Hyun Bin shows touch of ‘Bond’ in elegant noir ‘Made in Korea’
A scene from "Made in Korea" / Courtesy of Disney+
“So this is also for the nation. It’s patriotic.”
Set in 1970s Busan, Baek Gi-tae (Hyun Bin), a section chief at the Korean Central Intelligence Agency (KCIA), calmly seeks his younger sister’s help as he enters the methamphetamine smuggling business.
He argues that exporting the drugs to Japan — without domestic distribution — is no different from being an export warrior earning foreign currency and helping usher in a new era. His sister hesitates, saying addicts would suffer and it would weigh on her conscience, but she soon nods at the mention of “Japan” and “patriotism.”
Streaming on Disney+ since late last month, “Made in Korea” is a crime thriller centered on the clash between Baek, who aims to reach the pinnacle of wealth and power by selling Korean-made drugs under the KCIA’s protection, and Jang Geon-young (Jung Woo-sung), a perpetually sidelined prosecutor who relentlessly hunts him down. Against the backdrop of an era when power equates to justice, the series unfolds a dense and elegant noir in which unrestrained desire collides with near-obsessive conviction.
A scene from "Made in Korea" / Courtesy of Disney+
After films such as "Inside Men" (2015) and "The Man Standing Next" (2020), Woo Min-ho makes his over-the-top series debut with "Made in Korea," which aims for feature-film-level craftsmanship as a cinematic drama. It also carries strong echoes of Woo’s earlier film "The Drug King" (2018), set in the same era and city, and marked by the infamous line about selling drugs to Japan being an act of patriotism.
Blending real historical incidents with imagination, the drama sharply etches the darkness of the era and the desires of its characters. The first episode inserts Baek, carrying a bag of drugs, into the real-life 1970 hijacking of a Japan Airlines plane known as the "yodogo" incident, succinctly establishing his competence and ambition. In the third episode, the portrayal of Bae Geum-ji (Cho Yeo-jeong), a former high-end hostess who manipulates political heavyweights, recalls the 1970s Jeong In-suk murder case. Woo says the aim was to create a period drama that allows contemporary viewers to engage in dialogue with the past.
A scene from "Made in Korea" / Courtesy of Disney+
Three-dimensional characters and strong performances deepen immersion. Baek, a drug dealer, is depicted in James Bond-like suits, maintaining restraint and refinement at all times. In contrast, prosecutor Jang is abrasive, dismissive of others and prone to unsettlingly loud laughter. Beneath Jang’s fanatical obsession with drug investigations lies trauma: His father, forcibly mobilized during the Pacific War, became addicted to meth and killed his mother. In that sense, Jang is also a victim of the era.
Woo says Jang is designed to feel hot-blooded, human and plain, while Baek is someone whose trousers cannot afford a single crease, presenting a sharp, blade-like exterior. He says the contrast was intended to evoke fire and water. Strong supporting performances — including Jung Sung-il as the presidential chief of staff and Lily Franky as a yakuza boss — add further weight.
A scene from "Made in Korea" / Courtesy of Disney+
With four episodes released so far, “Made in Korea” maintains the top spot in the Disney+ series category in Korea for 11 consecutive days and ranks second globally, indicating a steady reception. A second season has already been confirmed, with filming under way for release in the second half of the year. Still, the slow pacing may divide viewers. Nearly half of the six-episode first season is devoted to establishing the period, major characters and opposing camps, with the full collision of desires around the drug trade unfolding only after the midpoint.
This article from the Hankook Ilbo, the sister publication of The Korea Times, is translated by a generative AI system and edited by The Korea Times.