“The long-anticipated announcement regarding the spin-off TV series of director Woo Min-ho’s film “The Drug King,” titled “Made in Korea,” which has been in development since last year, has finally been revealed. This project marks a significant milestone as it signifies director Woo Min-ho’s debut in directing a TV series, following the remarkable success of his film “Inside Men.” Despite its PG-18 rating, the film managed to attract an audience of over ten million. The inclusion of Hyun Bin and Jung Woo-sung in the cast adds a groundbreaking and exciting dimension to this eagerly awaited news.”
Hyun Bin
Hyun Bin’s filmography is adorned with a collection of hit TV series, including gems like “My Lovely Sam-Soon,” “The World That They Live In,” “Secret Garden,” and “Crash Landing on You,” among others. Alongside popular actors such as Song Joong-ki and Kim Soo-hyun, Hyun Bin undoubtedly stands as a key contributor to the tremendous success of Korean TV series.
In 2019, he captured widespread attention by tying the knot with his co-star from the widely acclaimed “Crash Landing on You,” actress Son Ye-jin.
While anticipation surrounds his role in the upcoming “Made in Korea,” details about his character are eagerly awaited and yet to be unveiled.
Jung Woo-Sung
Jung Woo-sung made a striking entrance into the film scene back in 1997 with the enchanting beauty reminiscent of a comet in the movie named “Beat.” However, his journey since then has been marked by a string of compelling performances in films like “City of the Rising Sun,” “The Warrior,” “Mutt Boy,” “A Moment to Remember,” “The Good, the Bad, and the Ugly,” “Cold Eyes,” “Asura: The City of Madness,” “The King,” and “Hunt.” Recently, he achieved a significant milestone with the release of “12.12: The Day,” finally earning the distinction of a 10 million audience actor and solidifying his stature as a seasoned and accomplished performer.
Unlike Hyun Bin, some details about his role in “Made in Korea” have been revealed, portraying the character of Prosecutor Jang Geon-young with animalistic instincts and a formidable determination.
Director Woo Min-Ho
He is the acclaimed director behind films such as “Inside Men,” “The Drug King,” and “The Man Standing Next.” His cinematic repertoire seldom delves into romantic comedies, family dramas, or humanistic themes. Instead, his works predominantly explore gripping subjects like kidnapping, espionage, drug trade, political assassinations, and institutional corruption, often earning them a mature audience rating.
In 2024, anticipation is building for the release of his upcoming film “Harbin,” which captures the historical narrative of Dr. Ahn Jung-geun’s pivotal actions in Harbin.”
Spin-Off of “The Drug King”
Originally thought to be a spin-off of director Woo Min-ho’s 2018 film “The Drug King,” “Made in Korea” was believed to share a connection because of the film’s protagonist, Lee Doo-sam, manufacturing a drug with the same name. However, the production company, Hive Media Corp., recently clarified that “Made in Korea” is an independent project and not a spin-off of “The Drug King.” Despite this clarification, it seems that the series development initially leaned towards being a spin-off due to the shared drug name, but eventually evolved into a separate work during the production process.
Limited details about the series have emerged, describing it as a portrayal of significant events in the dynamic era of 1970s South Korea, presented with a captivating narrative and on a grand scale.
A blockbuster with a budget of KRW 700 billion
Although the exact amount remains undisclosed, the media openly speculates that the production boasts a monumental budget of KRW 70 billion. This figure is notably extraordinary, especially when compared to the record-breaking budgets of other Korean TV series, such as “Arthdal Chronicles” with KRW 540 billion and “Mr. Sunshine” with KRW 430 billion. Considering that “Arthdal Chronicles” comprised 18 episodes and “Mr. Sunshine” consisted of 24 episodes, KRW 700 billion budget for “Made in Korea” seems somewhat unrealistic.
While the platform for its broadcast is yet to be decided, given the substantial budget, it is likely to find its place on a prominent OTT platform. Considering that this is the first TV series directed by a film director, the episode count may not exceed a maximum of 10 episodes. In terms of budget per episode, it appears that “Made in Korea” is set to surpass the scale of previous bluckbuster series like “Arthdal Chronicles” and “Mr. Sunshine.”
All resources are converging around”Harbin.”
“Harbin” stands out as a project that has recently surged in expectation, featuring renowned actors Hyun Bin and Jung Woo-sung, along with substantial investments. All resources are coming together for this project, drawing significant attention.
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