Even if creatives won’t admit to it, the K-industry is indubitably chasing the TV ratings success achieved earlier this year by tvN’s Queen of Tears, starring Kim Soo Hyun and Kim Ji Won. Who better recreate that onscreen magic than the leading star of the romantic comedy himself!
And so, to do just that, Kim Soo Hyun is all set to make his K-drama comeback with upcoming new Disney Plus, Knock Off. The beloved South Korean was initially in talks to join the black comedy in March. These plans were eventually confirmed, with Destined With You actress Jo Bo Ah also in considerations to star opposite him.
On Monday, August 26, Disney Plus officially announced the plans for the series to air in the near future. Fans are already expecting this to be the next big thing, considering the massive fan-following each leading star has.
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Knock Off release date
Digging into the all-too-familiar and realistic depiction of the 1997 Asian financial crisis (known as the IMF crisis in Korea), Knock Off is slated to premiere sometime in 2025. The exact Disney Plus release date will be revealed soon.
Helmed by director Park Hyun Suk (Stranger 2, Uncontrollably Fond and Song of the Bandits), the K-drama will reportedly also star The Midnight Studio star Kwon Nara and the The Roundup: Punishment actor Kim Mu Yeol.
Previous reports also suggest that that star-studded cast lineup also welcomes Miss Night and Day’s Lee Jung Eun, Narco-Saints’ Jo Woo Jin, Queen of Tears’ cameo star Go Gyu Pil, Itaewon Class’ Yoo Jae Myung and Marry My Husband’s Choi Gyu Ri.
Production banners Arc Media and SLL are said to be backing the OTT premiere. Their previous global-charting projects include Big Bet, The King’s Affection, Not Others and High Cookie.
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Knock Off K-drama plot
The Disney Plus series will see Kim Soo Hyun take on the role of Kim Sung Joon, a man whose life turned upside down by the IMF crisis and he ended up losing his job as well. He eventually enters the world of counterfeits and steps up to the role of a major Korean counterfeit market’s vice president, eventually ruling over the global market.
Jo Bo Ah comes in as his ex-girlfriend Song Hye Jung, who is a special judicial police officer focussed on cracking down on such practices. As anticipated, the duo butts heads with their opposing roles in society, resulting in a never-ending cat-and-mouse dynamic between them.