K-dramas have become increasingly popular lately, thanks to their expansion into various genres. For instance, we’ve had a slew of exciting dramas this year, ranging from a soothing romantic love story to a gripping revenge-themed thriller starring Song Hye Kyo (Descendants of the Sun). Furthermore, we’ve also had some surprises, such as Bloodhounds, which cast two unexpected actors in complex characters, which we thought wouldn’t be as easy to pull off.
If K-drama fans are delighted to see these developments in the industry and are eager for more, they have one waiting right around the corner of 2023 in the form of the crime drama Vigilante. The series follows a young man named Kim Ji Yong (Nam Joo Hyuk), a student at the police academy who lost his mother at the hands of a gangster when he was young.
When his day as a cop ends, he puts up another persona as a hooded vigilante, storming the streets to clean up any criminals so as not to see more victims like his mother. While the premise gives you plenty of reasons to be enthusiastic, the drama holds many more surprises, which only adds to the anticipation.
Nam Joo Hyuk in an Action Role
Disney+
Many people who are unfamiliar with the actor Nam Joo Hyuk may not think it is a big deal that he would play a full-fledged action part in his upcoming drama, as many actors often venture into these roles. However, Korean dramas are renowned for spending a lot of effort crafting action scenes and seldom use stunt doubles unless necessary.
For instance, many actors such as Ji Chang Wook, Lee Je Hoon, and Song Joong Ki do most of their stunts themselves unless they involve jumping through buildings or breaking ankles. In that sense, Nam Joo Hyuk will be venturing into uncharted territory and needs to undergo training before fighting criminals in the drama by donning a hood.
Furthermore, given how the actor has only played mood-lightening roles in romance dramas thus far, seeing him in the spotlight of a drama fully blood-drenched in violence and gore would be something fans would be looking forward to.
Related: The 20 Best Korean Dramas for Newcomers to the Genre
One of the Darkest Webtoon Stories Around
Webtoon
As many might not be aware, the drama is actually based on a popular webtoon, much like many more adaptations that have been spawning in the industry lately. However, Korean dramas usually don’t delve into darker stories as much as movies do, so it is a welcome addition to this year’s schedule.
Sure, there have been a few dramas that have explored some extremely dark and disturbing stories, like Mouse, Connect, and Dark Hole, but none have managed to hit the bar the audiences had set for them before their release.
Vigilante may wind up in the same place as others, but something tells us that it will be different, perhaps due to its non-complex storyline, which is easier to execute. The most recent drama, Bloodhounds, has been a great example of constant thrills and suspense, and it bears a similar premise to Vigilante, although on the surface.
Related: 14 Best Revenge-Themed K-Dramas That Are So Satisfying
The only worrisome thing would be Disney+ taking on the project rather than Netflix, which has clearly had enormous success with Webtoon adaptations. However, seeing as how Disney+ has already gotten very close to understanding the interests of fans with the previous drama, Connect, it is highly possible that they might just pull it off.
More Reasons to be Excited About
Disney+
While the fact that the drama is adapted from a popular webtoon and its dark premise is intriguing enough, there are plenty more reasons to be excited. For example, it also features a star-studded cast that includes Money Heist Korea’s Yoo Ji Tae, who would be ideal for the role of the detective who hunts down Kim Ji Yong in the drama.
The actor has previously played several outstanding roles, such as Choi Kang Woo in Mad Dog, Kim Moon Ho in Healer, and Park Hee Soo in The Swindlers. Furthermore, the drama also stars two of Korea’s most popular actors: Kim So Jin and Lee Joon Hyuk. While their roles in the drama are currently under disclosure, the actors always produce powerful performances regardless of their parts.
Fans of Through the Darkness would know how versatile Kim So Jin can be, and likewise, if you’ve watched enough Korean dramas, the odds are you’ve probably seen Lee Joon Hyuk in at least one of them. Nine times out of ten, the actor gets as much spotlight as the series’ main protagonist.
It looks like Disney+ is not holding back while adapting the webtoon into a live-action series, as they went so far as to cast these prominent actors. If you haven’t read the webtoon yet, we strongly advise you to do so—while it would ruin the drama’s experience, you would be more enthusiastic than ever to see it in live-action from the artwork that only speaks through words.
Vigilante will be released on Disney+ in November 2023.