Disney+'s action-packed revenge series “The Manipulated” premieres on Wednesday, featuring EXO’s Doh Kyung-soo in his first-ever villain role. He revealed that he had put a lot of thought into how to make his character look “eerie,” including his short, dark hairstyle.

“I think I spent a lot of time thinking about how to make Yo-han look eerie,” Doh said during the show’s press conference held at the Conrad Seoul hotel in western Seoul on Monday.


“So, I got my hair permed and dyed, then permed it again and dyed it back to black. It always took more than four hours to get my hair done.”

He also said that he studied previous villains through films and documentaries. “And since I couldn’t directly experience what it’s like to be someone like Yo-han, I spent a lot of time imagining and recalling what I’d seen in films and documentaries, looking into people with that kind of nature or tendency.”

The action thriller series follows Park Tae-joong, played by Ji Chang-wook, whose ordinary life is turned upside down after being framed for a crime. He later finds out that it was orchestrated by sculptor Yo-han, portrayed by EXO’s Doh, and begins to take revenge.

Produced by Park Sin-woo and written by Oh Sang-ho, who also penned hit TV series “Taxi Driver” (2021-), the drama stars Ji and Doh, joined by actors Lee Kwang-soo, Jo Yoon-su and Kim Jong-soo.

Ji refers to the series as having “a lot to see,” filled with compelling characters and dynamic interactions. He added, “I personally had some ambition as well as confidence in pulling it off.”

The central plot revolves around the intense battle between Tae-joong and Yo-han.

Ji described Yo-han as his “target and a downright awful person — just beating him up wouldn’t be enough,” while Doh referred Ji’s character as a “cockroach.”

“He [Tae-joong] is incredibly resilient,” Doh said. “No matter how many times I try to step on him, he just keeps coming, crawling back again and again.”

Alongside Doh’s Yo-han, another villain sits beside him, Baek Do-kyung, played by Lee. Baek is both wealthy and ruthless and is a VIP client of Yo-han's.

“When I read my character’s part in the script, I thought he was one of the worst characters [I’ve played],” Lee said. “It made me want to spit at the pages.”

“Seeing and feeling all those moments that are frustrating, irritating and infuriating, I really wanted to bring them to life and make sure the audience could feel them, too.”

The series is also an adaptation of screenwriter Oh’s 2017 film “Fabricated City,” which he penned. It starred actor Ji as Kwon-yoo, an unemployed gamer framed for murder who goes on the run.

Producer Park said casting Ji again as the lead “went without saying.”

“Even before the script was out, Ji already showed his willingness to take on the role ever since discussions of the film being adapted into a drama started,” said producer Park. “He showed deep affection for the project, patiently waiting through the long process, from the scriptwriting to investment decisions.”

He added, “Honestly, I couldn’t imagine anyone else in the role, so it just felt completely natural.”

Ji also explained that he separated the characters from “Fabricated City” and from the upcoming series.

“I approached this role [Tae-joong] without directly linking the character to the character I played previously in ‘Fabricated City,’” Ji said. “So, I think the viewers can see him as an entirely different character.”

With just two days left until its premiere, the producer and cast showed confidence in the upcoming series, promising a sense of catharsis and a binge-worthy experience.

Actor Lee affirmed this, "Personally, I’m confident that once you start watching ‘The Manipulated,’ you won’t be able to stop.”

Disney+ series “The Manipulated” will release its first four episodes on Wednesday. The 12-episode series will continue with new episodes every Wednesday over the following four weeks.


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