Daniel Dae Kim, lead actor of Prime Video's spy thriller "Butterfly," described the show as coming at the "right time," as it brings a Korean setting and culture into a U.S. production amid unprecedented global interest in Korean content.

“I felt like 'now' because there's so much interest and popularity of Korean food, beauty products, drama and K-pop,” Daniel Dae Kim said during the show’s Korean press conference held in Yongsan District, central Seoul, on Thursday, ahead of the show’s Korean premiere.



“Now I felt like the time was right in the American marketplace to be able to tell the story and have the studio want to do it. Because before, if we wanted to try to do this, five or 10 years ago, I don't think there was as much interest in Korea, and so even though I would want to make the story, the studio wouldn't buy it,” the actor said.

After airing globally through Prime Video on Aug. 13, the series is set for a TV release through tvN in Korea on Friday, as the streaming service is not available in the country.

The six-episode thriller follows Daniel Dae Kim’s character, David Jung, a former U.S. intelligence agent hunted by a sociopathic young agent named Rebecca, who is assigned to kill him. Alongside Daniel Dae Kim, the cast includes Reina Hardesty, Sean Richard Dulake and a lineup of Korean actors such as Kim Tae-hee, Kim Ji-hoon and Park Hae-soo.

Although filmed on location in Korea, “Butterfly” is a U.S. production and marks the Hollywood debut of the Korean national actors.

Kim Tae-hee, who plays David’s wife, said that she was proud to be part of the project and to portray an ordinary Korean woman. She explained that her role was “one of the most everyday” characters she has taken on, and the one closest to her own daily life.

She also shared her goal for the show and that her husband, singer-actor Rain, who also has Hollywood experience, strongly encouraged her to take on the project.

“I hope it lets people discover what makes Korea special and feel closer to the country,” she said.

Packed with intense action, the espionage thriller also carries a heartwarming message, according to Daniel Dae Kim, something that Korean viewers should look forward to.

“At its heart, I like the fact that it's also a family drama. It's a relationship show,” Daniel Dae Kim said. “So even if you're not an action fan, you'll have something that you can understand here.”

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