Park Hoon-jung, screenwriter of “I Saw the Devil” screenwriter and director of “New World,” has written and directed the South Korean spy revenge drama series “The Tyrant.” It is produced by Goldmoon Pictures.
The four-part miniseries, which will be released next month (August 14) on streaming platform Disney+, centers around a cutting-edge virus stolen during a secret handover between South Korean and US intelligence agencies. The two governments will go to war to get it back.
The series stars: Jo Yoon-su (“True Beauty,” “Juvenile Justice”) as vengeful assassin Chae Jagyeong; Cha Seoung-won (“Our Blues,” “A Korean Odyssey”) as cold-blooded mercenary Lim Sang; Kim Seon-ho (“Start-Up,” “Hometown Cha-Cha-Cha”) as Director Choe, the leader of the secret Korean project; and Kim Kang-woo (“Le Grand Chef,” “Goodbye Mr. Black”) as U.S. intelligence agent Paul.
“After years of seeing their country be suppressed by foreign powers, a group of rogue scientists working within the South Korean government begin to a develop a virus that will put their country on a level playing field with the world’s most powerful nations. Referred to as ‘The Tyrant Project,’ the virus holds limitless potential for the advancement of humanity. However, before the project can be finalized, a group of U.S. agents uncover the plan and demand that all samples be handed over. Unwilling to give up his research, the group’s leader hires a black ops team to retrieve his work, but when things go wrong during the attack, parties on both sides will be left scrambling to recover the virus and use it to advance their own ends,” according to a supplied synopsis.
Disney has invested heavily in strengthening its position in the Korean-language TV market. Other Korean dramas include: “Moving,” about a Korean special agent trying to protect children with psychic abilities from harm and exploitation by evil government agencies; “The Worst of Evil,” about an undercover agent infiltrating a dangerous emerging gang; and the award-winning series “Big Bet,” starring legendary actor Choi Min-sik as a serial entrepreneur who continues to push the boundaries to boost his burgeoning casino business.