Sci-Fi Bulletin: Exploring the Universes of SF, Fantasy, Horror and Spy-fi!

Netflix has announced a number of new acquisitions from Korea in the SFF and horror genres arriving next year.

The Call

Premiere Date: November 27, 2020

Cast & Creators: Director Lee Chung-hyun, Park Shin hye, Jun Jong-seo

Genre: Mystery thriller, Crime

When 28-year-old Seo-yeon loses her cell phone on her way to visit her sick, estranged mother in a rural area, she digs up a decade-old cordless phone from the junk closet of her childhood home. She suddenly gets a call from a woman named Young-sook asking for her friend. Seo-yeon hangs up thinking the woman has the wrong number, but later learns that the call was coming from the same house 20 years ago.

Space Sweepers

Premiere Date: Q1 2021

Cast & Creators: Director Jo Sung-hee; Song Joong-ki, Kim Tae-ri, Jin Sun-kyu, Yoo Hai-jin

Genre: Sci-fi action, Space blockbuster

Set in 2092, Earth has become a bleak planet which will soon be uninhabitable. The privileged class now live as UTS citizens on pristine habitats built between Earth and the moon, while 95% of the human race, the non-citizens, struggle to survive on the ruined Earth. Spaceship Victory is one of the many that live off salvaging space debris, which is a life-risking job since space debris fly at immense speed. But crewed with a genius space pilot Tae-ho, a mysterious ex-space pirate Captain Jang, an ex-con spaceship engineer Tiger Park, and a reprogrammed military robot Bubs, Spaceship Victory surpasses all other space sweepers. After successfully snatching a crashed space shuttle in the latest debris chase, Victory’s crew find a 7-year-old girl inside. They realize that she’s the humanlike robot wanted by UTS Space Guards, and decide to demand ransom in exchange.

Sweet Home

Premiere Date: December 18, 2020

Cast & Creators: Director Lee Eung-bok; Song Kang, Lee Jin-wook, Lee Si-young, Lee Do-hyun

Adapted from a popular webtoon of the same name, Sweet Home is a 10-episode VFX/SFX filled thriller based on the unique world in which people turn into monsters that reflect their internal desires. Cha Hyeon-su, a reclusive high school student who moves into a new apartment called Green Home after a personal tragedy, faces a series of life changing situations that brings him out to the world to save others.

The series presents a strong ensemble cast that includes Song Kang(Love Alarm), Lee Jin-uk(Voice), Lee Si-young(No Mercy), Lee Do-hyun(18 Again), Kim Nam-hee(Mr. Sunshine), Go Min-si(Love Alarm), Park Kyu-young (Romance is a Bonus Book), and Go Youn-jung (He Is Psychometric). Sweet Home is directed by star K-drama director Lee E ung-bok (Mr. Sunshine, Goblin: The Lonely and Great God, Descendants of the Sun), produced by Studio Dragon, co-produced by Studio N, and written by Hong So-ri, Kim Hyung-min and Park So-jeong.

The Uncanny Counter

Premiere Date: November 28 2020

Cast & Creators: Director You Sun-dong; Writer Yeoh Gee-na; Cho Byeong-gyu, Yu Jun-sang, Kim Se-jeong

Based on a popular webtoon of the same title, The Uncanny Counter is a satisfying tale of superheroes who, when not hunting down obstinate evil spirits, toil in a noodle shop. The dynamic story depicts the struggle between the evil spirits who come down to Earth from the afterworld to become immortal and the Counters, each endowed with a special gift such as brute strength, psychometry and healing, who chase them down.

Jo Byeong-gyu plays the uncanny So Mun, a Counter unlike any other in history. So Mun is a hero-in-training who musters the courage to combat evil spirits after seeing a friend suffer injustice. Ga Mo-tak, a Counter with unrivaled brawn, is brought to life by Yu Jun-sang’s characteristic wit and well known acting skills. Kim Se-jeong plays the role of Do Ha-na, the human radar among the Counters with an infallible record of evil spirit detection. Her character exudes chic and a detached vibe in abundance.