Latest news with #ParkHae-soo
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.
South China Morning Post
01-04-2025
- Entertainment
- South China Morning Post
Netflix K-drama Karma review: Park Hae-soo, Shin Min-a in morally murky ensemble thriller
3/5 stars Advertisement Lead cast: Park Hae-soo, Shin Min-a, Lee Hee-joon, Lee Kwang-soo After watching the first few episodes of Karma, a gruelling new original Korean thriller presented by Netflix, you might come away with the idea that it is a loosely connected anthology series about desperate characters doing very bad things. That is because those first episodes, which are largely about different characters and narratively self-contained, are reminiscent of the many omnibus films and series that long-time viewers of modern Korean media will be familiar with. While we expect some interconnectedness in omnibus stories, the true scope of the web that is this series only comes into view starting with episode three, when the characters really begin to overlap.
Korea Herald
31-03-2025
- Entertainment
- Korea Herald
Star-studded 'Karma' to weave haunting thriller
Netflix Korea bets on thriller project to replicate success of 'When Life Gives You Tangerines' Netflix Korea's star-studded April release "Karma" will feature dark, high-stakes storytelling -- a dramatic turn from the popular human drama "When Life Gives You Tangerines" that launched in March. The six-part thriller delves into the sinister, interwoven fates of six individuals, including an unnamed man who witnesses an accident (Park Hae-soo) and a woman burdened by deep emotional scars (Shin Min-a). The characters' lives collide, leading to an unexpected climax. Director Lee Il-hyoung, known for his work on the hit crime-comedy "A Violent Prosecutor" (2016) and as the screenwriter for the historical action film "Kundo: Age of the Rampant," makes his series debut with "Karma." The drama unfolds through six episodes, each told from a different character's perspective. Lee emphasized the importance of character relationships in shaping the viewing experience, noting that he meticulously structured the narrative to maintain suspense and deliver twists. "I also tend to lose focus and think about other things if a drama doesn't make me curious about the next episode," he said, during a press conference held in Jongno-gu, Seoul, Monday. "I kept thinking about how to make it impossible for viewers to resist clicking on the next episode immediately." Veteran actors Jo Jin-woong and Kim Nam-gil make special appearances in "Karma," according to Lee. "Their roles are significant, but their screen time isn't extensive. They needed to make an impact, and since we had a connection, I reached out to them. They helped enrich the project and maintain the tension until the very end." "When Life Gives You Tangerines," which recently topped both Netflix Korea's and the platform's global rankings, the series' creator stated that "Karma" is set to maintain the momentum of the resounding success of "When Life Gives You Tangerines." While acknowledging the pressure of following up such a hit, Lee remains confident in the series' distinct appeal. "It would be a lie to say I don't feel any pressure. We're meeting viewers back-to-back, but our series has its own unique genre appeal. If audiences enjoyed the warmth of humanity in the previous work, they might find the 'spicy flavor' of this one even more satisfying," he said. "Karma" is adapted from a popular Kakao webtoon of the same name. "What drew me the most when I first received the script was that the extreme and intense story unfolds in one breath," Park Hae-soo said. He went on to say that the complexity of his character was a major factor in his decision to join the project: "(My) character is dogmatic, terrifying and repulsive, yet there's a foolish side to him that feels almost comical, which intrigued me." "Karma" premieres on Netflix this Friday.
