A new Korean series is a must-see on Netflix this week. In less than six episodes, it can be watched in one weekend and will terrify subscribers of the streaming platform.
Building on the success of Squid Game Or All of us are dead, Netflix continues to rely on Korean productions to fill its catalog. This week, it is possible to discover a new horror series in just six episodes, which promises to keep the platform’s subscribers in suspense and attract their curiosity. This series is inspired by the fantasy and horror manga Parasite by Hitoshi Iwaaki. And it’s a real phenomenon in its own right, but not to be confused with the Oscar-winning film in 2020. This manga was published between 1988 and 1995 (10 volumes in total), which have sold 25 million copies .
The plot takes place in a world where parasitic life forms colonize the brains and bodies of humans to take power over society. Netflix’s new live-action series takes place in the same universe, but doesn’t strictly adapt the story. Only the fantastic and horrific world is similar, enough to arouse the curiosity of fans of the manga but also newbies. In Parasyte: The Gray, the plot focuses on young Su-in, who tries to coexist with the creatures. At the same time, a man goes in search of his missing sister, when a group of resistance fighters tries to defeat the parasites…
Although the story is different from the manga, it was still approved by the author. And for good reason: in addition to being freely adapted from a real Japanese comic book phenomenon, Parasyte: The Gray has some big names behind the camera. It is Yeon Sang-ho, director, screenwriter and producer to whom we owe in particular Last train to Busan, Peninsula or Hellbound who is in charge. For the occasion, he teamed up with Ryu Yong-jae, who had already worked on the Korean version of The House of Paper. In the casting, fans of Korean productions will perhaps recognize Jeon So-nee, Koo Kyo-hwan or Lee Jung-hyun, faces already known to fans of the genre.
Parasyte: the Gray has all the qualities to arouse the curiosity of Netflix subscribers and make its way into the top 10 most viewed programs of the moment upon its release. The South Korean series, in six episodes lasting just one hour, is available to binge-watch from April 5, 2024.