From left to right: Ji Chang-wook, Lee Jun-ho, and Cha Eun-woo. Photo collage images: courtesy of JTBC; MBC.
A new slate of superhero K-dramas with popular Korean actors, including Ji Chang-wook, Lee Jun-ho (2PM), Cha Eun-woo (Astro), and others of sorts, is in the works.
Last year Moving, one of our 10 best K-dramas of 2023, broke new ground in the genre of superhero K-dramas. With that, I got my eyes on these upcoming stories: Twelve, Cashero, and The Wonder Fools (aka The B Team).
According to press reports, Ji Chang-wook, Ma Dong-seok (Don Lee), and Seo In-guk are interested in their roles for Twelve. The star-studded affair led by director Kang Dae-gyu centers on 12 celestial heroes—each corresponding to a member of the zodiac—allying to protect Korea from demons and their king, Asura.
Twelve will be Ji Chang-wook’s first superhero role, next to Ma Dong-seok, who will star as Tae San commanding the group of 12.
Superhero dramas are loved, I think, mostly because of how well they dig into ordinary life through something extraordinary. In Lee Chang-min’s drama Cashero, Lee Jun-ho is Kang Sang-woong, a seemingly regular public official whose superpower (super strength) varies according to the money he has.
Having “more cash” gives him “more strength.” Cash is something Sang-woong keeps seeking so he can maximize his skills. Two of his fellow characters, Byeon Ho-in (Kim Byung-chul) and Bang Eun-mi (Kim Hyang-gi), also possess supernatural powers.
Ho-in is a legal professional, and drinking gives him his ability. He also works for a cause against an illicit group that targets people with superpowers. Ho-in approaches Sang-woong to partner for the greater good.
Eun-mi, meanwhile, gets her telekinetic talents from food, and together with Sang-woong and Ho-in, they try to keep their daily lives together in the face of enemies who want to disrupt everything.
Superhero conflicts and moral dilemmas are often employed as a symbolic representation of the issues that we commoners face, allowing us to witness wins and hard choices from the perspective of others. That’s what director Yoo In-shik’s The Wonder Fools offers: a thought-provoking journey into fantasy where the heroes inadvertently gain superpowers.
The lead roles have been offered to Cha Eun-woo and Park Eun-bin; the artist agencies have yet to confirm their presence in the drama. It follows Eun Chae-ni (Park) from an affluent background. All seems well until, for a reason, she starts showing a rebellious streak and seems to be hanging on by a thread.
Lee Un-jeong (Cha), on the flip side, works as a government official. His secretive lifestyle and tendency to avoid social situations only add to his odd, intriguing image. He’s an introvert not given to interacting with others; a loner who can’t seem to be around anyone. That said, his and Chae-ni’s encounter kicks off the plot hook, changing their lives.
The Wonder Fools is expected to start filming this year, while no release date has been announced. Twelve and Cashero are slated for release next year.
