6 Korean Titles To Watch On Netflix This Month: ‘Uprising,’ ‘Hellbound’ And More (2024)

Although the blockbuster K-reality cooking competition Culinary Class Wars and the hit romantic K-drama Love Next Door have recently ended, there’s still plenty of K-content to stream this month on Netflix.

From the historical action thriller Uprising to the long-awaited second season of Hellbound to the quirky but heartwarming K-drama A Virtuous Business, which follows four women who bond over selling sex toys (yep, you read that right), here are six Korean shows and films you’ll want to watch this October:

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Uprising (전,란)

Running time: 126 mins

Cast: Gang Dong-won, Park Jeong-min, Cha Seung-won, Kim Shin-rock, Jin Sun-kyu, Jung Sung-il

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Directed by Kim Sang-man (Girl Scout, Midnight FM) and co-written and produced by Park Chan-wook (Oldboy, The Handmaiden, Decision to Leave), this lavish historical action flick offers plenty of gore, destruction and gripping sword-fighting sequences. Set in 16th century Korea during the Joseon dynasty, Uprising tells the story of two childhood friends—one a slave, the other a nobleman—who later turn into bitter enemies during and after the Japanese invasions of Korea from 1592 to 1598 (often known as the Imjin War). Jong-ryeo (Park Jeong-min), the son of Joseon’s most powerful military official, forms a close bond with his servant Cheon-yeong (Gang Dong-won), despite their differences in social status. However, their friendship begins to fall apart when Jong-ryeo’s family reneges on their promise to set Cheon-yeong free.

When war breaks out, the king of Joseon flees and abandons his people. Cheon-yeong joins a militia that successfully fights off some of the Japanese invaders, but their brave efforts go unrewarded. Resentful of his slave status and Joseon’s rigid hierarchy, Cheon-yeong later decides to stage a rebellion against the king and finds himself facing off against Jong-ryeo, who’s become part of the royal guard.

Uprising, whose Korean title <전,란> is an abbreviation of “war” (전쟁) and “revolt” (반란), was the opening film at this year’s Busan International Film Festival, becoming the first streaming title to open BIFF.

Uprising is currently streaming on Netflix.

A Virtuous Business (정숙한 세일즈)

Episodes: 12, with new episodes released every Saturday and Sunday

Cast: Kim So-yeon, Yeon Woo-jin, Kim Sung-ryoung, Kim Sun-yong, Lee Se-hee

A remake of the 2016 British show Brief Encounters, this comedy series from Korean cable TV network JTBC follows four women who start selling adult products door to door in a rural village in 1992, when even mentioning the word “sex” was highly frowned upon. Kim So-yeon stars as Han Jeong-sook, an ordinary, virtuous housewife who realizes her financial situation is desperate when she and her husband cannot even afford to buy their only son a new bag. Seo Young-bok (Kim Sun-young), who has four kids, and Lee Joo-ri (Lee Se-hee), a single mother, are also struggling to make ends meet. Oh Geum-hee (Kim Sung-ryoung) is well-bred and from a wealthy family but spends her days in boredom ever since moving to the village with her husband. Enticed by the opportunity to earn their own money and work flexible hours, the four women decide to jump into the adult products business, turning their whole village upside down with their unconventional wares and embarking on a journey of self-discovery and financial independence in the process.

A Virtuous Business premieres on Netflix on October 12. (Note that the release date might vary in some countries.)

Hellbound Season 2 (지옥)

Episodes: 6

Cast: Kim Hyun-joo, Kim Sung-cheol, Kim Shin-rok, Im Seong-jae

Three years after becoming the world’s most watched show on Netflix, Hellbound finally makes its long-awaited return, this time with Kim Sung-cheol in the role of Jung Jinsu, the chairman of the religious cult The New Truth. Season 1 introduced audiences to a brutal and terrifying enactment of divine retribution: a ghostly, floating face called an “angel” suddenly appears in front of a person to issue a “decree,” which predicts the exact date and time of their death. At the prophesied time, in what’s dubbed a “demonstration,” three hulking supernatural monsters emerge to mangle the condemned individual before reducing their body to ashes.

Season 2 picks up right where Season 1 left off, with the unexpected resurrection of Park Jungja (Kim Shin-rok) and Chairman Jung Jinsu raising all sorts of questions about the nature of the supposedly divine decrees and demonstrations. Why and how are these supernatural beings appearing, and are these people really being condemned to Hell? Find out in this new season of Hellbound, a dark fantasy thriller from acclaimed director Yeon Sang-ho, known for other works like Train to Busan and Parasyte: The Grey.

Hellbound Season 2 premieres on Netflix on October 25.

The following Korean titles will be available on Netflix only in select markets:

Doubt (이토록 친밀한 배신자)

Episodes: 10

Cast: Han Suk-kyu, Chae Won-bin, Han Ye-ri

Legendary Korean actor Han Suk-kyu stars as Jang Tae-soo, a star criminal profiler who is also a single parent raising a teenage daughter. When he learns that she’s involved in a murder case, he goes to great lengths to protect her and expose the truth. But when all the evidence points to his daughter as the murderer, he realizes he cannot completely shake off his doubts about her innocence.

Doubt is currently streaming in EMEA.

My Dearest (연인)

Episodes: 21

Cast: Namkoong Min, Ahn Eun-jin, Lee Hak-joo, Lee Da-in, Kim Yoon-Woo

Inspired by the classic 1936 novel Gone with the Wind, this highly acclaimed historical romance won multiple domestic awards upon its release last year. Spunky noblewoman Gil-chae (Ahn Eun-jin) is popular with the men in her town, but she only has eyes for Confucian scholar Yeon-joon (Lee Hak-joo), who already happens to be engaged to her best friend. Then one day Gil-chae runs into Jang-hyun (Namkoong Min), a charming but enigmatic nobleman who’s also become the talk of the town. Though the two initially get off on the wrong foot, they gradually develop feelings for each other—only to be separated when Joseon is suddenly invaded by the Qing. As a devastating war plunges the land into chaos, Gil-chae and Jang-hyun struggle to stay alive and overcome the various forces driving them apart.

Viewers have praised this show for its stunning cinematography, the chemistry between the two leads, and Gil-chae’s growth into a strong and resilient heroine over the course of the series.

My Dearest will be available to stream in the EU starting on October 18.

Knight Flower (밤에 피는 꽃)

Episodes: 12

Cast: Lee Hanee, Lee Jong-won, Lee Ki-woo, Kim Sang-joong

After starring in the historical action flick Phantom and the comedy film Killing Romance last year, Lee Hanee returned to the small screen earlier this year with the historical-action-comedy mash-up Knight Flower, in which she plays Jo Yeo-hwa, the daughter-in-law of the most prestigious noble family in Joseon who’s been widowed for 15 years. By day, Yeo-hwa faithfully carries out the duties of a widow and never leaves the house. But by night, she changes into a masked heroine and slips outside to help the poor and disadvantaged. Her exploits soon catch the attention of Park Soo-ho (Lee Jong-won), a dashing military officer who suspects that Yeo-hwa might be hiding a secret identity.

Lee’s performance as a female version of Iljimae (basically the Robin Hood of Korea) earned her the 2024 Baeksang Arts Award for Best Actress.

Knight Flower will be available to stream in the EU starting on October 25.

6 Korean Titles To Watch On Netflix This Month: ‘Uprising,’ ‘Hellbound’ And More (2024)
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