Goodbye IU & Park Bo-gum, Hello Chaos: Netflix’s New K-Drama Brings the Heat

Following the tearjerking drama When Life Gives You Tangerines, a new “spicy” series, Karma is set to hit screens.

On March 31, a press conference for Netflix’s upcoming series Karma (directed and written by Lee Il-hyung) was held at the Grand Ballroom of JW Marriott Dongdaemun Square in Jongno-gu, Seoul. The event was attended by director Lee Il-hyung and cast members Park Hae-soo, Shin Min-ah, Lee Hee-jun, Kim Sung-kyun, Lee Kwang-soo, and Gong Seung-yeon.

Karma is a crime thriller that follows six individuals entangled in inescapable toxic connections. It’s directed and written by Lee Il-hyung, known for the film A Violent Prosecutor.

Director Lee commented on following up When Life Gives You Tangerines, saying, “I watched it diligently and even teared up from the first episode. It’d be a lie to say I don’t feel pressure.” He added, “We have our own genre-specific charm. If viewers have enjoyed heartwarming stories, maybe they’re ready for something spicier now. Rather than expecting a specific outcome, I just hope as many people as possible enjoy watching it.”

Park Hae-soo plays the role of a man who witnesses a mysterious accident in the middle of the night — the “witness guy.” He gets caught in a web of bad fate after accepting a dangerous offer from the “glasses guy,” who is trying to cover up the incident.

On why he joined the project, Park said, “What drew me in was the story. It was intense and extreme, but the kind of script you could follow in one breath — I haven’t come across many like that.” He added, “I was really drawn to the plot twists and structure.”

Shin Min-ah takes on the role of Ju-yeon, a surgeon who lives with lifelong trauma. Ju-yeon is forced to confront someone she hoped never to see again, sending her into an emotional spiral.

Reflecting on her return to the thriller genre, Shin said, “I’ve always liked genre pieces and wanted to do more of them. I was really happy to take this on and had a strong desire to do well.” Speaking about her first impression of the script, she said, “It felt fresh. Even though the character offered to me appears later, I was so immersed that I knew I wanted to do it before my character’s story even started.” Regarding her character, she added, “She’s someone living in pain due to past trauma. I had many discussions with the director to capture the weight of that pain in a realistic way.”

Lee Kwang-soo plays the successful and seemingly perfect traditional medicine doctor, the “glasses guy.” A mistake he makes one night spirals into a disastrous incident, and as he tries to cover it up, he ends up risking everything.

When asked why he took on the role, Lee joked, “I was sweating so much while reading the script that the pages were soaked.” Speaking about his character, he said, “I wanted to explore his pathetic side as he becomes desperate and cowardly in extreme situations.” When host Park Kyung-rim asked if viewers could expect a new side of him, Lee firmly replied, “Yes, I think they will.” He added, “I’ve always said I wanted to try playing a villain. In a way, this role in Karma made that dream come true. I’m grateful to the director for that.”

Karma premieres on April 4.