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Netflix K-Drama Karma(Photo Credit –Netflix)

Netflix has unleashed a storm with Karma, the latest Korean crime thriller that’s grabbing attention for being just the right kind of unhinged. It dropped like a bomb this month, and fans haven’t looked back ever since. Tension, blood, betrayal, it’s a wild carousel that keeps spinning, dragging six strangers into a grim waltz of cause and consequence.

Six Strangers, One Vicious Cycle, and Zero Escape

At the center of the series is a broke man who suddenly sees dollar signs in his father’s life insurance and hatches a dangerous plan. Meanwhile, a woman is cornered by her own worst fears, while a hit-and-run driver finds himself at the mercy of a blackmailer who saw too much. It’s less about who they are and more about the terrible choices that lock them into a shared spiral of destruction.

Based on the hit Kakao webtoon,...

Iu And Byeon Woo Seok’s Romance Drama Confirms Broadcast Plans (Photo Credit – Instagram)

Fans, are you ready? Iu and Byeon Woo Seok’s much-awaited pair is finally set to greet the screen. After a long wait, Mbc has finally confirmed the broadcast plans for the upcoming drama Wife of a 21st Century Prince (working title). The romance drama will also feature Noh Sang-Hyun and Gong Seung-Yeon in pivotal roles.

On April 21, Mbc confirmed that Iu and Byeon Woo Seok‘s drama Wife of a 21st Century Prince will premiere in 2026. Although the exact date is yet to be revealed, fans are more excited than ever for its highly anticipated release. The buzz about the drama began in 2024, and earlier this year, there was also a rumor of their exit from the production, which was dismissed.

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Shin Min-Ah Interview Still(Photo Credit –Instagram)

Shin Min-Ah, who gained massive popularity after her K-drama, Hometown Cha-Cha-Cha, is currently starring in a thriller series, Karma, on Netflix. The series aired on April 4, 2025, and has already garnered a lot of viewers, making it trending in different countries. The actress bears a cute look, which often lands her in the K-dramas where she plays a happy-go-lucky character.

However, the No Gain No Love actress wants to play negative characters as well. In a recent conversation, she talked about her role in Karma and explained how, despite wanting to play a darker role, directors often give her the leads of a positive protagonist because of her looks. Scroll down to read more.

In an interview with the Korean media outlet, Herald Pop on April 9 (via KBizoom), Shin Min-Ah opened up about what she thought after receiving the script of Karma for the first time.

Netflix’s latest South Korean crime thriller, “Karma” (originally titled “Akyeon”), delves into the intricate web of fate and consequence. Released on April 4, 2025, the series portrays six individuals whose lives become entangled through a series of irreversible decisions and unforeseen events. Directed by Lee Il-hyung and based on Choi Hee-seon’s webtoon, “Karma” offers a gripping narrative that explores themes of destiny, revenge, and redemption. This article is a comprehensive guide to Karma cast & characters.

Series Overview

“Karma” unfolds as a dark and gripping crime thriller that delves into the lives of six individuals whose fates become dangerously intertwined. At its core is Kim Beom-jun (Park Hae-soo), an ordinary man who witnesses a mysterious accident and finds himself drawn into a shadowy underworld through an irreversible deal. His choices set off a domino effect that touches everyone around him.

Lee Ju-yeon (Shin Min-a), a talented doctor, struggles to maintain her...

It's a sad fact of entertainment that not all movies and television shows are created equal, with every great project balanced by at least one that's subpar at best. This axiom, of course, is also true of K-dramas, the blanket term used for scripted television from South Korea of any genre. As numerous celebrated K-dramas find widespread success with international audiences, more Korean movies and shows are available overseas through popular streaming platforms like Netflix. However, there are just some shows on Netflix that you should probably steer clear of, or at least strongly consider watching different Korean shows over instead.

With some projects suffering from formulaic writing or a clear lack of chemistry between lead actors in romance series, not every K-drama is going to be the next "Squid Game." This certainly isn't a dig on Netflix, with the platform curating a growing library of excellent K-dramas to check out.

A new trailer has been released for the upcoming South Korean crime thriller Karma (Korean: 악연). The series is written and directed by Lee Il-hyung and stars Park Hae-soo, Shin Min-a, Lee Hee-joon, Kim Sung-kyun, Lee Kwang-soo, and Gong Seung-yeon. It is based on the popular Kakao Webtoon Ill-fated Relationship by Choi Hee-seon. The series will premiere on Netflix on April 4, 2025.

Karma follows the lives of people trapped in a dangerous web of fate. A man makes an irreversible deal after witnessing a mysterious accident. A doctor struggles with a lifelong trauma after meeting someone from her past.

Another man, drowning in debt from cryptocurrency investments, finds himself in a desperate situation. Meanwhile, a man who loses his job unfairly is drawn into a risky deal. Their lives become deeply connected through bad luck and fate.

The series features a strong cast, including: Park Hae-soo, Shin Min-a, Lee Hee-joon, Kim Sung-kyun,...

“Karma” is a new live-action, South Korean-produced, crime thriller TV series, written and directed by Lee Il-hyung, starring Park Hae-soo, Shin Min-a, Lee Hee-joon, Kim Sung-kyun, Lee Kwang-soo and Gong Seung-yeon, based on the webtoon by Choi Hee-seon, streaming April 4, 2025 on Netflix:

“…the series is about people who are entangled in an unexpected ill-fated relationship and destroy each other while pursuing their own desires…

“…including a man who makes an irreversible deal after witnessing a mysterious accident, a doctor who has a lifelong trauma from the incident she experienced as a child and meets someone she didn't want to see again…

“…a debt-ridden man who invested in cryptocurrency by borrowing money from private lenders in hopes of striking gold but ended up in debt with negative returns, and a man who loses his job unfairly and falls into the trap of bad luck when he receives a request for a large sum of money.

Netflix has released an official trailer for its upcoming K-Drama series, Karma. In its official logline, the show is teased as a thrilling tale of karma and crime, in which a fateful incident will intertwine six lives and have each of them face dark truths and connections. The show stars Squid Game season 1's Park Hae-soo (who played Cho Sang-woo), alongside Shin Min-a, Jun Hee Lee, and Gong Seung-yeon. Filmmaker Lee Il-hyung serves as the creator of the series and is known for directing 2022's Remember and A Violent Prosecutor.

Netflix's channel on YouTube, Netflix K-Content, has released a second trailer for the upcoming series Karma. The first teaser for the series was posted about two weeks ago and currently has 167 thousand views, with a lot of excitement directed toward Park and Shin's involvement. Park's role as Player 218 in Squid Game season 1 no doubt brought a lot of traction to his name and,...

Six lives, one inescapable fate. That’s the tagline for Netflix’s upcoming South Korean series “Karma” from director Lee Il-hyung, based on the Kakao Webtoon with the same title.

“Karma” premieres April 4, only on Netflix. Watch the official trailer below.

In the series, “A hit-and-run. A cover-up. A debt-fueled murder plot. Karma weaves together the fates of six characters, each bound by a single, irreversible moment.”

The series stars “Squid Game” actor Park Hae-soo as the Witness, Shin Min-a as Ju-yeon, Lee Hee-jun as the Debtor, Kim Sung-kyun as Gil-ryong, Lee Kwang-soo as Glasses, and Gong Seung-yeon as Yu-jeong — each caught in a web of choices that refuses to be buried.

“Karma” is a Moonlight Film, Baram Pictures, and Kakao Entertainment production.

The post ‘Karma’ – Netflix’s Korean Thriller Series Stars ‘Squid Game’ Actor Park Hae-Soo [Trailer] appeared first on Bloody Disgusting!.

Here’s a trailer for Karma, the latest Korean Netflix original. Starring Park Hae-soo, Shin Min-a, Lee Hee-jun, Kim Sung-kyun, Lee Kwang-soo and Gong Seung-yeon, the show premieres on April 4.

Trailer opens with a chilling request, as a man pleads: “I need you to kill someone. My father.” A car accident follows, bringing together a crew of characters who find that they have more in common than they had first imagined.

The series is adapted from Kakao webtoon Karma and written and directed by Lee Il-hyung, who made box office hit A Violent Prosecutor.

Karma revolves around a fateful accident, which intertwines six lives in a tale of karma and crime, where each must face their own dark truths and connections.

These characters include: A desperate debtor who uncovers a 500 million won insurance policy on his father’s life and begins plotting, a woman who comes face-to-face with the source...

Netflix has debuted the trailer for the upcoming new Korean series Karma!

Squid Game actor Park Hae-soo stars in the crime thriller, which is slated to be released in the US in just a couple of weeks.

Here’s a synopsis: A hit-and-run. A cover-up. A debt-fueled murder plot. Karma weaves together the fates of six characters, each bound by a single, irreversible moment.

Keep reading to find out more…

In the series, Hae-soo plays the Witness, Shin Min-a plays Ju-yeon, Lee Hee-jun plays the Debtor, Kim Sung-kyun plays Gil-ryong, Lee Kwang-soo plays Glasses, and Gong Seung-yeon plays Yu-jeong, who are “each caught in a web of choices that refuses to be buried.”

Karma will premiere on Netflix on Friday, April 4th. Check out the trailer and learn more about the players below!

Park Hae-soo as The Witness

The Witness observed a mysterious accident in the dead of night, setting the Unspoken Fate in motion.

“Karma” is a new live-action, South Korean-produced, crime thriller TV series, written and directed by Lee Il-hyung, starring Park Hae-soo, Shin Min-a, Lee Hee-joon, Kim Sung-kyun, Lee Kwang-soo and Gong Seung-yeon, based on the webtoon by Choi Hee-seon, streaming April 4, 2025 on Netflix:

“…the series is about people who are entangled in an unexpected ill-fated relationship and destroy each other while pursuing their own desires…

“…including a man who makes an irreversible deal after witnessing a mysterious accident, a doctor who has a lifelong trauma from the incident she experienced as a child and meets someone she didn't want to see again…

“…a debt-ridden man who invested in cryptocurrency by borrowing money from private lenders in hopes of striking gold but ended up in debt with negative returns, and a man who loses his job unfairly and falls into the trap of bad luck when he receives a request for a large sum of money.

Maybe we don’t always prioritise others, but that doesn’t mean we always go unnoticed. Aloners (2021), a 90-minute Korean drama, offers a quiet yet profound meditation on isolation, grief, and mostly on human connection. Directed by Hong Sung-eun and starring Gong Seung-yeon, the film follows Jina, an experienced call-centre employee for a credit card company, as she navigates her monotonous daily routine.

She wakes up after yet another sleepless night, commutes to work by bus, takes her scheduled cigarette breaks with robotic precision, eats lunch alone, and returns home—always on the same bus, often in the same seat. Every action is performed with a near-mechanical detachment, her face a blank slate devoid of emotion. What remains clear is that she is alone—at home, at work, during her commute, in every aspect of her life.

The film slowly peels back the layers of Jina’s life, revealing the deep-seated grief she carries.

Horror comedy is directed by Nam Dong-hyub.

Korean sales company Contents Panda is to launch sales on horror comedy Handsome Guys at the Asian Contents & Film Market (Acfm) in Busan.

The film stars Lee Sung-min and Lee Hee-jun, who both starred in Woo Min-ho’s The Man Standing Next – South Korea’s entry to the Oscars in 2021. Lee Sung-min is also known for his role in Yoon Jong-bin’s Cannes 2018 title The Spy Gone North. The cast also includes Gong Seung-yeon (Aloners).

A first look at the feature can be seen above.

It marks the feature directorial debut of Korea’s Nam Dong-hyub,...

Jina (Gong Seung-yeon) is the top employee at a call center, but despite talking to customers all day, she has shut out the world beyond her headset; she lives alone, eats alone, sleeps alone, and her cell phone is her constant companion. When one day she’s tasked with training a friendly and naive new hire (Jung Da-eun), her icy armor is threatened. At the same time, she must navigate an incessantly ingratiating new neighbor, and increasingly urgent phone calls from her father, leaving Jina teetering on the edge of an existential crisis, forcing her to confront why she has isolated herself all these years.

Riffing on the Korean “honjok”—a phenomenon of young people who live alone and skirt social interaction—to examine the personal traumas of loss and alienation, this subtly poetic directorial debut is a “stirring portrait of the cages we build for ourselves and questions how...

Korean dramas, once popular for soothing and emotional romantic stories, are now seen as all-rounders that offer not only action and thriller dramas but also spine-chilling horrors, which often go unnoticed by many viewers. Nonetheless, fans of K-dramas are gradually growing accustomed to the genre integrations that have been happening lately with titles such as Reborn Rich, which perfectly blends fantasy and revenge with modern world politics.

On top of so many genres to choose from, the monthly releases of the dramas have become a fantastic source of entertainment for the fans, especially with a handful of them gaining immense popularity in the span of just a few days after their release. For instance, Bloodhounds, which was released in June, became an instant action phenomenon, garnering a score of 8.7/10 on MyDramaList. August, like every other month, is jam-packed with exciting releases, so here's a rundown of the best Korean dramas...

Filmmaker Hong Sung-eun's feature directorial debut, Aloners, epitomizes the idea that cinema can be a universal language. Though she tells a distinctly Korean story, the questions of life — and, by extension, livelihood — that she explores can be applied to all of us, no matter where we find ourselves in the world. In this way, Hong effectively holds up a mirror to who and where we are as an increasingly disconnected society, tracing a line of beauty between what it means to be alone and what it means to be lonely, and, more importantly, what it takes to cross that line and open yourself up to those around you.

Starring Gong Seung-yeon, Aloners follows a young woman named Jina, who seemingly prefers a life of solitude. She clocks in and out of her unglamorous, but easy, job at a credit card company call center without investing more emotional energy than she...

Set in pre-pandemic Seoul, Hong Sung-eun’s sensitive drama “Aloners” is a reflective interrogation into modern loneliness, as well as the silent brutalities of today’s urban life defined by competition, technology and nonstop productivity. The film follows a depressed young woman named Jina (Gong Seung-yeon), who works at a call center. She is currently the top employee in the office and is praised for having handled the greatest number of calls despite having lost her mother recently. Productivity is the most-valued trait in her workplace, and Jina knows this well. She treats all her clients equally, whether they happen to be deranged, abusive or pleasant. Her voice is always polite and calm regardless of how her often-entitled clients behave, but her eyes appear soulless. She looks like someone with a serious but completely asymptomatic disease.

Jina speaks to no one unless it’s necessary. She clearly comes from a...

Save The Date

Film Movement has announced the festival favourite directorial debut from Hong Seong-eun premieres via VOD and Digital on June 9, 2023.

Synopsis

Jina (Gong Seung-yeon) is the top employee at a call center, but despite talking to customers all day, she has shut out the world beyond her headset; she lives alone, eats alone, sleeps alone, and her cell phone is her constant companion. When one day she's tasked with training a friendly and naive new hire (Jung Da-eun), her icy armor is threatened. At the same time, she must navigate an incessantly ingratiating new neighbor, and increasingly urgent phone calls from her father, leaving Jina teetering on the edge of an existential crisis, forcing her to confront why she has isolated herself all these years. Riffing on the Korean ‘honjok' – a phenomenon of young people who live alone and skirt social interaction – to examine the personal traumas of loss and alienation,...

"Do you make a habit of being pissed off all the time?" Film Movement has revealed an official US trailer for an indie thriller from Korea called Aloners, marking the feature directorial debut of filmmaker Hong Seong-eun. This premiered in 2021 and opened in Korea that year, while also playing at the Toronto, Zurich, San Sebastian, and Hamburg Film Festivals. It's finally getting a release on VOD in this US this summer - after waiting a few years. Jina is the top employee at a call center, despite talking to customers all day, she has shut out the world beyond her headset. When training a friendly new hire, her icy armor is threatened forcing her to confront why she isolates herself. The film is riffing on the Korean 'honjok' – a phenomenon of young people who live alone and skirt social interaction – to examine the personal traumas of loss and alienation. This stars Gong Seung-yeon,...

A selection at the Toronto International Film Festival, Golden Horse Film Festival, Torino Film Festival (where Gong Seung-yeon picked up Best Actress), San Sebastian International Film Festival, and more, Hong Sung-eun’s directorial debut Aloners comes to U.S. shores next month with much acclaim. Also starring Jung Da-eun, Seo Hyun-woo, Park Jeong-hak, and Kim Hannah, the film explores a modern life of isolation in Korea. Ahead of a June 9 release from Film Movement, we’re pleased to exclusively debut its new U.S. trailer.

Here’s the synopsis: “Jina (Gong Seung-yeon) is the top employee at a call center, but despite talking to customers all day, she has shut out the world beyond her headset; she lives alone, eats alone, sleeps alone, and her cell phone is her constant companion. When one day she’s tasked with training a friendly and naive new hire (Jung Da-eun), her icy armor is threatened.

Stars of ‘Decision To Leave’ and ‘Squid Game’ were among those on the red carpet.

The 24th Jeonju International Film Festival opened tonight (April 27) with stars on the red carpet, a dramatic taekwondo performance onstage, and Jean-Pierre and Luc Dardenne greeting the audience at the Sori Arts Center of Jeollabuk-do before the screening of opening film Tori And Lokita.

“Thank you for welcoming us and for defending cinema in the world,” said the Belgian filmmaking duo on their much-anticipated first trip to the country. “Thank you also to the cinema of Korea, because we did not know South Korea except...

There is no denying that the infamous saying of modern technology being able to bring us together while also dividing us at the same time rings truer than ever in times of a worldwide pandemic. While the term “social distancing” has become increasingly popular in the present, the idea itself is nothing new as our technological gadgets, from cell phones to tablets and computers, have paved the way for an era of the disconnected. Even jobs today, with a few exceptions, make contact with people less necessary, especially since the majority of customers rather call or send an e-mail rather than attempting to solve an issue face-to-face. In her feature debut, director Hong Sung-eun explores this aspect of modern life, how technology forces us into a state of isolation and how we might welcome this development. At the same time, the story also deals with the apparitions and ghosts that...

“Aloners,” a critically-acclaimed debut feature about loneliness, is set to receive a theatrical release in North America in early 2022. All rights in the region were acquired by Film Movement.

The film, directed by South Korea’s Hong Sung-eun, reflects on the growing phenomenon of one-person households and tells a tale of an anti-social woman who is forced out of her shell.

It was produced by the Korean Academy of Film Arts and represented in international markets by M-Line Distribution. Film Movement plans a theatrical outing in North American theaters that will be followed by releases to all leading home entertainment and digital platforms.

The film made its first appearance at the Jeonju International Film Festival, where it won the Cgv Arthouse Award Distribution Support prize and the best actress prize for Gong Seung-yeon. Gong also won the Korean Association of Film Critics prize for best new actress in the central role.

Turkish director Selman Nacar’s “Between Two Dawns,” a taut moral thriller exploring ethical and familial responsibilities over the course of one 24-hour period, took home the top honor at the 39th edition of the Torino Film Festival, which ran from Nov. 26 – Dec. 4.

Chaired by director Ildikó Enyedi, and made up of actor Alessandro Gassmann, composer Evgueni Galperine and sales exec Isabel Ivars, this year’s jury commended Nacar’s filmmaking, calling the winning title “a mature film, directed with intelligent sobriety, which reveals a new, big talent.” The prize came with a purse of €18,000.

No doubt glad to return to in-person, restriction free screenings after last year’s online only edition, the jury spread the love around, offering special jury prizes to both Omar El Zohairy’s “Feathers” and Amalia Ulman’s “El Planeta.” Ulman’s film also won the Fipresci prize. Acting honors went to South Korea’s Gong Seung-yeon,...

In a capitalist system, it’s easier to succeed if one is alone. One can then move around to wherever there is opportunity and fit into any schedule required. One is less likely to be emotionally distracted. Indeed, the less one engages emotionally, the easier it is to take the abuse frequently targeted at front line workers by frustrated customers. In her role providing telephone support for people having problems with their credit cards, Jin-ah (Gong Seung-yeon) is always effortlessly polite, contrite and sympathetic on behalf of her employer, completing calls quickly and maximising customer satisfaction. She’s the perfect productive unit. But how much room does that leave for her to be a person?

Perhaps it’s personhood that Ji-na dislikes. She’s estranged from her father, dutifully watching over him by means of a camera he knows nothing about. Her mother’s death is frustrating because it interrupts...

Kurosawa Kiyoshi’s period action drama “Wife of a Spy” was the biggest winner at the 15th edition of the Asian Film Awards. It collected three major prizes including the best film award.

The 18 prizes were handed out Friday evening at a hybrid ceremony with the in-person component held at Busan’s Paradise Hotel. Organizers said that 80 nominees attended either in person or online. Among those in Busan to tread the Afa red carpet were Korean stars and prize-winners Lee Byung-hun and Yoo Ah-in.

Directors Lee Chang-dong and Hamaguchi Ryusuke were also in attendance, along with Korean stars Jun Jong-seo, Park Jeong-min, Jang Yoon-ju, Kim Hyun-bin and Gong Seung-yeon.

“Wife of a Spy” was conceived as a TV film. A theatrical version debuted last year at the Venice Film festival and there won the Silver Lion. It enjoyed a high-profile festival career with subsequent stops at San Sebastian, El Gouna and Hainan,...

Does choosing to be alone truly mean we are better off? Hong Sung-eun, director of the thought-provoking melodramatic film “Aloners,” begs to differ. “We are all connected anyway, so a decent farewell is a mere act of courtesy to close out a chapter,” says Hong.

“Aloners” tells a story about Jina, a top-notched employee at a credit card company call center. She chooses a solitary lifestyle and avoids building relationships with the people around her until the death of her lonely neighbor pushes her to address these relationships one by one. While the theme of loneliness pulsates throughout the film, Jina’s outlook is juxtaposed against her father (played by Park Jeong-bak), her rookie coworker Sujin (Jung Da-eun) and her new neighbor Seonghun (Seo Hyun-woo). All serve as reminders of human connectivity, notably during arduous times.

Premiered at the 22nd Jeonju Intl. Film Festival, and sold by M-Line Distribution, “Aloners” scored two awards.

The Academy (Afaa) revealed the nominees for the 15th Asian Film Awards today. Thirty-six films from eight Asian regions will compete for 16 awards. China’s One Second, South Korea’s The Book of Fish, India’s The Disciple, and two Japanese films, Wheel of Fortune and Fantasy and Wife of a Spy, compete for this year’s “Best Film Award.”

Three Hong Kong films were nominated for this year’s Afa, including Drifting, directed by Jun Li, nominated for Best Supporting Actor and Actress. Limbo, directed by Cheang Pou-soi, was nominated for Best Actor, Best Cinematography, Best Production Design and Best sound; Adam Wong’s The Way We Keep Dancing was nominated for Best Original Music.

The Afaa is honoured that legendary South Korean filmmaker Lee Chang-dong will be this year’s Jury President. Lee was the lifetime award recipient at the 13th Asian Film Awards.He won the “Best...

Spain’s San Sebastian Festival, the most important film meet in the Spanish-speaking world, has unveiled the 13 title lineup of its 2021 New Directors lineup, which includes awaited debuts such as Argentine Mara Pescio’s “That Weekend” and Spaniard Javier Marco’s “Josephine” plus Jeonju Fest double winner “Aloners.”

Here are the titles and some descriptions. More details to come:

“Aloners”

Winner at May’s Jeonju Intl. Film Festival of the best actor prize for Gong Seung-yeon who plays a loner woman working at a customer call center who discourages any social contact. A psychological study in solitariness, “Aloners” also scooped the Cgv Arthouse award.

“Between Two Dawns”

A standout and eventual double winner at San Sebastian’s 2020 Wip Europa, Nacar’s debut, about a man struggling to do the right thing following an accident in his family’s business.

“Carajita”

Set in the Dominican Republic and the Argentine directorial duo’s follow-up to 2017 “Tigre,...

Documentaries and pictures made by female filmmakers dominated the prize ranks of South Korea’s Jeonju International Film Festival. Some, including “Splinters” which won the festival’s Grand Prize, were qualified on both counts.

“Splinters” aka “Esquirlas,” is an Argentinian-made documentary about the military-industrial complex, which premiered last year at the Mar Del Plata festival. It emerged as an expansion of a home video shot by director Natalia Garayalde, who recorded the explosion of an arms factory in 1995, when she was 12 years old.

Another documentary, Marta Popivoda’s “Landscapes of Resistance,” took the best picture award in the festival’s international competition.

A third film, “Friends and Strangers,” took the special jury prize. Directed by James Vaughan, the black comedy is pitched as a depiction of current day Australia from the viewpoint of Millennials.

The festival kicked off on April 29, 2021 and runs until Saturday (May 9) when it will close with...