Netflix is the go-to platform for many when watching something. Be it cartoons, movies or your beloved television series, Netflix probably has it. For K-drama fans, Netflix has become an essential site.
With all the hype about Korean content, it isn’t surprising that they are planning to continue hosting Korean shows. During the recent See What’s Next Korea 2021 virtual event, Netflix released a list of upcoming films and series they have lined up for 2021 and beyond. Check it out:
1. The Silent Sea
Starring: Bae Doo-na, Gong Yoo, and Lee Joon
Directed by: Choi Hang-yong
Overview:
Members of a special team set out to a research base on the Moon when water and food have almost run out on Earth due to global desertification. The series is based on director Choi Hang-yong’s short film that was given a major spotlight at the 13th Mise-en-scène Short Film Festival in 2014. With director Choi teaming up with writer Park Eun-kyo, who won Best Screenplay for the film “Mother” at the 29th Korean Association of Film Critics Awards, this series promises unexpected twists and turns. Follow the members on their life-risking mission to “the silent sea”.
2. D.P
Starring: Jung Hae-in, Koo Kyo-hwan, Kim Sung-kyun, and Son Seok-koo
Directed by: Han Jun-hee
Overview:
Army private Joon-ho, one of the many soldiers serving in the Korean military, suddenly ends up becoming a member of the “Deserter Pursuit”. This unit tracks down military deserters and inevitably encounters the realities of confused young soldiers. The Netflix original series is based on a webtoon by Kim Bo-tong that garnered over 10 million views. Known for its realistic portrayal of the brutal violence and human rights violations committed in the military, the series is expected to balance the tension and thrill of chasing down deserters from the perspective of “soldiers catching soldiers” while shedding light on the mental torment and hurts of young people who chose to escape.
3. My Name
Starring: Han So-hee, Park Hee-soon, Ahn Bo-hyun, Kim Sang-ho, Lee Hak-ju, and Jang Yull
Directed by: Kim Jin-min
Overview:
Ji-u is a mobster’s daughter and she is out for revenge. She joins a cartel and becomes a mole in the police force to seek the truth behind her father’s death. Of course, things aren’t always that easy. How far will she go for her revenge and what truths will she uncover along the way? With the director of “Extracurricular”, Kim Jin-min behind the wheel, this adrenaline-fueled series promises to embody the phrase, ‘Revenge is a dish best served cold‘.
4. Move to Heaven
Release Schedule: First half of 2021
Starring: Lee Je-hoon and Tang Jun-sang
Directed by: Kim Sung-ho
Overview:
This Netflix original series focuses on a young man named Geu-ru with Asperger’s syndrome and Sang-gu, who becomes Geu-ru’s guardian. The duo start a trauma cleaning business, uncovering stories left behind by the deceased. Directed by Kim Sung-ho of “How to Steal a Dog” and written by Yoon Ji-ryun of “Angel Eyes”, this series centers around a unique theme of “trauma cleaners” to pass on the messages from the deceased and tell the moving stories of those who are left behind.
5. Squid Game
Starring: Lee Jung-jae, Park Hae-soo
Directed by: Hwang Dong-hyuk
Overview:
No one ever plays a mysterious survival game just for the prize money. Not even if it’s 40-million-dollars. Only the desperate and the ones with nothing left to lose would be willing to participate in a game that could risk their lives. Join Ki-hun, who lost his job and hit rock bottom, and Sang-woo, who gets into trouble after embezzling his company’s funds, as they play suspenseful games and paint the raw realities of those who risk their lives through a survival game.
6. “Love Alarm” Season 2
Release Date: 12 March 2021
Starring: Kim So-hyun, Jung Ga-ram, Song Kang, Ko Min-si, and Kim Si-eun
Directed by: Kim Jin-woo
Overview:
Having an app which alerts you to a crush seems pretty handy. Not so when you can’t trigger it, apparently. “Love Alarm” returns with season 2, continuing where they left off with the girl who can’t trigger “Love Alarm” and the two infatuated guys who are still trying to figure out how she feels. This season will explore Jojo, Sun-oh and Hye-yeong’s unresolved feelings of first love while capturing various aspects of a society which values the number of hearts on Love Alarm.
7. Hellbound
Starring: Yoo Ah-in, Park Jeong-min, Kim Hyun-ju, Won Jin-ah, and Yang Ik-june
Directed by: Yeon Sang-ho
Overview:
Meeting an angel of death is already a supernatural phenomenon, but with the added twist of being condemned to hell once you meet them? Talk about intense! People view these supernatural events as neither a miracle nor a curse and with the rise of a new religious group that interprets the events as the will of the divine, it’ll be hard to survive in a society as chaotic as this. The series is based off the widely popular original webtoon, “Hell”, published on Naver.
8. All of Us are Dead
Starring: Yoon Chan-yeong, Park Ji-hu, Cho Yi-hyun, Lomon, and Yoo In-soo
Directed by: Lee JQ and Enes Kim
Overview:
There’s a zombie virus on the loose and they are trapped in high school. Can life get any worse? The good news is that people are trying to save them, the bad news is that it’s not going to be easy. Be prepared for extreme situations riddled with surprises. The series is based on the webtoon, “Now at Our School”, from Naver. It topped the chart among the Wednesday webtoon series and each weekly episode topped the portal’s trending keyword list.
9. Kingdom: Ashin of the North (Special Episode)
Starring: Gianna Jun and Park Byung-eun
Directed by: Kim Seong-hun
Overview:
This episode is a spinoff from the story of “Kingdom” season 2. It tells the story of Ashin, who was last seen encountering Lee Chang’s group on a mission to uncover the truth about the resurrection plant. The heiress to a northern Jurchen town will reveal her own origins in this episode and the secret behind the resurrection plant.
10. Night in Paradise
Release Date: 9 April 2021
Starring: Um Tae-goo, Jeon Yeo-been, and Cha Seoung-won
Directed by: Park Hoon-jung
Overview:
This noir film about a man targeted by a criminal gang and a woman cornered to a dead end in life is quintessentially Korean. It earned critical acclaim when it was the only Korean film to be screened out of competition at the 77th Venice International Film Festival.
11. Lee Su-geun: The Sense Coach
Starring: Lee Su-geun
Overview:
This is a Netflix original stand-up special with Lee Su-guen improvising gratifying ad-lib jokes as he coaches. He has an acute sixth sense (or nunchi in Korean), for members of the audience who often get pushed around and constantly worry about what others think. This is his first stand-up special, directed to viewers around the world. While Lee Su-geun displays his masterful command of live performance and impromptu jokes, the heart of the show ultimately is from the interactive live communication with his audience.
12. So Not Worth It
Starring: Park Se-wan, Shin Hyeon-seung, Choi Young-jae (GOT7), Minnie ((G)I-DLE), and Han
Hyun-min
Directed by: Kwon Ik-joon and Kim Jung-sik
Overview:
If you want a heartwarming show with comedy mixed in, this sitcom is for you. Watch these students of diverse nationalities portray their love, friendship and adventures as they live together in the international dormitory of a university in Seoul.
13. Paik’s Spirit
Starring: Paik Jong-won
Directed by: Park Hee-yeon, Lee Eun-kyung, Kwak Chung-a, and Lee Jong-hyuk
Overview:
Sit down for a drink with Paik Jong-won. In this reality series, the restaurateur will introduce Korean alcoholic beverages, food, and culture. Each episode will have conversations with various top Korean celebrities and professionals in various fields about drinking and life. With Paik’s gift of the gab and charming presence, the series will bring stories of “the most uniquely Korean” drinks to viewers around the globe.
14. Carter
Directed by: Jung Byung-gil (pictured above)
Overview:
An amnesiac man wakes up in a motel room. His only clue is a voice in his ear that calls him ‘Carter’. Following the voice’s orders, he’s plunged into a mysterious mission to save a kidnapped girl. Director Jung Byung-gil’s collaboration with Netflix will be pulling off a lot of difficult, nonstop action scenes in high definition.
15. Moral Sense
Directed by: Park Hyun-jin (pictured above)
Overview:
A clean cut office worker with unusual tastes in sex is found out by his female co-worker when she accidentally opens his mail and finds a leash. The two develop a different kind of romance as their relationship with each other grows. Based on a webtoon by the same name, director Park will be unleashing her full command of genre-specific knowledge in unfolding this thrilling romance.
Which of these shows are you most excited to watch on Netflix?
