Netflix Korea adapts manga story Parasyte, helmed by Hellbound’s Yeon Sang-ho

L-R: Jeon So-nee, Koo Kyo-hwan and Lee Jung-hyun

Netflix is continuing to grow its Korean slate by greenlighting Parasyte: The Grey, a drama series from Hellbound and Train to Busan director Yeon Sang-ho.

Based on a popular Japanese comic book series by Hitoshi Iwaaki, the manga story centres on unidentified parasitic lifeforms that live off human hosts and strive to grow their power.

Korean prodcos Climax Studio and Wow Point are already working on the series.

Sang-ho is the director and co-wrote the show with Ryu Yong-jae, whose other credits include penning the Korean version of Netflix’s Spanish hit series Money Heist, titled Money Heist: Korea – Joint Economic Area. The cast will be led by Korean actors Jeon So-nee, Koo Kyo-hwan and Lee Jung-hyun.

The original comic book, from Japanese publishing house Kodansha, already has an enormous following and has sold around 25 million copies across more than 20 countries. It has also been the subject of several animation and live-action adaptations.

Following the wild success of originals such as Squid Game and Hellbound, Netflix has moved to invest further in the Korean market. In January, the streamer revealed that it would release 25 Korean originals in 2022, luding zombie-invasion drama All of Us Are Dead; Juvenile Justice, about a judge who dislikes juvenile offenders; afterlife fantasy drama Tomorrow; and satirical drama Remarriage & Desires.