singapore, Taiwan, and Thailand. 

This year, we’ll have even more best in class K-stories starting with Kingdom, which returned with its second season on recently this month. The well-known zombie series has again become one of the Top 10 titles in almost every Asian country, and millions of people globally have already chosen to watch its second season – including many people who’ve never tried a show like this before. 

And, according to Netflix, this is just the beginning. Here’s what is coming to the streaming platform’s Korean drama slate in the next few months:

Rugal

What it is about: Kang Gi-beom, once a promising police detective in the violent crimes unit, is embroiled in a pickle, having been suspected of murdering his own wife. His eyes are slashed with a razor after he witnesses her murder at the hands of the terrorist group ARGOS. Just when he thinks he has lost everything, he is approached by Choi Geun-cheol, the chief executive director of Rugal, a special organization dedicated to the sole purpose of eradicating ARGOS. Choi requests that Gi-beom receives an artificial eye transplant and joins Rugal. After miraculously surviving the risky transplant operation, Gi-beom is born again as a human weapon. He begins to take revenge on ARGOS for everything they have done to him.

PREMIERE DATE: 

Korea/APAC/All English Speaking Countries/Latin America – 03/28/2020

Japan/Rest of the World – 05/24/2020

MAIN CAST: Choi Jin-hyuk, Park Sung-woong

 

Time to Hunt

What it is about: In a hopeless, dystopic city, Jun-seok is released from prison and plans his next step in life in order to start anew with his friends Jang-ho,Ki-hoon and Sang-soo. But their excitement for the plan is short-lived as an unknown man chases after them. Can these best friends get away from the hunt?

PREMIERE DATE:

04/10/2020

MAIN CAST: Lee Je-hoon, Ahn Jae-hong, Choi Woo-shik, Park Jeong-min, Park Hae-soo

Extracurricular

What it is about: Extracurricular is a story of high school students who have chosen a life of crime – and extreme risk – for a chance to earn money. Oh Jisoo ends up committing a serious crime because of his desire to fend for his college tuition on his own, whatever the means. Seo Minhee then eventually gets caught up in Jisoo’s crime, while Jisoo’s schoolmate, Bae Gyuri, also becomes involved. Their bad choices come with irreversible consequences. There is no turning back. A life of crime and violence awaits them.

PREMIERE DATE:

04/29/2020

MAIN CAST: Kim Dong-hee, Jung Da-bin, Park Joo-hyun

 

The King: Eternal Monarch

What it is about: The King: Eternal Monarch is a romantic fantasy drama that takes the genre to a whole new level. The series revolves around the relationships of people from two parallel universes. King Lee Gon seeks to seal the gateway between dimensions, while Jung Tae-eul, a police inspector, simply wants to protect other’s lives and their loves. The King: Eternal Monarch is written by Kim Eun-suk (Guardian: The Lonely and Great God, Mr. Sunshine, Descendants of the Sun), and directed by Baek Sang-hoon (Secret, Who Are You: School 2015 and Descendants of the Sun) and Jeong Jee-hyun (Search: WWW). 

PREMIERE DATE:

April 2020

MAIN CAST: Lee Min-ho, Kim Go-eun, Woo Do-hwan, Kim Kyung-nam, Jung Eun-chae 

 

It’s Okay to Not Be Okay

What it is about: It’s Okay to Not Be Okay talks about an unusual romance between two people who end up healing each other’s emotional and psychological wounds. Moon Gang-tae, played by Kim Soo-hyun (My Love from the Star, The Moon Embracing the Sun), stars as a caretaker working at a psychiatric ward who does not believe in love. He seems to be carrying all the weight and pain in life, and devotes himself only to looking after his disabled older brother. Go Moon-young, played by Seo Ye-ji (Save Me, Lawless Lawyer), is a children’s book writer who is clueless about love. She is popular among all age groups, yet very antisocial and indifferent to others.

PREMIERE DATE:

June 2020

MAIN CAST: Kim Soo-hyun, Seo Ye-ji

 

Coming Soon

 

Twogether

What it is about: Two top celebrities from Seoul and Taipei go on a trip to several cities in Asia to meet their fans and become friends.

PREMIERE DATE:

To be announced later / In Production

MAIN CAST: Lee Seung-gi, Jasper Liu

 

The School Nurse Files

What it is about: A newly appointed high school nurse discovers secrets and mysteries with her supernatural abilities for chasing ghosts.

PREMIERE DATE:

To be announced later / In Production

MAIN CAST: Jung Yu-mi, Nam Joo-hyuk

 

Sweet Home

What it is about: Hyun-soo, a reclusive high school student, moves into an old apartment complex called Green Home after the tragic death of his entire family. Feeling unable to make a living on his own, he realizes the residents at Green Home residents, including himself, are trapped and surrounded by monsters in various forms of distorted human desires, which are about to sweep away mankind.

PREMIERE DATE:

To be announced later / In Production

MAIN CAST: Song Kang, Lee Jin-wook, Lee Si-young

 

Now Streaming

 

Itaewon Class

What it is about: Park Saeroyi bends to no one. He is determined to live his life, getting everything he set his eyes on. Jo Yi-seo is a sociopath with an IQ of 162. Her goal in life is already crystal clear, not until she meets her complete opposite, Saeroyi. A group held together by their mutual stubbornness and bravado, start a “cool” revolt against an irrational world. Their story unfolds in Itaewon, a small neighborhood centered around a single street that seems to be a compact version of the entire world. 

PREMIERE DATE: 

Korea/APAC/All English Speaking Countries/Latin America – Now Streaming

Japan/Rest of the World – 03/28/2020

MAIN CAST: Park Seo-jun, Kim Da-mi

 

Hyena

What it is about: Jung Geum-ja is like a weed. A twisted thing in this garden of lawyers. She will use every last sexy trick in the book to make money, no matter how evil the means can be. Yoon Hee-jae was born into the elites. He’s a world-class lawyer with an ego to match. He is an orchid in full bloom. These two could not be more different, but they transform into hyenas at the service of their upper-class clients.

PREMIERE DATE: 

Korea/APAC/Japan/All English Speaking Countries/Latin America – Now Streaming

Rest of the World – 04/18/2020

MAIN CAST: Kim Hye-soo, Ju Ji-hoon

 

Hi Bye, Mama!

What it is about: Cha Yu-ri has been a ghost since she died 5 years ago. She left behind her husband Cho Gang-hwa and their child. To become a human again, Cha Yu-ri carries out a reincarnation project for 49 days. Cho Gang-hwa works as a chest surgeon. He got remarried after his wife passed away. Now his ex-wife Cha Yu-ri reappears in front of him, and he’s shocked and clueless.

PREMIERE DATE:

Korea/APAC/All English Speaking Countries/Latin America – Now Streaming

Rest of the World – 04/19/2020

MAIN CAST: Kim Tae-hee, Lee Kyu-hyung

 

Hospital Playlist

What it is about: Hospital Playlist explores the chemistry between five friends who have stayed close to each other since they attended medical school together 20 years ago. They can practically read each other’s mind just by looking into their eyes. The day-to-day lives of the people living, dying and just passing through the hospital where they all work is a microcosm of the world beyond. Song-hwa is the de-facto spiritual leader of the quintet. Seok-hyeong is a reclusive loner while Ik-jun is a self-described ‘inside operator’ who has excelled academically as well as socially. Jun-wan is an outstanding surgeon but is a miserable person. Jeong-won is always polite and caring at work, but in private he is a rather edgy character.

PREMIERE DATE:

Korea/APAC/All English Speaking Countries/Latin America – Now Streaming

Japan/Rest of the World – 06/04/2020

MAIN CAST: Cho Jung-seok, Yoo Yeon-seok, Jung Kyung-ho, Kim Dae-Myeung, Jeon Mi-do

 

Kingdom S2

What it is about: After the outbreak of a mysterious plague turns Joseon into chaos, the Cho family’s evil plot to take over the kingdom grows even stronger. In a desperate attempt to save the people from the attacks, the crown prince engages in a blood battle to fight the living and stop the dead.

PREMIERE DATE:

Now Streaming

MAIN CAST: Ju Ji-hoon, Ryu Seung-ryong, Bae Doona

 

My Holo Love

What it is about: My Holo Love is a state-of-the-art holographic AI, seen through special glasses, who is the perfect companion – intelligent, kind, and fully customizable. He also has the same appearance as his genius but prickly creator, Nando. While trying to avoid being captured by the wrong hands, Holo slips the glasses to So-yeon, a kind but aloof career woman. We follow So-yeon as she gets to know the ‘perfect’ Holo and the prickly Nando.

PREMIERE DATE:

Now Streaming

MAIN CAST: Yoon Hyun-min, Ko Sung-hee

(NOTE: In some countries, the titles mentioned below are coming soon)

All images courtesy of Netflix