Latest news with #k-drama
Forbes
05-04-2025
- Entertainment
- Forbes
The K-Drama ‘Karma' Delivers But Not In A Way You Might Suspect
Kim Sung-kyun and Lee Hee-jun play thugs in 'Karma.' There are murders and bodies galore in the k-drama crime thriller Karma and there are also plenty of ironic plot twists and turns. One body inventively get recycled for a second crime. In the opening episode Park Jae-young, played by Lee Hee-jun (Blood Free, A Killer Paradox), arrives at an emergency room as the victim of a fire that looks a lot like arson. Jae-young wound up becoming a burn victim because he's the kind of low-life thug who would kill his own father for the insurance money. Only he makes a big mistake when he hires a member of a notorious gang, played by Kim Sung-kyun (The Fiery Priest, Moving), to do his dirty work. There really is no honor among thugs. Jae-young pays dearly for his mistake, but perhaps not as dearly as he might deserve. Shin Min-a plays a doctor in 'Karma.' So, is it karma that the doctor who saves his life is Lee Ju-yeon, played by Shin Min-a (No Gain No Love, Our Blues), a woman he brutally abused decades before. Jae-young has survived threats by vicious loan sharks and gangsters, but he may be powerless to escape justice at her hands. Shin Min-a delivers a raw performance as the tortured doctor who is haunted by her nightmare past. The story ties together the karma of these characters with that of the mysterious witness played by Park Hae-soo (Squid Game II, Money Heist II). He witnesses an incident that involves Han Sung-hun, played by Lee Kwang-soo (Divorce Insurance, The Killer's Shopping List). Sung-hun is a traditional doctor, who is driving home with his lover, played by Gong Seung-yeon ( The First Responders, Bulgasal: Immortal Soul) when he accidentally hits and kills someone. Or so it seems. He can't report the incident because he's been drinking. Lee Kwang-soo and Gong Sung-yeon play lovers in 'Karma.' Sung-hun and the witness make a deal, but it doesn't end well for one of them. Although there are plenty of detours in the plot of this often darkly comic thriller and several great performances, the conversations between Park's eerily deadpan witness and Lee's sleazy doctor character are a highlight. There are so many villainous characters in this drama, but will karma deliver a fair share of retribution? The six episode drama is based on the web comic Akyeon by Choi Hee-Sun, which was published on Kakao. It was adapted and directed by Lee Il-hyeong, who previously directed the films Remember and A Violent Prosecutor. Karma airs on Netflix.
Forbes
29-03-2025
- Entertainment
- Forbes
Lee Je-Hoon Conducts Corporate Warfare In ‘The Art Of Negotiation'
Lee Je-hoon is a mergers and acquisitions expert in 'The Art of Negotiation.' The k-drama The Art of Negotiation could also be titled The Art of War, since the drama involves a high-stakes battle for power within a major corporation. It's a battle that cannot end without casualties. Lee Je-hoon, plays Yun Jun-no, a man referred to as the White Snake. A mergers and acquisitions expert he's known for making quick and lethal cuts to save floundering corporations. That's why Jun-no's former employer, Sanin Corporation, enlists him to deal with the company's impending financial crisis. Sanin has a high debt ratio and must soon raise trillions to retain its financial independence. If Jun-no can't turn things around quickly the company may cease to exist. Sanin's chairman, Song Jae-suk, played by Sung Dong-il, trusts Jun-no to analyze the situation and make drastic changes. This sets him up in direct conflict to the company's CFO, Ha Tae-soo, played by Jang Hyun-sung. Tae-soo must appear to follow the chairman's instructions in public and give Jun-no a fighting chance. Privately he may work to sabotage his efforts, Jun-no forms his own team in an effort to save Sanin Corporation. Jun-no's presence makes many of the company executives nervous. While Jun-no's priority is saving the company, more than a few executives are focused on saving themselves. Jun-no may be more vested in corporate interests, but he also has secrets and perhaps an ulterior motive. To create his M&A team Jun-no recruits the math whiz Kwak Min-jeong, played by Ahn Hyun-ho (Monthly Magazine Home) and lawyer Oh Soon-young, played by Kim Dae-myung (Hospital Playlist). For good measure Jun-no adds an enthusiastic intern, played by Cha Kang-yoon (Midnight Romance in Hagwon). The White Snake is an expert at keeping emotions out of negotiations and that's a lesson he hopes to teach his likable team. By staying cool, he says, the good guys can outwit the greedy. Cool heads almost always prevail. Yet, despite his legendary skills as a financial negotiator, there may be times when Jun-no can't avoid acting on his emotions. Lee Je-hoon is best known for dramas such as Taxi Driver, Chief Detective 1958, Move to Heaven and Signal. Sung Dong-il appeared in the dramas The Tale of Lady Ok, Curtain Call and Ghost Doctor. Jang Hyun-sung can be seen in dozens of dramas including Duty After School, Agency and Under the Queen's Umbrella. The drama also stars Oh Man-seok (The Fiery Priest 2, Midnight Romance in Hagwon and The Atypical Family) as the company's top executive. The drama is written by Lee Seung-young, who wrote the screenplay for the upcoming 2026 drama Scandals, and directed by Ahn Pan-seok, who previously directed The Midnight Romance in Hagwon. The Art of Negotiation originally aired on JTBC in South Korea and can be seen on in the U.S.
