Netflix has canceled an upcoming livestream for the promotional event of its thriller series “Trigger” following a recent deadly shooting in Incheon, a rare incident in Korea where gun-related crimes are extremely uncommon.

The streaming platform announced that while the “Trigger Talk & Shot” offline fan event would still take place as planned at 7:30 p.m. on Tuesday, the event would no longer be streamed live.


Though Netflix did not explicitly cite a reason for the change, the decision appears to reflect sensitivity toward the shooting, which occurred just two days earlier.

“Trigger” is set in a fictional Korea where illegal firearms begin appearing across the country. The story follows two men — each driven by different motives — as gun-related incidents escalate. Actor Kim Nam-gil stars as Lee Do, a police officer who returns to duty to uphold justice, while Kim Young-kwang plays Moon Baek, an ally who aids Lee Do at various crime scenes. The series is directed by Kwon Oh-seung, known for the 2021 film “Midnight,” and is scheduled to premiere on July 25.

The shooting that likely prompted the cancellation took place at 9:30 p.m. on Sunday at an apartment in Songdo, Incheon. A 62-year-old man allegedly shot his 34-year-old son using a homemade shotgun constructed from steel piping. The shooting occurred after the son prepared a birthday dinner for his father.

The assailant fired three rounds — each containing 12 metal pellets — two of which struck the victim in the chest and abdomen. The son was transported to a nearby hospital by emergency responders but died shortly after.

Police apprehended the suspect at 12:15 a.m. on July 21 in southern Seoul’s Seocho District. Officers blocked his vehicle with a patrol car and forcibly opened the door to arrest him after a brief attempt to flee.

Inside the car, authorities found 11 steel pipes believed to be gun barrels, some of them loaded, along with 86 rounds of ammunition.

During questioning, the man reportedly said he had learned how to make firearms online and had acquired the ammunition about 20 years ago with the intent of taking his own life. The bullets were purchased from a licensed hunter and stored in a warehouse, according to his statement to police.


Translated from the JoongAng Ilbo using generative AI and edited by Korea JoongAng Daily staff.
BY CHO MUN-GYU [shin.minhee@joongang.co.kr]