Latest news with #MoneyHeist:Korea–JointEconomicArea
Korea Herald
20-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Korea Herald
Netflix greenlights thriller 'The Rat' starring Ryu Jun-yeol and Sul Kyung-gu
Series to be based on Kakao Entertainment webtoon 'Field Mouse' Netflix anniunced Tuesday the production of "The Rat," a psychological thriller headlined by veteran Korean actors Ryu Jun-yeol and Sul Kyung-gu. The upcoming series is adapted from "Field Mouse," a popular Kakao Entertainment webtoon inspired by a Korean folktale in which a rat transforms into a human by consuming human fingernails. Netflix's "The Rat" centers on a reclusive novelist who joins forces with a loan shark-turned-private investigator to track down a mysterious figure known only as 'the Rat,' who has stolen his identity and financial assets. The project reunites Netflix with director Kim Hong-sun, known for "Dear Hongrang" and "Money Heist: Korea – Joint Economic Area." The script is penned by Lee Jae-gon, recognized for his work on the crime procedural "Special Affairs Team Ten." Ryu Jun-yeol, star of Netflix originals "The 8 Show" and "Revelations," stars as Moon-jae, a reclusive novelist driven to desperation by "the Rat." Sul Kyung-gu takes on the role of a loan shark who runs a private detective agency and teams up with Moon-jae in a manhunt for "the Rat." The release date for the series has yet to be disclosed.
Tatler Asia
13-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Tatler Asia
K-Drama's high-value villain: Park Hae-soo's unconventional journey
He played Kim Je-hyuk, a celebrated baseball player who finds himself imprisoned after protecting his sister from sexual assault. The character is straightforward yet sincere, bearing the weight of silent struggles. Though far from the typical glossy hero, Park's raw, unaffected performance struck a chord. The role earned him Best New Actor at the 2018 Seoul Awards. It was a pivotal moment—the stage actor was now a name to watch. Squid Game and a fateful turn through the anti-hero In 2021, Park Hae-soo stepped into a wildly different world with Netflix's global phenomenon Squid Game . He portrayed Cho Sang-woo, once a Seoul University golden boy, now burdened with debt and drawn into a deadly survival contest. Cho Sang-woo was no traditional villain. Clever and composed, he slowly unravels—becoming calculating, ruthless, and emotionally detached in his quest to win. He betrays, sacrifices, and manipulates, all in the name of survival. Yet Park's performance kept the audience torn: incensed, yet intrigued; disapproving, yet strangely empathetic. Read more: Actress Ho Thu Anh: 'Getting into character is the most important thing, treatment comes later' Above A fate-altering performance in 'Squid Game'. Photo: Netflix Cho Sang-woo's transformation was subtle and haunting—from the warm elder brother in Gi-hun's childhood memories, to the cold strategist within the game, and finally, a man crushed under the weight of his choices. A tragic arc, drawn with precision. This role brought Park Hae-soo's name beyond Korea's borders. It earned him a prestigious Emmy nomination and led to a contract with a US-based management agency. Berlin and the psychological weight of performance Following Squid Game , Park Hae-soo continued to push his limits with Money Heist: Korea–Joint Economic Area (2022), a remake of the globally adored La Casa de Papel . Here, he stepped into the role of Berlin, the magnetic yet volatile leader of a fearless band of thieves. It was a bold undertaking, considering how iconic the original character had become. But Park opted for a more introspective, distinctly Korean interpretation—quieter, more restrained, and laced with pain. This version of Berlin was not simply a cold-blooded criminal, but a man cast aside by society, burdened by illness and a loneliness too deep to name. The result was a figure far more human, and unexpectedly moving. Above Berlin remains another complex psychological villain for Park Hae-soo. Photo: Netflix Not one to rest on his laurels, Park Hae-soo has ventured into a wide array of genres since. In Yaksha: Ruthless Operations (2022), he takes on the role of Ji Kang-in, a brutal intelligence officer unafraid to break the rules to serve his ends. Then in Narco-Saints (2022), he plays a covert anti-narcotics agent. These are no longer intricate antagonists, but men of action: hardened, and at times, chilling. Still, each character carries a flicker of humanity, allowing Park's portrayals to avoid cliché or rigidity. An unflinching role in Karma Continuing his exploration of layered, emotionally charged characters, Park Hae-soo returns to television in Karma (2025), a psychological crime series that premiered on Netflix from 4 April. Adapted from Choi Hee-seon's acclaimed webtoon Ill-fated Relationship, the show is directed by Lee Il-hyung. In Karma , Park plays Kim Beom-jun, a man caught in the aftermath of a mysterious midnight accident. Though initially a bystander, he becomes deeply entangled in a web of guilt, vengeance, and moral decay. He is not merely a witness but the thread that binds a series of harrowing events: a man wounded, manipulative, and forever haunting the lives of those around him. Above Park Hae-soo's most demanding performance yet in 'Karma'. Photo: Netflix Park has described it as the 'most extreme' role of his career. The preparation was intense—researching burn trauma, altering his voice and manner of speaking, even adjusting his gait. He maintained a warped tone throughout filming, wore prosthetics for long hours, and drew inspiration from Heath Ledger's Joker to capture Beom-jun's unsettling, fractured laugh—a critical detail, revealing the character's inner fracture. Karma swiftly climbed to Netflix's global top five in the non-English language series category, and claimed the number one spot in Korea—a testament to the show's resonance both at home and abroad. READ NOW The resort villa in 'The White Lotus' season 3 in Thailand is officially open for sale Thanh Ha releases album 'Beginning': No pressure from trends, no chasing after the times 'Adolescence' – the fragility of teenage behaviour and a warning on the effects of social media
South China Morning Post
13-04-2025
- Entertainment
- South China Morning Post
Park Hae-soo's character in Karma, new Netflix K-drama, is most ‘extreme' he's ever played
This article contains spoilers. Advertisement Park Hae-soo may be the most active actor in Korea today. His string of Netflix appearances, ranging from the global phenomenon Squid Game to Narco-Saints and Money Heist: Korea – Joint Economic Area, have earned him the nickname 'Netflix's civil servant'. Now, he has returned with another intense performance in the recently released Korean crime thriller series Karma, and is already preparing to meet viewers again through the coming Netflix mystery series The Price of Confession. Karma has gained swift traction since its global premiere on April 4, topping Korea's 'Top 10 Series Today' list and ranking fifth on Netflix's global non-English TV chart, signalling a warm reception both domestically and internationally. The series follows six individuals trapped in a vicious cycle of misfortune, unable to escape a web of bad karma.
