Upcoming sci-fi thriller "Blood Free," slated to launch Wednesday on Disney+, is as thought-provoking as it is entertaining, according to its cast.

The actors assembled Monday to launch the 10-part series revolving around former bodyguard Woo Chae-woon, played by Ju Ji-hoon, who is haunted by past failures.

After diving down a rabbit hole of tangled leads, he finds himself recruited to protect Yoon Ja-yoo, the CEO of a controversial lab-grown meat company, played by Han Hyo-joo, who also survived the same fateful attack that changed Chae-woon's life.



"Cultured meat is commercial to an extent these days and the series deals with the potential problems — ethical, political and economic — that can arise from this technology," actor Lee Moo-saeng said during the press conference for "Blood Free" at Conrad Seoul in Yeongdeungpo District, western Seoul.

"This work is meaningful to me not only as an actor but also as just a human being, as it gave me a chance to reflect." Lee plays a lab researcher and friend of Ja-yoo who helped co-found the cultured meat company.

"The series deals with topics worth contemplating," said Ju. "I really think it is amazing how the writer incorporated a serious subject into such an entertaining story."

Screenwriter Lee Soo-yeon, best known for her work on "Stranger" (2017), is behind the script of "Blood Free."

"I thought it was a smart script with a smart topic at a perfect moment," said Han. "After reading it for the first time, I remember writing in my diary, 'Finally, good material has come to me.' It made my heart beat faster."

As the show is set in the future, it introduces concepts and technologies that are yet to exist. "I think one of the things that could be interesting for the viewers is to see how technology could evolve in the near future," said Lee.

Due to many of these elements being computer generated, the actors spent a lot of time pointing at empty spaces and flailing their arms around. "There were times when I felt a bit embarrassed after doing a scene," Ju said.

But all the actors were professional throughout the shoot, a feat that director Park Cheol-hwan appreciated.

"It's an honor to have worked with such reliable, veteran actors," he said. "I had no worries going into shooting."

Ju's experience can be seen in the show's intense action scenes, some of which were filmed in a single cut. Han also skillfully stepped into character, most notably by changing her tone of voice.

"My character doesn't show too much emotion. She is hard to read, and for that, a new tone felt necessary," said Han.





BY LEE JIAN [lee.jian@joongang.co.kr]