Netflix Korea has been warming the hearts of its viewers with “When Life Gives You Tangerines” for the past four weeks and is now set to take a darker turn. The streaming giant's latest offering, "Karma," is an intense, nail-biting crime thriller series with gripping suspense and relentless twists.

Director Lee Il-hyung, who was behind the crime film “A Violent Prosecutor” (2016), acknowledged the pressure to keep up with the success of “When Life Gives You Tangerines,” but said he's still quite confident about his work.


“I would be lying if I said I didn't feel the pressure," the director said at a press conference held in Jongno District, central Seoul, on Monday. “Since our drama comes after viewers have enjoyed a heartwarming, human-centered story, I think they would find it even more exciting and satisfying to experience the bold intensity of our drama.”

Based on the webtoon of the same name, “Karma” follows six individuals entangled in a cycle of retribution after an accident. The cast includes actors Shin Min-a, Park Hae-soo, Lee Hee-jun, Kim Sung-kyun, Lee Kwang-soo and Gong Seung-yeon.

Most characters have symbolic names. Park plays The Witness, Lee Hee-jun is The Debtor, and Lee Kwang-soo is The Glasses.

Director Lee explained that this naming approach was originally intended to help the cast and crew immerse themselves in each character's distinct traits.

The new thriller marks director Lee's first foray into television — away from his usual path of making films. According to the director, upon reading the original story, he found its captivating narrative unsuited to the "limited running time" of feature films, prompting him to step into the world of TV series.

The script, also written by the director himself, was the key factor that drew the actors to the new project, with its continuous twists and turns serving as a major selling point, according to the cast.

Actor Lee Kwang-soo said he was constantly on the edge of his seat while reading the script, with his “hands getting so sweaty that his script got soaked.”

Though the thriller may seem dark and full of tension, Park said there are points where there is comedy, which lured him more into wanting to play his role.

“Despite my character being a highly authoritarian, terrifying and even repulsive character, there’s also a foolish and somewhat absurd side to him,” Park said. “That contrast creates a strange kind of comedy, which I found intriguing.”

The six-episode series is character-driven, with each episode centered on a different protagonist.

“I wanted to craft an engaging story by piecing together the balance within the entangled fates of the characters, like a puzzle,” the director said.

The series' mystery is also solved gradually, according to the director, giving out information bit by bit.

“The challenge was not to have the viewers realize everything at once, but to have them gradually uncover the truth, like slowly unraveling a tangled thread as the story progresses,” he said.

Guest appearances by Kim Nam-gil and Cho Jin-woong add to the drama's star power. Director Lee expressed gratitude for the actors' contributions, calling them essential to maintaining the drama's intensity.

“I believe they played a key role in enriching the overall level of the work and maintaining the tension all the way to the end.”

Less than a week away from its premiere at 4 p.m. on April 4, Park hopes the series can become a hot topic among viewers after its release.

“I don’t think I’ve ever felt this nervous and excited before, but we’ve prepared really well and with confidence, and I genuinely believe it’s a great piece,” Park said. “I hope this work sparks a lot of conversation among viewers.”

“Though the project was shot in the coldest weather, we worked really hard, and I hope that the viewers will be able to receive and feel the energy we poured into it,” Lee Kwang-soo added.


BY KIM JI-YE [kim.jiye@joongang.co.kr]