Netflix cleaned house with the ultimate jackpot last year when it placed a bet on Korean shows including Squid Game and Hellbound. This year, the platform has announced that they plan to throw it all in and will release twenty-five Korean films and series over 2022. While Netflix didn’t share how much their largest to date release lineup from Korea will cost them, we do know that in 2021, the streaming service spent over half a billion dollars on the country’s content, and with the addition of so many new titles, the 2022 figure is sure to run laps around that of 2021.
Fans can expect a wide array of films and series coming to Netflix including the anticipated high school zombie horror series, All of Us Are Dead, coming of age drama Twenty Five, Twenty One, spy thriller feature Yaksha: Ruthless Operations, post-apocalyptic, climate film JUNG_E, and even a Korean remake of Spanish hit series Money Heist (La casa de papel) titled, Money Heist: Korea - Joint Economic Area. Netflix’s biggest and newest investment should come as a surprise to no one. Unless you’ve been living under a rock since the fall of 2021, you probably know that cutthroat, horror drama, Squid Game, launched itself to become Netflix’s most-watched series of all time.
When the numbers surrounding the binge-able series were broken down, 95 percent of streams came from outside of Korea. A snowball effect happened and viewers decided to check out other Korean titles featured on Netflix. Following the success of Squid Game, dark sci-fi fantasy series Hellbound quickly took the number one spot on Netflix’s Top 10 in 34 countries. Dystopian space thriller series, The Silent Sea, also earned the number one spot on a Top Ten list, this time for non-English content.
In a statement, Netflix’s VP of content for Korea, Don Kang, said, “We are excited to continue collaborating with Korean storytellers to bring the K-wave to new heights.” And we fans are also very excited to ride the K-wave! With the unforeseen rise of Squid Game, seeming to grow from unheard of in the U.S. to the top talked about series overnight, we can’t wait to see what other content Netflix has picked up for us to veg out on in 2022.
Check out the full list of upcoming Korean series and films below and stay tuned to Collider for more information regarding all of these soon-to-be releases.
Series:
All of Us Are Dead
Directed by Lee JQ and Kim Nam-su, All of Us Are Dead is a story about students trapped in a school amid a zombie virus outbreak who later join hands to fight for survival. The series stars: Yoon Chan-yeong, Park Ji-hu, Cho Yi-hyun, Lomon, Yoo In-soo, Lee You-mi, and Lim Jae-hyeok
All of Us Are Dead is based on a popular webtoon by Webtoon creator Joo Dong-geun, touted as a ‘Korean-style zombie graphic novel’ with its wild imagination, gripping storyline, and meticulous details. The horrific visuals of students infected by the mysterious zombie virus and stunning action set in different parts of the school are a must-watch.
Premiere Date: January 28, 2022
Juvenile Justice
Directed by Hong Jong-chan, Juvenile Justice deals with a judge who dislikes juvenile delinquents, later realizing the troubles children face in society and how society is circumventing them to become better people. Kim Hye-soo (Hyena, Signal) plays Sim Eun-seok, the charismatic judge newly appointed to a district with the highest juvenile delinquency and makes unorthodox decisions to existing judgments. She later tries to send a message that society is also responsible for juveniles’ immoral and illicit acts. The series also stars Kim Moo-yeol, Lee Sung-min, and Lee Jung-Eun.
Premiere Date: TBD
Twenty Five, Twenty One
Directed by Jung Jeehyun, Twenty Five, Twenty One is a drama of youths who lost their dream to the zeitgeist of 1998, a drama of their dilemma and growth. They called out each other’s names for the first time when they were twenty-two and eighteen. Now they’ve each become twenty-five and twenty-one. The fine line between a heart-fluttering first love and a heart-warming friendship gives them butterflies. Their sparkling love and growth, as well as the chemistry and hardships among the five friends, remind us of our intense yet beautiful youth. The series stars Kim Tae-ri, Nam Joo-hyuk, Kim Ji Yeon, Choi Hyun Wook, and Lee Ju Myung.
Premiere Date: February 12
Forecasting Love and Weather
Directed by Cha Young Hun, Forecasting Love and Weather is a cheerful romance drama of people at the Korea Meteorological Administration who break, fall and get back on their feet every day. Forecasting Love and Weather is a romantic comedy series of people at the Korea Meteorological Administration who break, fall and get back on their feet every day. The story narrates Jin Ha-kyung, who decides never to commit to an office romance after a brutal break-up, again falling into a relationship with a newcomer in the team Lee Si-woo who is different but attractive in his own way. The series will star Park Min Young, Song Kang, Yoon Bak, and Yura.
Premiere Date: February 12
Thirty Nine
Directed by Kim Sang-ho, Thirty Nine is a down-to-earth life and romance drama that touches deep into the friendship, love and life of three friends who are about to turn forty. A coincidence in their high school years brought the three of them together to become BFFs. Cha Mi-jo (Son Ye-jin) Jeong Chan-young (Jeon Mi-do) and Jang Joo-hee (Kim Ji-hyun) are very close friends who have been through both the good and the worst times together. Mi-jo now works as a Dermatologist, Chan-young as an acting coach, and Joo-hee as a cosmetics sales manager. One fine day, when they are all 39, life takes a turn for the worse and they have to get ready for goodbye.
Premiere Date: February 16
Tomorrow
Directed by Kim Tae-Youn and Sung Chi-Wook, Tomorrow follows the grim reapers who used to escort the dead and now wish to save those who want to die. An afterlife fantasy drama, Tomorrow depicts how a long-time unemployed Choi Jun-woong accidentally bumps into grim reapers on a special mission and becomes a contract worker at their Crisis Management Team to help them out on their mission. The series stars Kim Hee-seon, Rowoon, and Lee Soo-hyuk.
Premiere Date: TBD
Business Proposal
Directed by Park Seon Ho, Business Proposal, is based on a globally famous web novel and webtoon of the same name with a total 320 million views. An office romance of a perfect CEO who’s got both the looks and the brains and an average employee who becomes his blind date will certainly keep you away from quitting your job! An average employee Shin Ha-ri (Kim Se Jeong) goes on a blind date in her friend’s stead as a sassy girl, only to find her blind date to be the CEO of her company, Kang Tae-moo (Ahn Hyo-Seop). After the two run into each other on their blind date, they each struggle in their own way at the office as the CEO and the employee, which can sometimes be sweet, thrilling and even tense. The series also stars Seol In A, Kim Min Gue, and Lee Duck Hwa.
Premiere Date: TBD
The Sound of Magic
Directed by Kim Sung-youn, The Sound of Magic, which is based on the popular webtoon Annarasumanara, is a touching drama about Yoon Ah-yi, a girl who had to grow up too fast, and Rieul, a mysterious magician who — although grown-up — wants to remain as a kid. Ji Chang-wook plays Rieul, a mysterious magician who lives in an abandoned amusement park, Choi Sung-eun plays the role of Yoon Ah-yi and Hwang In-youp will play Yoon Ah-yi’s classmate Na Il-deung.
Premiere Date: TBD
Remarriage and Desires
Directed by Kim Jung-Min, Remarriage & Desires is a satire of Korean society governed by desire. Set at the exclusive matchmaking agency Rex catering to the top echelons of society, ambitious souls hope to upgrade their status by marrying or remarrying into the ranks of the elite. They aspire to nab someone from the “Black” tier, the highest group consisting of the top 0.001 percent of the population. The series stars Kim Hee Seon, Lee Hyun-Wook, Jung Eugene, Park Hoon, and Cha Ji-Yeon.
Premiere Date: TBD
A Model Family
Directed by Kim Jin-woo, A Model Family is a story about a man on the brink of bankruptcy and divorce stumbling upon a car loaded with cash. The incident has him crossing paths with the second-in-command of a drug organization. Jung Woo, Park Hee-soon, Yoon Jin-seo, and Park Ji-yeon lead this thrilling illustration of an ordinary family coincidentally putting hands on illegal drug money. The scene-stealing synergy between acclaimed actors Jung Woo – who plays the man discovering the cash – and Park Hee-soon – who plays the second-in-command of Drug Cartel – is a must-watch ready to captivate the audience.
Premiere Date: TBD
Glitch
Directed by Roh Deok, Glitch tells the story of Hong Jihyo, who attempts to track down her missing boyfriend with the help of members of a UFO club. In the process, she comes face to face with a mysterious secret. The series stars Jeon Yeo-been and NANA.
Premiere Date: TBD
The Accidental Narco (WT)
Yoon Jong-bin directs this series which is based on real-life events. The story is about an ordinary entrepreneur who has no choice but to risk his life in joining the secret mission of government agents to capture a Korean drug lord operating in The Accidental Narco. The series stars Ha Jung-woo, Hwang Jung-min, Park Hae-soo, Jo Woo-jin, Yoo Yeon-seok, and Chang Chen.
Premiere Date: TBD
The Fabulous
The Fabulous, which is directed by Kim Jeong-hyeon, is a highly realistic romance that explores the dreams, love, and friendship of young people who devote their lives to working in the fashion industry, where fashion often means passion. The series stars Chae Soo-bin and Choi Min-ho.
Premiere Date: TBD
Love to Hate You
Directed by Kim Jeong-kwon, Love to Hate You is about the war-like relationship between a woman who hates losing to men and a man frantically suspicious of women who later discover life remedies behind their opposite characteristics. Starring Kim Ok-bin, Teo Yoo, Kim Ji-hun, and Go Won-hee, Love to Hate You depicts the love and emotional sympathy that triumphs over the broader mistrust between the opposite sex.
Premiere Date: TBD
Money Heist: Korea – Joint Economic Area
Directed by Kim Hong-sun, Money Heist: Korea – Joint Economic Area narrates a genius strategist and his talented crew – composed of top-class thieves – attempting to pull off an unprecedented heist in the Korean Peninsula. The story portrays unexpected twists and turns as the crew stage a hostage while facing inexplicable challenges. All eyes are focused on the background and definition behind the title Joint Economic Area. The series stars Yoo Ji-tae, Kim Yunjin, Park Hae-soo, Jun Jong-seo, Lee Won-jong, Park Myung-hoon, Kim Seung-o, Kim Ji-hun, Jang Yoon-ju, Lee Joobeen, Lee Hyun-woo, Kim Ji-hoon, and Lee Kyu-ho.
Premiere Date: TBD
Somebody
A murder case revolves around the social dating app – Somebody, triggering a developer of the app, and her friends to entangle in inexplicable issues surrounding a mysterious figure named Yoon-oh. Prominent director Jung Ji-woo spearheads the production – marking his first foray into series and collaboration with Netflix – along with writer Han Ji-wan renowned for his ability to write excellent thriller genre scripts. The series stars Kim Young-kwang, Kang Hae-lim, Kim Yong-ji, and Kim Su-yeon.
Premiere Date: TBD
Black Knight
Starring Kim woo-bin and directed by Cho Ui-seok, Black Knight illustrates an air polluted world in 2071, where people depend on respirator masks to breathe. Only one percent of the human race has survived, and a strict social stratification has been established in the deserted lands of the Korean Peninsula. Delivery drivers play a crucial role within this system, and for refugees, becoming a delivery driver is their only hope for survival. Amid desolation, Black Knight tells the story of a legendary delivery driver 5-8 with exceptional battle skills and refugee Sawol who dreams of following in his footsteps.
Premiere Date: TBD
Unscripted Series
Celeb Five: Behind the Curtain
A fake documentary Celeb Five: Behind the Curtain takes a peek into how Celeb Five (Kim Shin-young, Song Eun-yi, Shin Bong-sun, Ahn Young-mi) goes on marathons of ideation meetings to plan an amazing stage after being offered a solo show on Netflix. Their behind-the-stage work, more ingenious and hilarious than the on-stage show itself, provides incessant laughter and fun. Endless gut-busting stories, all-of-a-sudden pretend play, skits made on-the-fly and all the improvs… They’re definitely showing all they’ve got! This hilarious show is produced by Company SangSang, known for its great synergy with Netflix on shows like Busted, Together and New World, and is co-directed by Celeb Five and Director Kim Joo-hyoung.
Premiere Date: TBD
Film
Love and Leashes
Directed by Park Hyun-jin, Love and Leashes is a film about a different kind of romance between a man with a unique taste and a woman who stumbles upon his secret. Seo Hyun, who recently played a shapeshifting swindler in Private Lives, will star in her first film, Love and Leashes. Jung Ji-woo, played by Seo Hyun in the film, is a woman who leads a racy romance by engaging in a “special” relationship with her co-worker after she accidentally learns about his secret peculiarities. Performing outstandingly across an array of genres like in the musical Swag Age: Shout, Chosun!, the drama Please Don’t Date Him, Imitation, rising star Lee Jun-young will play the role of Jung Ji-hoo, a man with unusual tastes. Lee Jun-young will add vibrancy and excitement in the role as his character’s charm and figure, adored by his female co-workers, hide his secret and unique taste.
Premiere Date: February 11
Yaksha: Ruthless Operations
A breathtaking spy action film Yaksha: Ruthless Operations unfolds as a merciless man known as “Yaksha” crosses paths with a prosecutor on a special inspection mission in Shenyang, a city in China notorious for espionage. Director Na Hyun makes his long-awaited comeback after directing Prison, which has swept audiences off their feet with stunning action scenes and a tightly wound plot, and adapting Inseparable Bros into a delicate and heartwarming story. Sul Kyung-gu plays the callous head of the overseas espionage team, also known as the man-eating Yaksha, who accomplishes his goals by hook or by crook. Park Hae-soo, a global star from Squid Game, plays the role of Ji-hoon, a prosecutor demoted to Shenyang for playing it by the book. The film also stars Hiroyuki Ikeuchi, Yang Dong-keun, EL, Song Jae-lim, and Park Jin-young.
Premiere Date: TBD
Carter
Carter is a new original film about an agent suffering from memory loss who is thrown into the middle of a mysterious mission. At the helm of the series is director Jung Byung-gil, whose skilled hands have produced many unique action films. Joo Won, who played powerful roles in Good Doctor, Yong-pal, transforms into an action hero in director Jung Byung-gil’s new work. In the popular drama Alice, which involved car chases and hand-to-hand combat, Joo Won exhibited his great skill in performing action scenes. The role of Carter will challenge him with even more extreme and exciting action. In the series, Carter is a top agent who awakens one day with a complete loss of memory, but is then thrown into the mission of a lifetime. Joo Won will portray the character’s inner struggle as he deals with the uncertainties of his mission.
Premiere Date: TBD
Seoul Vibe
Directed by Moon Hyun-sung, Seoul Vibe stars Yoo Ah-in, Ko Kyung-Pyo, Lee kyoo-hyung, Park Ju-hyun, Ong Seong-wu. The film narrates a talented crew of baby drivers – known as the Sangedong Supreme team. With the world’s eyes drained to the 1988 Seoul Olympic Games, the illegal transactions of capital (funds) is a significant issue. A special operation driven by the Sangedong Supreme team initiates to unravel the corruption behind the slush funds.
Premiere Date: TBD
20th Century Girl
Set in 1999 – the last year of the 20th century – seventeen-year-old Bo-ra finds her first love: a sweet, pure but heartbreaking relationship. Years later in the 21st century, news about her first love revives her teenage romance that she once thought had forgotten. The 20th Century Girl narrates the lives of the youth in their 20s, filled with vivid moments of love and friendship. Starring the popular Kim You-jung, Byeon Woo-seok, Park Jung-woo, and Roh Yoon-Seo, this pit-a-patting film will be directed by Bang Woo-ri, who won the Best Short Film award for Mrs.Young at the Blue Dragon Awards.
Premiere Date: TBD
JUNG_E
JUNG_E portrays a desolated Earth in the 22nd century that is no longer inhabitable due to climate change. Amid the chaos, an internal war breaks out in the shelter built for human survival. Victory – meaning the end of the war – now hinges on finding a way to clone the legendary mercenary JUNG_E into a scalable robot. Orchestrated by director Yeon Sang-ho of Train to Busan, Peninsula, and Hellbound, and with a colorful cast – Kang Soo-youn, Kim Hyun-joo, Ryu Kyung-soo –, JUNG_E portrays a unique theme combined with dystopia, cloning, and technology.
Premiere Date: TBD