'A delicious bibimbap-like drama': Choi Woo-shik says 'A Killer Paradox' has it all

Director and cast promise that 'A Killer Paradox' will satisfy both fans of the original webtoon and newcomers, blending elements from various genres like a delicious bibimbap. The series is set for release on Netflix on Feb. 9.

From left, director Lee Chang-hee, actors Lee Hee-jun, Choi Woo-shik and Son Suk-ku pose for photos at the press conference for upcoming Netflix original series ″A Killer Paradox″ at a hotel in Yongsan District, central Seoul, on Thursday. [NEWS1]

Upcoming Netflix series “A Killer Paradox” will satisfy both fans of the original webtoon and those new to the story, the cast and director promised Thursday.

“When I was reading the original webtoon, I became greedy thinking about how to realize the comic elements of the scenes on screen, and I had many ideas,” director Lee Chang-hee said during a press conference for “A Killer Paradox” at a hotel in Yongsan District, central Seoul, on Thursday. “It was a big challenge for me as a director, but I really enjoyed the process, and I think fans and newcomers will both enjoy the series.”

“A Killer Paradox” surrounds main character Lee Tang, played by Choi Woo-shik, an ordinary college student who accidentally kills a stranger only to find out that person was a serial killer. He discovers that he has the uncanny ability to pick out evil people to murder and ponders continuing committing these homicides, while a detective named Jang Nan-gam, played by Son Suk-ku, chases Tang down.

The original webtoon of the same name received multiple awards including the Korea Content Award given out by the Korea Creative Content Agency and a yearly award hosted by the Korea Manhwa Contents Agency. Director Lee directed film “The Vanished” (2018) and drama “Hell Is Other People” (2019). "A Killer Paradox" is set for release on Netflix on Feb. 9.

Actor Son Suk-ku plays Jang Nan-gam, a detective who chases down Lee Tang, an ordinary college student who accidentally kills a serial killer in the upcoming Netflix original series ″A Killer Paradox″ [NETFLIX]

“Tang is a character who goes through lots of emotional turmoil and changes as he realizes that he has the ability to identify evil people to kill, so as an actor I had the desire to portray him well,” Choi said. “I thought that if such a person as Tang existed he would change a lot internally, and I think I did a good job playing this complex character.”

“A Killer Paradox” is Choi’s second major work since the 2019 Oscar-winning film “Parasite,” in which he played the son of the family who leaches off a rich family. Although the character of Lee Tang may remind viewers of his performance in “Parasite,” Choi promised that as the series goes on there will be a concrete difference between the two.

“I've played a lot of characters who see growth within a story, but in ‘A Killer Paradox,’ by the end of the series you will not see much similarities between Lee Tang and Ki-woo from ‘Parasite,’” Choi said.

Main poster for ″A Killer Paradox″ [NETFLIX]

Son praised the original webtoon which he read after being cast in the role of Nam-gam, and said that the webtoon and series pose important questions regarding right and wrong.

“I am from the age when people used to read paper comics, so I am not very familiar with webtoons, but I read ‘A Killer Paradox’ and was amazed by the story,” Son said. “Our series will ask viewers who has the right to punish evil, and how far someone like Tang can be tolerated by society. Those questions were very interesting to me, and I am happy to be a part of this project.”

A scene from the upcoming Netflix original series ″A Killer Pardox″ [NETFLIX]

While “A Killer Paradox” may seem like just another series about serial killers and vigilante activities by an ordinary protagonist, the series blends elements from a various array of genres and is like the Korean dish bibimbap, Choi says — a dish where a handful of different ingredients are mixed together in one bowl.

“On the surface ‘A Killer Paradox’ is a crime investigative piece but it has elements of fantasy, noir and thriller genres,” he said. “It has a lot of different charms as a series. The different elements and the range of diverse characters including the supporting cast result in a delicious bibimbap-like drama.” To find out more about Korean actors, visit Celeb Confirmed!

BY LIM JEONG-WON [lim.jeongwon@joongang.co.kr]