Ryu Jun-yeol, Sol Kyung-gu to star in Netflix thriller ‘The Rat’

Actors Ryu Jun-yeol and Sol Kyung-gu have been confirmed as leads in Netflix’s upcoming thriller series “The Rat,” the streaming platform said Wednesday.

Based on a Kakao webtoon of the same name and inspired by a Korean folktale about a rat eating a fingernail to become human, the series follows a reclusive novelist whose life is upended when a mysterious impostor — referred to as "The Rat" — steals his identity, name and wealth.

Forced into a corner, he teams up with a relentless loan shark who had been pursuing him, embarking on a desperate chase to reclaim his life.

Ryu plays Mun-jae, the isolated writer whose routine life collapses after his fingerprints suddenly stop working on his phone and his trusted friend vanishes. With no way to prove who he is, Mun-jae discovers that someone has taken over every aspect of his existence.

Sol portrays No-ja, a moneylender who also runs a private detective agency. Initially hunting Mun-jae to recover a loan, he becomes entangled in uncovering the truth behind the identity thief, hoping it will lead him to his money.

“The Rat” will be helmed by director Kim Hong-sun, known for his direction in genre works such as “Dear Hongrang,” “Voice,” and “Money Heist: Korea – Joint Economic Area,” and written by Lee Jae-gon, whose credits include “Special Affairs Team TEN” and “Model Family.”

The series promises a suspenseful story that blurs the line between real and fake, anchored by the intense performances of two of Korea’s most seasoned actors.

This article from the Hankook Ilbo, the sister publication of The Korea Times, is translated by a generative AI and edited by The Korea Times.