Hwang Jung-Min 황정민 [Upcoming Movies: “12.12: The Day”, “Mission Cross”, “Veteran 2”, “Hope”]

[Helena]

https://zapzee.net/2022/08/11/park-hae-soo-ha-jung-woo-hwang-jung-min-and-more-share-why-they-chose-to-star-in-netflixs-narco-saints/
Park Hae Soo, Ha Jung Woo, Hwang Jung Min and More Share Why They Chose to Star in Netflix’s ‘Narco-Saints’

By HANA LEE

Credit: Netflix

Ha Jung Woo, Hwang Jung Min, Park Hae Soo, Jo Woo Jin, and Yoo Yeon Seok revealed why they chose to star in Netflix’s Narco-Saints.

Narco-Saints follows a civilian businessman who becomes involved in the National Intelligence Service’s covert operation to bring down a Korean drug lord operating in the South American country of Suriname.

The upcoming series came to be on Netflix with Ha Jung Woo’s proposal to director Yoon Jong Bin as he got fascinated by the gripping story of a civilian entrepreneur starting his business in Suriname. The director and The Spy Gone North writer Kwon Seong Hwi reportedly worked hand in hand together to come up with its script. Ha Jung Woo shared his first impression of the script, saying, “The story hooked me from the beginning as the characters were so alive and unique.”

Playing drug lord Jeon Yo Han in the upcoming series, Hwang Jung Min gushed, “Every episode left me wondering what would happen next. The script is just incredibly well-written.” Park Hae Soo, who stars as NIS agent Choi Chang Ho, added, “I love how characters play mind tricks on each other in this series. I think viewers will have fun guessing what will happen next.”

 

Jo Woo Jin, who takes on the role of the second-in-command of the drug ring, commented, “I thought I’ve worked with some of the cast members from this series, but I realized that I haven’t worked with any of them. We were dying to meet each other in person, and the brilliant cast was one reason I hopped on this project.”

Yoo Yeon Seok, who plays the legal advisor of Yo Han, remarked, “This is my first time working with director Yoon. I felt extremely thrilled to work with all of the actors starring in the series.”
Narco-Saints will drop on September 9th.

Source: Netflix

[Helena]

Narco-Saints | Character Trailer | Netflix

 

In the name of survival
Deceive all, deceive yourself

Based on a dangerously true lie

Narco-Saints | September 9, only on Netflix

From director Yoon Jong-bin of The Spy Gone North and Nameless Gangster: Rules of the Time
Starring Ha Jung-woo, Hwang Jung-min, Park Hae-soo, Jo Woo-jin and Yoo Yeon-seok
With a special appearance by Chang Chen

#Netflix #Narco_Saints #수리남

Narco-Saints | Character Trailer | Netflix
https://www.youtube.com/NetflixAsia

An ordinary entrepreneur joins a secret government mission to capture a Korean drug lord operating in South America. Based on true events.

 

 

Spoiler

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Credit:  theswoonnetflix & netflixkr

 

[Helena]

https://news.yahoo.com/south-korea-highest-grossing-actors-232242096.html
South Korea’s highest-grossing actors come together for the first time in new trailer for ‘Narco-Saints’

By Grace Kim | August 11, 2022

Ha Jung-woo and Hwang Jung-min lead the star-studded cast featured in the new teaser trailer for the upcoming Korean crime-thriller drama “Narco-Saints.” The series also stars Park Hae-soo in his third Netflix original following “Squid Game” and “Money Heist: Korea – Joint Economic Area.”

“Narco-Saints” — previously titled “Suriname” and "The Accidental Narco” before the latest was finalized — is based on the real-life events of a civilian entrepreneur who has no choice but to go undercover in a government operation to catch a powerful drug lord who has taken control of Suriname.

Ha Jung-woo takes on the role of Kang In-gu, the entrepreneur who seeks out a profitable venture in Suriname only to find himself involved in a drug smuggling operation. Hwang Jung-min stars opposite Ha as the drug lord Jeon Yo-hwan, who stays under the radar as a pastor.

The two are some of South Korea’s highest-grossing movie stars, whose projects are said to guarantee box office success. While “Narco-Saints” is the first time Ha and Hwang are joining forces, they’ve previously worked individually alongside the show’s renowned director Yoon Jong-bin in his hit movies “Nameless Gangster: Rules of the Time” and “The Spy Gone North,” respectively.

Yoon is breaking new grounds for this upcoming series, having only directed films in the past. It is also his first time collaborating with Netflix.

“Narco-Saints” also stars Park Hae-soo as Choi Chang-ho, a National Intelligence Service agent who recruits Kang In-gu into the operation to catch Jeon Yo-hwan. Jo Woo-jin takes on the role of Jeon Yo-hwan’s right-hand man Byun Ki-Tae, while Yoo Yeon-seok plays the cartel’s lawyer David Park.

The series will be available for streaming on Netflix on Sept. 9.

 

—

 

HWANG Jung-min & HA Jung-woo belong to ‘100 Million Viewer Club’ (Attracted 100+ Million Moviegoers) 

[2017-08-10] HWANG Jung-min Joins 100 Million Viewer Club

[2018-08-11] Ha Jung-woo Becomes 4th Actor to Draw 100 Million Moviegoers

 

THE SCREEN 2009-2019 K-Movie Actor Box Office Power TOP 10

Spoiler

1. Ha Jung-woo - 109,904,121
2. Hwang Jung-min - 96,440,132
3. Song Kang-ho - 87,937,537
4. Ryu Seung-ryong- 76,863,026
5. Yoo Hae-jin - 72,096,870
6. Lee Jung-jae - 68,869,381
7. Oh Dal-soo - 62,542,095
8. Kim Yoon-seok - 62,532,565
9. Kang Dong-won - 58,922,506
10. Ma Dong-seok - 49,890,963

Spoiler

THE SCREEN 2019-12-31

2009-2019 K-Movie Actor Box Office Power Top 50

Source:  Calculation | 1 | 2-10 | 11-20 | 41-50

 

1. “Korean Movie Actor Box-Office Power 50” special feature:  data from 2009 to 2019 in <The Screen>
2. Box-office performance (nationwide audience admission) of 50 most popular Korean films by year among films released (in Korean theaters) from January 1, 2009 to December 31, 2019. 

3. Box-office Score: Based on percentage & weight (not sum of audience numbers)

- main vs supporting roles: supporting actors (multiplied by a weight of 0.5)
- “ensemble movie” (multiplied by a weight of 0.5 on lead actor)

RANK / ACTOR / POINTS
1.  Ha Jung-woo - 112.312
Works: <Madeleine>(2002) <She's on Duty>(2005) <The Unforgiven>(2005) <TIME>(2006) <The Fox Family>(2006) <Breath>(2007) <Never Forever>(2007) <The Chaser>(2008) <The Moonlight of Seoul>(2008) <My Dear Enemy>(2008) <Like You Know It All>(2009) <Boat>(2009) <Take Off>(2009) <The Yellow Sea>(2010) <The Client>(2011) <Nameless Gangster : Rules of Time>(2012) <Love Fiction>(2012) <Project 577>(2012) <The Berlin File>(2013) <The Terror Live>(2013) <KUNDO: Age of the Rampant>(2014) <Chronicle of a Blood Merchant>(2015) <Assassination>(2015) <The Handmaiden>(2016), <Tunnel>(2016), <Along with the Gods: The Two Worlds>(2017) <1987: When the Day Comes>(2017) <Along with the Gods: The Last 49 Days>(2018), <Take Point>(2018) <Ashfall>(2019)
2. Hwang Jung-min - 96.440
Works: <Waikiki Brothers>(2001) <Road Movie>(2002) <A Good Lawyer's Wife>(2003) <This Charming Girl>(2004) <You’re My Sunshine!>(2005) <Bloody Tie>(2006) <Black House>(2007) <Private Eye>(2009) <The Unjust>(2010) <New World>(2012) <Man in Love>(2013) <Ode to My Father>(2014) <Veteran>(2015) <A Violent Prosecutor>(2015) <THE WAILING>(2016) <Asura : The City of Madness>(2016) <The Battleship Island>(2017) <The Spy Gone North>(2018)

3. Song Kang-ho - 87.937
Works:  <The day a pig fell into the well>(1996) <Green Fish>(1997) <No. 3>(1997) <The Quiet Family>(1998) <Shiri>(1999) <The Foul King>(2000) <JSA>(2000) <Sympathy for Mr. Vengeance>(2002) <YMCA Baseball Team>(2002) <Memories of Murder>(2003) <The President’s Barber>(2004) <ANTARCTIC JOURNAL>(2005) <The Host>(2006) <The Show Must Go On>(2007) <Secret Sunshine>(2007) <The Good, The Bad, The Weird>(2008) <Thirst>(2009), <Secret Reunion>(2010) <Hindsight>(2011) <HOWLING>(2012) <Snowpiercer>(2013) <The Face Reader>(2013) <The Attorney>(2013) <The Throne>(2014) <The Age of Shadows>(2016) <A Taxi Driver>(2017) <THE DRUG KING>(2018) <PARASITE>(2019) <THE KING’S LETTERS>(2019)

4. Ryu Seung-ryong- 76.863

Works: <Righteous Ties>(2006), <Possessed>(2009), <Secret>(2009) <The Quiz Show Scandal>(2010) <The Recipe>(2010) <Battlefield Heroes>(2011) <Children...>(2011) <The Front Line>(2011) <War of the Arrows>(2011) <All About My Wife>(2012) <Masquerade>(2012) <Miracle in Cell No.7>(2013) <The Target>(2014) <Roaring Currents>(2014> <The Piper>(2015) <The Sound of a Flower>(2015) <Psychokinesis>(2018) <Seven Years Night>(2018) <Extreme Job>(2019)

5. Yoo Hae-jin - 72.096

Works: <Kick the Moon>(2001) <Musa>(2001) <Public Enemy>(2002) <Break Out>(2002) <Jail Breakers>(2002) <The Coast Guard>(2002) <Ice Rain>(2003) <Hi, Dharma 2 : Showdown in Seoul>(2004) <Blood Rain>(2005) <The King and the Clown>(2005) <South of the Border> (2006) <Tazza>(2006) <Small Town Rivals>(2007) <Mission Possible: Kidnapping Granny K>(2007) <Truck>(2007) <Public Enemy Returns>(2008) <Woochi>(2009) <Moss>(2010) <Desire to Kill>(2010) <The Unjust>(2010) <In Love And the War>(2011) <Mama>(2011) <Miss Conspirator>(2012) <The Spies>(2012) <The Flu>(2013) <Minority Opinion>(2013) <Obsessed>(2014) <The Pirates>(2014) <Tazza-The Hidden Card>(2014) <The Classified File>(2015) <Veteran>(2015) <FATAL INTUITION>(2015) <LUCK-KEY>(2016) <Confidential Assignment>(2017> <A Taxi Driver>(2017) <1987: When the Day Comes>(2017) <LOVE+SLING>(2018) <Intimate Strangers>(2018) <MAL·MO·E: The Secret Mission>(2019) <The Battle: Roar to Victory>(2019)

6. Lee Jung-jae - 68.869
Works: <An Affair>(1998) <City of the Rising Sun>(1999) <Il Mare>(2000) <Last Present>(2001) <The Last Witness>(2001) <Oh! Brothers>(2003) <Typhoon>(2005) <The Housemaid>(2010) <The Thieves>(2012) <New World>(2013) <The Face Reader>(2013) <Big Match>(2014) <Assassination>(2015) <Operation Chromite>(2016) <WARRIORS OF THE DAWN>(2017) <Along with the Gods: The Two Worlds>(2017) <Along with the Gods: The Last 49 Days>(2018) <Svaha: The Sixth Finger>(2019)
7. Oh Dal-soo - 62.542 
Works: <Old Boy>(2003) <The Wolf Returns>(2004) <The President’s Barber>(2004) <Sympathy for Lady Vengeance>(2005) <Forbidden Quest>(2006) <A Bloody Aria>(2006) <Three Fellas>(2006) <Once in a Summer>(2006) <The Show Must Go On>(2007) <The Good, The Bad, The Weird>(2008) <Private Eye>(2009) <Thirst>(2009) <The Servant>(2010) <Troubleshooter>(2010) <Foxy Festival>(2010) <Detective K : Secret of Virtuous Widow>(2011) <Hindsight>(2011) <The Thieves>(2012) <Miracle in Cell No.7>(2012) <My Paparotti>(2012) <The Attorney>(2013) <Ode to My Father>(2014) <Detective K: Secret of the Lost Island>(2014) <Assassination>(2015) <Veteran>(2015) <Tunnel>(2016) <RUN OFF>(2016) <Master>(2016) <MEMOIR OF A MURDERER>(2016) <Along with the Gods: The Two Worlds>(2017) <Detective K: Secret of the Living Dead>(2017)
8. Kim Yoon-seok - 62.532

Works: <The Big Swindle>(2004) <Tazza>(2007) <The Chaser>(2008) <Running Turtle>(2009) <Woochi>(2009) <The Yellow Sea>(2010) <Punch>(2011) <The Thieves>(2012) <Tazza-The Hidden Card>(2014) <The Classified File>(2015) <The Priests>(2015) <1987: When the Day Comes>(2017) <Dark Figure of Crime>(2018)
9. Kang Dong-won - 58.922

Works: <Don't Believe Her>(2004) <Romance of Their Own>(2004) <Duelist>(2005) <Maundy Thursday>(2006) <M>(2007) <Woochi>(2009) <Secret Reunion>(2010) <Haunters>(2010) <KUNDO: Age of the Rampant>(2014) <My Brilliant Life>(2014) <The Priests>(2015) <A Violent Prosecutor>(2016) <Vanishing Time: A Boy Who Returned>(2016) <Master>(2016) <1987: When the Day Comes>(2017) <Golden Slumber>(2018) <ILLANG : THE WOLF BRIGADE>(2018)

10. Ma Dong-seok - 52.028
Works: <The Moonlight of Seoul>(2007) <The Good, The Bad, The Weird>(2008) <The Unjust>(2010) <Quick>(2011) <Nameless Gangster : Rules of the Time>(2011) <The Neighbor>(2012) <KUNDO: Age of the Rampant>(2014) <GOODBYE SINGLE>(2016) <THE OUTLAWS>(2017) <Champion>(2018) <Along with the Gods: The Last 49 Days>(2018) <The Villagers>(2018) <Unstoppable>(2018) <The Gangster, The Cop, The Devi>(2019) <THE BAD GUYS: REIGN OF CHAOS>(2019) <START-UP>(2019) <Ashfall>(2019)

 

[Helena]

Narco-Saints | Official Trailer | Netflix

 

Trust is the deadliest deal
In this vast empire of deception
Who will survive?

Based on a dangerously true lie

Narco-Saints | 9 September, only on Netflix

From director Yoon Jong-bin of The Spy Gone North and Nameless Gangster: Rules of the Time

Starring Ha Jung-woo, Hwang Jung-min, Park Hae-soo, Jo Woo-jin and Yoo Yeon-seok
With a special appearance by Chang Chen

#Netflix #NarcoSaints #수리남

 

—

 

https://www.yahoo.com/news/netflix-releases-official-trailer-highly-221550773.html
Netflix releases official trailer for highly anticipated crime-thriller series ‘Narco-Saints’

By Grace Kim | August 25, 2022

Featured Image via Netflix

Netflix has unveiled the official trailer for the upcoming star-studded Korean drama “Narco-Saints."

Directed by Yoon Jong-bin, the crime-thriller is led by two of South Korea’s highest-grossing movie stars: Ha Jung-woo and Hwang Jung-min. The two are working together for the first time for the series but have individually worked with the director in his hit movies “Nameless Gangster: Rules of the Time” and “The Spy Gone North,” respectively.

In “Narco-Saints,” Kang In-gu (Ha) is an entrepreneur who gets himself unwittingly involved in a drug smuggling operation while seeking out a business opportunity in Suriname and ends up being framed by the area’s powerful drug lord, Jeon Yo-hwan (Hwang).

“Narco-Saints” also sees the return of Park Hae-soo to Netflix after starring in the hit shows “Squid Game” and “Money Heist: Korea — Joint Economic Area.” Park takes on the role of Choi Chang-ho, a National Intelligence Service agent who ropes Kang into a government operation to catch Jeon just as he’s about to begin his prison sentence.

Yoo Yeon-seok (“Hospital Playlist”), Jo Woo-jin ("Alienoid," "Happiness") and Taiwanese actor Chang Chen (“Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon”) round out the supporting cast.

Director Yoon shared, “While writing the script, I thought it was like a kind of mafia game. It will be exciting to see characters with two different sides.”

The new trailer provides a glimpse into the series’ intense action sequences, leaving viewers on edge as the voice of Jeon is heard asking Kang: “Do we still have the goal in mind?”

“Narco-Saints” will be released on Netflix on Sept. 9. Check out the official trailer below:

 

 

Spoiler

By HANA LEE (zapzee)

Netflix recently dropped a new trailer for Narco-Saints starring Ha Jung Woo, Hwang Jung Min, Park Hae Soo, Jo Woo Jin and Yoo Yeon Seok.

Narco-Saints follows a civilian businessman who becomes involved in the National Intelligence Service’s covert operation to bring down a Korean drug lord operating in the South American country of Suriname.

 

The trailer begins with Kang In Goo (played by Ha Jung Woo) starting a business in Suriname in the hope of getting rich. However, he ends up being falsely accused of smuggling drugs when bags of cocaine were found loaded on his ship.

While serving his time in prison, a NIS agent named Choi Chang Ho (Park Hae Soo) visits him and tells him the shocking truth that he has been framed by a South Korean pastor named Jeon Yo Hwan (Hwang Jung Min). The agent then asks In Goo if he could help him take down the pastor, and In Goo takes the offer to reduce his prison sentence and clear his name. Upon accepting the mission, he returns to Suriname as an under-cover agent of NIS.

Paster Jeon Yo Han, who is backed by the Suriname government, once again threatens him, but this time, In Goo does not give in as he knows that this is his last chance. He becomes a human bait to catch the vicious pastor and survive every crisis he faces in the foreign, tropical country.

However, In Goo constantly gets tempted by a ridiculous amount of money while he puts his life on the line in the field, unlike what Chang Ho promised. Being suspicious of In Goo, the trailer ends with Chang Ho asking him a daring question, “Do we still have the same goal?”

Narco-Saints will drop on September 9th.

 

Source: Netflix

 

[Helena]

The 27th Chunsa Film Arts Awards [Nominations]
=> http://www.chunsa.or.kr/award2.html?cate=award2

 

 

For films released from July 1, 2021 to July 31, 2022.  The preliminary examination is conducted by film critics, and the main examination is conducted by film directors.  Kim Jong-won, Kim Hyung-seok, Nam Dong-cheol, Seo Gok-suk, and Yang Kyung-mi participated in the preliminary trial, while Yoo Young-sik, Park Jong-won, Shin Seung-su, Jo Jom-hwan, Ku Hye-sun, and Lee Tae-ri participated in the main trial.

Best Director 감독상
'Hommage | 오마주' Shin Su-won 신수원
'Decision to Leave | 헤어질 결심' Park Chan-wook 박찬욱
'Kingmaker | 킹메이커' Byun Sung-hyun 변성현
'Hansan: Rising Dragon | 한산: 용의 출현' Kim Han-min 김한민
'In Front of Your Face | 당신얼굴 앞에서' Hong Sang-soo 홍상수
'Mogadishu | 모가디슈' Ryoo Seung-wan 류승완

Best New Director 신인 감독상


'Snowball | 최선의 삶' Lee Woo-jung 이우정
'Gull | 갈매기' Kim Mi-jo 김미조
'A Leave | 휴가' Lee Ran-hee 이란희
'Hostage | 인질' Pil Gam-sung 필감성
'Ten Months | 십 개월의 미래' Sun Nam-koong 남궁선
'Perhaps Love | 장르만 로맨스' Jo Eun-ji 조은지
'The Roundup | 범죄도시2' Lee Sang-yong 이상용

 

Best Screenplay 각본상
‘
‘Decision to Leave | 헤어질 결심’ Chung Seo-kyung 정서경
'Gull | 갈매기' Kim Mi-jo 김미조
'A Leave | 휴가' Lee Ran-hee 이란희
'Hansan: Rising Dragon | 한산: 용의 출현' Kim Han-min 김한민, Yoon Hong-ki 윤홍기, Lee Nara 이나라
'Mogadishu | 모가디슈' Lee Ki-cheol 이기철, Ryoo Seung-wan 류승완

 
Technical Award 기술상
‘Mogadishu | 모가디슈’ 촬영｜최영환, 음악｜방준석
‘Sinkhole | 싱크홀’ 미술｜김태영
‘Hansan: Rising Dragon | 한산: 용의 출현’ VFX｜정성진, 정철민
‘Decision to Leave | 헤어질 결심‘ 촬영｜김지용
‘Alienoid | 외계+인 1부’ VFX｜제갈승, 박재현



Best Actor 남우주연상
'Hostage | 인질' Hwang Jung-min 황정민
'Kingmaker | 킹메이커' Seol Kyung-gu 설경구
'Mogadishu | 모가디슈' Kim Yoon-seok 김윤석
'Broker | 브로커' Song Kang-ho 송강호
'Decision to Leave | 헤어질 결심’ Park Hae-il 박해일

 
Best Actress 여우주연상
'Special Delivery | 특송' Park So-dam 박소담
'Anchor | 앵커' Chun Woo-hee 천우희
'Hommage | 오마주' Lee Jung-eun 이정은
'Decision to Leave | 헤어질 결심' Tang Wei 탕웨이
'In Front of Your Face | 당신얼굴 앞에서' Lee Hye-young 이혜영

 
Best Supporting Actor 남우조연상


'Hansan: Rising Dragon | 한산: 용의출현' Byun Yo-han 변요한
'The Roundup | 범죄도시2' Son Suk-ku 손석구
'Mogadishu | 모가디슈' Koo Kyo-hwan 구교환
'Kingmaker | 킹메이커' Jo Woo-jin 조우진
'The Roundup | 범죄도시2' Park Ji-hwan 박지환
'Mogadishu | 모가디슈' Huh Joon-ho 허준호

 
Best Supporting Actress 여우조연상
'Snowball | 최선의 삶' Shim Dal-ki 심달기
'Mogadishu | 모가디슈' Kim So-jin 김소진
'Perhaps Love | 장르만 로맨스' Oh Na-ra 오나라
'Miracle | 기적' Lee Soo-kyung 이수경
'Hansan: Rising Dragon | 한산: 용의출현' Kim Hyang-gi 김향기

 
Best New Actor 신인남우상

'Hot Blooded | 뜨거운 피' Lee Hong-nae 이홍내
'Hommage | 오마주' Tang Jun-sang 탕준상
'Hostage | 인질' Kim Jae-bum 김재범
'In Our Prime | 이상한 나라의 수학자' Kim Dong-hwi 김동휘
'Perhaps Love | 장르만 로맨스' Moo Jin-sung 무진성

 
Best New Actress 신인여우상

'Broker | 브로커' Lee Ji-eun 아이유
'Snowball | 최선의 삶' Bang Min-ah 방민아
'Ten Months | 십개월의 미래' Choi Sung-eun 최성은
'The Witch: Part 2. The Other One | 마녀2' Shin Si-ah 신시아
'The Girl on a Bulldozer | 불도저에 탄 소녀' Kim Hye-yoon 김혜윤

[Helena]

https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/k-pop/k-drama/article/3190567/11-new-k-dramas-watch-september-2022-narco-saints-netflix
11 new K-dramas to watch in September 2022: Narco-Saints on Netflix, Little Women, The Law Café and more

 

• Louisa May Alcott’s classic novel Little Women gets a contemporary Korean update, starring Kim Go-eun of Yumi’s Cells and Squid Game’s Wi Ha-joon
• Meanwhile, Netflix crime drama Narco-Saints will be the most expensive Korean drama ever made per episode – but will it gain as much acclaim as Squid Game?

By Pierce Conran | 30 Aug, 2022

Ha Jung-woo (left) as Kang Ingu and Hwang Jung-min as Jeon Yohan in a still from Narco-Saints. Photo: Cho Wonjin/Netflix.

With autumn just around the corner and South Korea ready to celebrate Chuseok, the Korean version of the Mid-Autumn Festival, the drama industry has scheduled a dizzying number of major new show launches in September, including a quartet of legal dramas and Netflix Korea’s biggest show of the year.

 

4. Narco-Saints

 

Taking the Chuseok holiday slot that provided the launch pad for Squid Game last year will be the crime drama Narco-Saints.

The most expensive Korean drama ever made (per episode), the series stars Ha Jung-woo (Along with the Gods), Hwang Jung-min (Veteran) and Park Hae-soo and marks the drama debut of acclaimed filmmaker Yoon Jong-bin (The Spy Gone North).

Ha plays a Korean businessman who sets up shop in Suriname in South America and unwittingly becomes involved in the local crime scene when he is forced to cooperate with the National Intelligence Service (NIS) to take down a drug king played by Hwang. (Netflix, September 9)

[Helena]

https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/k-pop/k-drama/article/3190986/netflix-k-drama-review-narco-saints-ha-jung-woo-hwang-jung
Review | Netflix K-drama review: Narco-Saints – Ha Jung-woo, Hwang Jung-min in epic drug saga by The Spy Gone North director that takes an explosive journey down a familiar path

 

• Big-budget Netflix series is set in Suriname, South America, and follows a Korean man who is helped out by a priest and gets caught up in the drug trade
• He meets a Korean intelligence officer who gets him to go undercover against the priest, who is the head of a drug cartel

By Pierce Conran | 2 Sep, 2022

Ha Jung-woo (centre) as Kang Ingu in a still from Netflix series Narco-Saints. Photo: Cho Wonjin/Netflix

3/5 stars

Korean men seek to make their fortunes in South America in director Yoon Jong-bin’s epic and explosive Netflix crime saga Narco-Saints.

Ha Jung-woo (Along with the Gods) and Hwang Jung-min (Veteran), two of South Korea’s biggest box office stars, lead a predominantly male cast in this richly realised romp through the streets and jungles of Suriname (the Korean title of the series).

Like many of director Yoon’s previous films (this is his first TV drama), the story follows the tense relationship between two ambitious men who cautiously come to respect each other.

Netflix has afforded Yoon his biggest canvas yet, with a show that was shot on location in the Dominican Republic and is said to have by far the highest per episode budget of any Korean drama.

Echoing grand drug lord sagas like Narcos and Scarface, Narco-Saints is a suitably bloody and operatic affair, but beneath its filmmaking chutzpah is a story that doesn’t add anything new to the mix, beyond a novel location and an intriguing fake religion backdrop – a storyline that is quickly abandoned in favour of classic crime elements.

Loosely based on real events, the six-episode series follows Kang Ingu (Ha), a man who worked his way up from poverty to provide for his family. He still can’t keep the wolves from the door, so when a friend approaches him with a business proposal in a faraway land, it proves impossible to resist.

Leaving his family behind, he relocates to Suriname, an impoverished former Dutch colony. He proceeds to buy up skate from local fishermen on the cheap and exports it back to Korea, where it is a delicacy.

The wily Ingu knows when to grease the pipes, but when the local Chinese gang comes a-knocking, led by the gruff and hirsute Chen Jin (Chang Chen), the kickbacks are beyond what he can pay.

Hwang Jung-min as Jeon Yohan in a still from Narco-Saints. Photo: Cho Wonjin/Netflix

On orders from his Christian wife, Ingu visits a local Korean church, run by the charismatic Pastor Jeon Yohwan (Hwang). Pastor Jeon offers a helping hand and to Ingu’s surprise, his troubles are soon over, though in reality they’ve only just begun.

Ingu soon becomes an unwitting pawn in the international drug trade, and the next person who bails him out is the strait-laced Korean National Intelligence Service agent Choi Changho (Squid Game’s Park Hae-soo).

Changho lays a bombshell on Ingu: Pastor Jeon is actually the cocaine king of Suriname and if Ingu wants Changho’s help, he’s going to need to go undercover and gain the pastor’s trust.

Narco-Saints kicks off with an extended montage of Ingu’s backstory, but it’s only after he arrives in Suriname that it comes to life. Hwang Jung-min’s electric entrance as Pastor Jeon, the vivid location photography and evocative costume and production design are a big part of this, but it’s also because this is the story of Korean men on the road.

Ha Jung-woo (left) as Kang Ingu and Park Hae-soo as Choi Changho in a still from Narco-Saints. Photo: Cho Wonjin/Netflix

Appropriately the first scene, which is a moment we catch up with later in the series, introduces us to Ingu on the road. He’s riding in the back of a truck driving through a Surinamese jungle and intently staring at a baseball signed by pitcher Chan Ho Park, the first Korean-born player in the MLB.

The baseball was given to Ingu by Pastor Jeon, who lionises the achievements of fellow countrymen in Western sports, but is it real? At a different point, the pastor offers a similar gift to a non-Korean, but we know this one is a fake.

Yoon’s films are strongly rooted in male camaraderie, from his edgy indie debut film about military service, The Unforgiven, to his superlative North Korean espionage drama The Spy Gone North; both films screened at the Cannes Film Festival.

 

Spoiler

Yoo Yeon-seok as David Julio Park in a still from Narco-Saints. Photo: Cho Wonjin/Netflix

Much like in The Spy Gone North, which chronicled the tense and surprising friendship between a North Korean diplomat and a South Korean spy posing as a businessman, the unusual bond between Ingu and Pastor Jeon is at the heart of Narco-Saints.

The relationship gets off on the wrong foot, to put it mildly, but ultimately they are both Korean men away from home, trying to make their fortunes. Pastor Jeon has other people around him, like the Chinese-Korean gangster Byeon Kitae (Jo Woo-jin) and the American-raised lawyer David Park (Yoo Yeon-seok), but Ingu is closest to a home that he can’t go back to.

Given its macho focus, it’s perhaps unsurprising that women are given short shrift in the story. Ingu’s wife, Hyejin (Choo Ja-hyun), who barely features after the opening episode, is painted as a nag, and there are only a handful of lines spoken by other women in the story.

 

Spoiler

Hwang Jung-min as Jeon Yohan in a still from Narco-Saints. Photo: Cho Wonjin/Netflix

Also missing are local characters, save for a greedy president in Pastor Jeon’s pocket and local prostitutes who hang around but never utter a word.

Period blockbusters set in third world countries are currently a major trend in the Korean film industry (including Escape from Mogadishu and several upcoming films), but many of these stories, which are loosely based on actual events, fail to incorporate local protagonists.

With its charismatic drug lord, high production standards and catchy theme from composer Cho Young-wook, Narco-Saints is often a treat to watch. But it is sometimes let down by an overreliance on English scenes between non-native speakers and a story that lacks depth.

Narco-Saints will start streaming on Netflix on September 9.

[Helena]

https://k-odyssey.com/news/newsview.php?ncode=1065579562054742
S.Korean Netflix original series 'Narco-Saints' to premier on September 9

YonhapNews / 2022-09-03 11:19:22
(This article is translated from Korean to English by Joonha Yoo)

Spoiler

▲These photos, provided by Netflix, show scenes from 'Narco-Saints.' (PHOTO NOT FOR SALE) (Yonhap)

SEOUL, September 3 (Yonhap) -- South Korean Netflix Original series “Narco–Saints” attracts the audience while following the basics of structure of Crime series



Netflix Series, “Narco-Saint” is about a civilian who has no other choice but to work with the national intelligence service because he is framed by the drug kingpin who rules over the South American country Suriname.


The drama series is based on a true story of South Korean drug lord known as Mr. Cho who got captured in 2011. By featuring actors Hwang Jung-min, Ha Jung-woo, Jo Woo-jin, Park Hae-soo and more the drama adds solid finishing touch to the production.


Throughout the drama, plot thickens the tension continues on rising as each of the characters are suspicious of one another.



A businessman Kang In-gu acted by Ha Jung-woo faces sudden change in his life due to pastor Jeon Yo-han, acted by Hwang Jung-min who wanted to use Kang In-gu’s business as a mean of transport for his cocaine business. Therefore Kang In-gu decides to team up with the national intelligence service and go on an undercover mission as a drug trafficker and approaches to Jeon Yo-han.


One of the greatest swindlers of the world Jeon Yo-han wields absolute power among his faithful devotees who he uses as a mean of distributing his cocaine. Insanity portrayed by cocaine addict followers of Jeon Yo-han adds tension throughout the series.


Plan provided by the national intelligence service is to help Jeon Yo-han with supplying cocaine to South Korea through United States, Agent Choi Chang-ho acted by Park Hae-soo goes undercover as a colleague of Kang In-gu, however due to his curiosity, both of the undiscovered assets go through numerous difficulties throughout the series creating the intense atmosphere. Potential betrayal of Kang In-gu is one of the reasons why the national inelegance service consider this operation to be risky.


Rivalry which cannot opt out in crime series also appear throughout “Narco- Saints.” Chinese drug ring specializing in Methamphetamine due to firm grip of Jeon Yo-han who monopolizes cocaine business adds additional tension throughout the series. Kang In-gu who contacted with Chinese drug ring in order to draw Jeon Yo-han receives death threats and the success of the whole operation gets jeopardized.



One of the biggest attracting point of “Narco-Sains” is the realistic act of the South Korean actors 



South Korean actor Hwang Jung-min realistically portrayed psychotic, devil like cult leader while Ha Jung-woo portrayed rough, but humble character Kang In-gu perfectly throughout the series.


Actor Park Hae-soo who left long lasting impression to the audiences due to his roles as an antagonists throughout the series, transformed into very sharp, calm and realistic agent of the national intelligence service. Actor Chang Chen from “Crouching Tiger; Hidden Dragon” stars in “Narco-Saints” as the leader figure of the Chinese drug ring, adding power to the series.


Series “Narco-Saints” is directed by Yoon Jong-bin who is known for his movies “The Spy Gone North,” in 2018, “Nameless Gangster: Rules of the Time,” “Beastie Boys” in 2008 and more. In the beginning of the production, “Narco-Saints” was going to be produced as a movie; however it went through a structural change and became a six part series drama.


Since “Narco- Saints” which will be released by Netflix is premiering on Chuseok, Korean Thanksgiving holiday, despite of the series being a very well made show, it is hard for the series to fulfill the audiences expectation and interest.


Since all six of the episodes are interconnected to create a one whole big picture, the series lack in introducing new fresh factors. Adding on, despite of the rigidly process of national intelligence service’s undercover operation the series lack in plot twist as well.



Since it was originally created as a movie the drama drags a little, by spending over 20 minutes for protagonist Kang In-gu to actually go to Suriname, and one of the main figures of the drama Jeon Yo-han appeared towards the end of the first episode. In order to put emphasize on the drug kingpin, the series feature a lot of female figures with very provocative clothes, therefore some of the audiences might feel uncomfortable watching the drama.



However, South Korean actor Hwang Jung-min and Ha Jung-woo’s act throughout the drama was spot on. But the typical protagonist and antagonist’s image of how protagonist cleverly overcomes all the difficulties and the antagonists are always worked up with insanity decreases characters charisma a little.


Character which actor Ha Jung-woo acted throughout the drama Kang In-gu’s extravagant ability to quickly reacts and wisdom to over every difficulty is far off from reality. Also the glorifying the agent of the national intelligence service makes it hard for audience to truly engage into the drama.


Netflix series “Narco-Saints” will be available starting in September 9. (END)
 

(C) Yonhap News Agency. All Rights Reserved

[Sleepy Owl]

Event: Best Comedy Kdramas

 

Vote for your favorite Comedy Dramas 

Your Event Organizers,

@partyon @Sleepy Owl @agenth @confusedheart

[Helena]

https://en.yna.co.kr/view/AEN20220907007000315
'Narco-Saints' is crime-thriller about civilian undercover agent: Director

By Kim Boram (brk@yna.co.kr) |  September 07, 2022
 

In this photo provided by Netflix, the cast of "Narco-Saints" poses for a photo during a press conference in Seoul on Sept. 7, 2022. (PHOTO NOT FOR SALE) (Yonhap)

 

‘Narco-Saints’ lead actors Hwang Jung-min and Ha Jung-woo during its press conference in Seoul on Sept. 7, 2022. (Netflix/Yonhap)

Director Yoon Jong-bin during ‘Narco-Saints’ press conference in Seoul on Sept. 7, 2022. (Netflix/Yonhap)

SEOUL, Sept. 7 (Yonhap) -- The director of the upcoming Korean-language Netflix original "Narco-Saints" said Wednesday that it tells an unprecedentedly enthralling story about an untrained citizen who takes undercover missions to capture a drug kingpin in a South American country.

"I've looked for a film or a TV series covering a civilian working undercover, but failed to find one," Yoon Jong-bin, who helmed the six-part Netflix series, said in a press conference in Seoul. "The key point is that an ordinary businessman who has no experience of specialized training survives life-threatening situations only with the talent of accommodating himself to the circumstances."

Based on a true story, the series follows an ordinary businessman named Kang In-gu (Ha Jung-woo), who is forced to join a secret mission tasked by the National Intelligence Service while being involved in a drug-related plot conspired by Jeon Yo-hwan (Hwang Jung-min), a Korean drug lord in Suriname disguised as a Christian pastor.

The director said he was so impressed by the real-life story about a drug ruler named Cho Bong-haeng, who ran a major drug-smuggling ring in Suriname and was arrested in Brazil in 2009 by the Korean spy agency in collaboration with a businessman in Suriname.

"I was so interested in this story. When I first read the script for a two-hour film, I thought it missed too many interesting episodes and ideas," he said. "So I wanted to tell this tale in a longer rhythm and joined hands with Netflix."

"Narco-Saints" is the first TV series by Yoon, who is well-known for many South Korean box-office hit films, including the espionage thriller "The Spy Gone North" (2018) and the historical action movie "Kundo: Age of Rampant" (2014).

He said it was hard for a veteran filmmaker to adjust to the tight shooting schedule of a longer TV series and make cliffhanger endings to keep the audience hooked for the next episode.

"I had to shoot a six-hour series under the similar time limit with a film. That's huge pressure," he said. "And I spent a lot of time focusing on the last scenes of each episode to maintain the tension."

Actor Ha Jung-woo, who has written and directed two films, "Fasten Your Seatbelt" (2013) and "Chronicle of a Blood Merchant" (2015), played a role in encouraging director Yoon to work on this project about seven years ago.

"I thought the true story about the Suriname drug lord is worth dramatizing. It's so dramatic," he said. "It is so impressive and interesting that I thought it would be adapted into a film someday in the future."

"Narco-Saints" will be available on Netflix this Friday. (END)

[Helena]

http://www.koreaherald.com/view.php?ud=20220907000655
Let no man deceive you by any means: ‘Narco-Saints’

Netflix’s adaptation of true story of Korean drug lord operating in Suriname presents another tense crime thriller

By Lee Si-jin (sj_lee@heraldcorp.com) | Sept 7, 2022

From left: Actors Yoo Yeon-seok, Park Hae-soo, Hwang Jung-min, Ha Jung-woo and Jo Woo-jin pose for photos before a press conference at Josun Palace in Gangnam, southern Seoul. (Netflix)

Netflix’s upcoming “Narco-Saints” is set to present an explosive crime saga in a new setting with a dynamic story and a pseudo religious leader.

“I thought the series held a powerful story. A Korean becoming a drug lord in a country on the northeastern Atlantic coast of South America? This is an exciting setting for a movie,” Ha Jung-woo, who makes his return to a drama series after 15 years, said at a press conference held at Josun Palace in southern Seoul, Wednesday.

“When I first heard about the story, I hoped it would make a jump into either a crime film or a drama series. Because the series had a mesmerizing storyline, I was able to wait for six to seven years, handing out ideas for ‘Narco-Saints,’” Ha added.

 

Spoiler

Still image of "Narco-Saints" (Netflix)

Based on a true story about a South Korean man in Suriname who smuggled cocaine from South America to Europe using Koreans as carriers, the six-episode series revolves around Kang In-gu (Ha), a hard-working man who does not want his children to live in poverty.

Hoping to change his life, Kang starts a new business with a friend in the unfamiliar locale of Suriname.

After Kang unexpectedly encounters Korean pastor Jeon (Hwang Jung-min), who is also a drug king, he becomes a pawn in the international drug trade. A new mind game begins when Kang is caught by Choi Chang-ho (Park Hae-soo), a South Korean government agent.

A still image shows Hwang Jung-min (left) as Pastor Jeon and Ha Jung-woo (center) as Kang In-gu at a church in "Narco-Saints." (Netflix)

Director Yoon Jong-bin, who was behind hit crime films “Nameless Gangster: Rules of Time” (2012), “A Violent Prosecutor” (2016) and “The Spy Gone North” (2018), said that he decided to make his drama debut with “Narco-Saints” because two hours would not be enough.

Director Yoon Jong-bin attends a press conference for "Narco-Saints" in Seoul, Wednesday. (Netflix)

“When I read the script written for a 120-minute film, I recognized that many exciting points had been left out. I felt that producing a crime film will be difficult and this eventually led me to make a drama debut,” Yoon said.

The director added that the character of Pastor Jeon was created to help viewers understand Kang’s situation and empathize with the character.

“When I heard the real story, Kang was simply a person who passionately wished to help the drug king. And I didn't think this was convincing. I thought about a type of job that could easily win people's trust,” Yoon said. "A pastor was the answer."

 

Thrilling stories aside, the director said that shooting the top actors in the same scene was a dream-come-true moment.

“The energy that these actors -- and Taiwanese actor Chang Chen -- brought to the scenes was tremendous,” the director said, expressing confidence that the cast’s outstanding performances will capture people's attention.

“Narco-Saints” releases on Netflix on Friday.

[Helena]

https://koreajoongangdaily.joins.com/2022/09/07/entertainment/television/NarcoSaints/20220907154503484.html
Upcoming Netflix original series 'Narco-Saints' takes inspiration for real drug lord

BY LEE JAE-LIM [lee.jaelim@joongang.co.kr] | September 7, 2022

 

Actors Hwang Jung-min, left, and Ha Jung-woo pose for photos at a local press event to promote their upcoming Netflix original series "Narco-Saints" on Thursday at Josun Palace in Gangnam District, southern Seoul. The series revolves around an ordinary entrepreneur named Kang In-gu, portrayed by Ha, who chooses to cooperate with the National Intelligence Service and go on a secret mission to capture Korean drug lord Jeon Yo-hwan, portrayed by Hwang. [NEWS1]

A drug lord active in Suriname and secret agents working undercover to capture him seems like the perfect plot for an action film.

However, the upcoming Netflix original series “Narco-Saints,” which is based on this narrative, is actually adapted from true events about a drug lord named Cho Bong-haeng who operated a massive trafficking organization in Suriname between the late 1990s and early 2000s.

The series is director Yoon Jong-bin’s first-ever drama. Yoon is known for portraying society’s dark sides such as military violence and crime cartels as seen in his prior films “The Unforgiven” (2005),” “Nameless Gangster: Rules of Time” (2012) and “The Spy Gone North” (2018).

 

Spoiler

Hwang portrays the Korean drug lord Byun Yo-hwan, based on a real-life character of a drug lord named Cho Bong-haeng who operated a massive drug trafficking organization in Suriname between late 1990s and early 2000s. [NETFLIX]

The series adds one more protagonist - an ordinary entrepreneur named Kang In-gu, portrayed by Ha Jung-woo, who chooses to cooperate with the National Intelligence Service and go on a secret mission to capture the Korean drug lord Jeon Yo-hwan, portrayed by Hwang Jung-min, who disguises himself as a benevolent pastor.

Director Yoon fronts this protagonist as his series’ unique charm that distinguishes itself from other similar works about spies.

 

Spoiler

Ha Jung-woo portrays an ordinary civilian-turned-spy who seeks revenge on Yo-hwan and decides to cooperate with NIS to capture him. [NETFLIX]

“There is no content, I believe, about a civilian being deployed to a secret operation led by a government organization,” he said at a local press event on Thursday held at Josun Palace in Gangnam district, southern Seoul. “That’s what I think is original about this series. In-gu isn’t professionally trained [to go undercover] and he pulls through the mission using only his guts and his instinct for survival [...] What’s more, the biggest attraction about this series is that it’s adapted from a real-life event, so I think that makes our story feel more grounded.”

 

From left, actors Yoo Yeon-seok, Park Hae-soo, Hwang Jung-min, Ha Jung-woo and Jo Woo-jin pose for the photo at a local press event to promote their upcoming Netflix original series "Narco-Saints" on Thursday at Josun Palace in Gangnam District, southern Seoul. [NEWS1]

The series features a star-studded cast including one of the leads of hit Netflix Korea series “Squid Game” (2021), Park Hae-soo who plays NIS agent Choi Chang-ho who is in charge of the operation to capture Yo-hwan; Jo Woo-jin as Yo-hwan’s ruthless second-in-command Byun Ki-tae; Yoo Yeon-seok as David Park, the brain of the drug organization and an attorney who is multi-lingual and helps Yo-hwan operate his drug ring; and Taiwanese actor Chang Chen as Chen Jin, another leader of a crime ring dominating Suriname and Yo-hwan's biggest competitor in the crime world.

“Narco-Saints” will be released on Netflix worldwide on Friday.

[Helena]

https://www.koreatimes.co.kr/www/art/2022/09/688_335762.html
Netflix series 'Narco-Saints' to tell real-life story of Korean drug lord

By Lee Gyu-lee | 2022-09-08

From left, actors Yoo Yeon-seok and Park Hae-soo, Director Yoon Jong-bin, actors Hwang Jung-min, Ha Jung-woo and Jo Woo-jin pose during a press conference for the new Netflix series, "Narco-Saints," at Josun Palace in Gangnam-gu, Seoul, Wednesday. Courtesy of Netflix

Netflix is set to release another blockbuster Korean original series, "Narco-Saints," scheduled to hit the platform on Friday, in time for the Chuseok holiday long weekend. 

Based on a true story, the thriller crime series revolves around an entrepreneur, Kang In-gu (Ha Jung-woo), who traveled to Suriname, a small country in South America, to start a fish trading business to make ends meet for his family back in Korea. One day he comes across a Korean priest, Jeon Yo-hwan (Hwang Jung-min), who helps him out during a dispute with the local Chinese mafia.

When he is accused of smuggling drugs, In-gu finds out Yo-hwan is actually the country's Korean drug lord who uses his fish business to export drugs. He then joins a secret government mission to take him down with agent Choi Chang-ho (Park Hae-soo).

Filmmaker Yoon Jong-bin, who is known for the 2018 drama film "The Spy Gone North" and the 2014 period action film "Kundo: Age of the Rampant," is making his series directorial debut with "Narco-Saints." He co-wrote the series with scriptwriter Kwon Sung-hui, whose previous work includes the 2020 horror film "The Closet."

The director shared that the drama, which was originally meant to be a film, was developed into a six-part series to explore the story of the real-life Korean drug lord in Suriname, who was apprehended in 2009.

"When I first heard about the story, I thought it was really interesting. But when I got the script for the film, a lot was missing, like the things that drew my interest at first. It seemed to be difficult to capture the whole story in a two-hour running time," he said during a press conference for the series, held at Josun Palace in Gangnam-gu, Seoul, Wednesday. 

Actor Ha is making a return to the small screen with the series since his drug use conviction, where he was fined last year for illegally using propofol for non-medical purposes.

Ha, who was part of the project since its development stage, said he felt the uniqueness of the story was worth making into a series. 

"I believed that this story based on real life has huge energy. A Korean going to a small South American country and becoming a drug smuggler, itself, felt like a movie," he said. "Because of that the story was powerful, I knew that it would be made into (a series) sometime."

Hwang shared that he joined the project as he was intrigued by its intense storyline. "When I read the script for all six episodes, it had this energy that pulled me toward the next page. After reading the first episode, it made me want to flip right to the next page," he said.

He added that he felt satisfied to see the final product after working with star-studded cast members, Ha, Park, Yoo Yeon-seok, and Jo Woo-jin.

"It's my first time working with these actors … I actually felt bigger energy after watching the series than during the shooting. I was watching the final version quite a time after the filming and everyone did such a great job with their characters," he said.

[Helena]

#Netflix #NarcoSaints #수리남
Narco-Saints | Making Of | Netflix

 

"Can you believe who's in the cast?"
A star-studded lineup
Breathes life into their characters

Starring Ha Jung-woo, Hwang Jung-min, Park Hae-soo, Jo Woo-jin and Yoo Yeon-seok
With a special appearance by Chang Chen

Director Yoon Jong-bin weaves an intensely rich tale
For his Netflix debut series

Go behind the scenes of Narco-Saints

Narco-Saints | 9 September, only on Netflix
#Netflix #Narco_Saints #수리남

Narco-Saints | Making Of | Netflix
https://www.youtube.com/NetflixAsia

An ordinary entrepreneur joins a secret government mission to capture a Korean drug lord operating in South America. Based on true events.

 

—

 

[ theswoonnetflix + netflixkr + NetflixKR ] Category is: seriously talented men

Photos: Ahn Joo-young (@ahnjooyoung_)

#narco_saints #hajungwoo #hwangjungmin #parkhaesoo #jowoojin #yooyeonseok #yoonjongbin

Spoiler

 

 

 

[Helena]

https://www.esquirekorea.co.kr/article/70597
ESQUIRE KOREA Pictorial

BY Oh Junghoon | 2022.09.08

Spoiler

 

[Helena]

#NarcoSaints #HaJungwoo #HwangJungmin

[ENG SUB] How well does the cast of Narco-Saints know each other?

 

Join the cast of NARCO-SAINTS as they get into the nitty-gritty of their show! From fashion choices to secret signals and even a surprise language test, find out who pays the most attention to their costars—and who’s going to have to channel their inner K-pop idol?

 

Watch NARCO-SAINTS on Netflix: https://www.netflix.com/title/81343748

Subscribe to The Swoon: https://bit.ly/2IiIXqV
Follow The Swoon on Instagram: https://instagram.com/theswoonnetflix

#NarcoSaints #HaJungwoo #HwangJungmin #ParkHaesoo #JoWoojin #YooYeonseok #TheSwoon #Kdrama

 

—

 

Narco Saints Netflix | The Real Life Story of the Korean Drug Lord of Suriname | History Recaps

Spoiler

Everything about History and more.
Serial Killers | Murder Cases | History Events | Conspiracy Theories
Documentary.
He lived in Suriname from the late '90s to the early 2000s, running a large drug trafficking organization, and was arrested in 2009 for coordinating operations with the NIS, the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration, and the Brazilian police. In 2011, he was sentenced to 10 years in prison and 100 million fines. 
The Drug King of the Republic of Korea
Cho Bong-hang was originally a ship refrigerator in the 1980s. 
At the time, he lived in Suriname for about 8 years and was bright on the local situation

[Helena]

https://k-odyssey.com/news/newsview.php?ncode=1065597844525881
Neflix 'Narco-Saints' ranks No.8 two days after release

YonhapNews / 2022-09-12 16:24:11
(This article is translated from Korean to English by Jiwon Woo.)

 

▲This photo, provided by Netflix, shows Narco-saints. (PHOTO NOT FOR SALE) (Yonhap)

▲This photo, provided by Flix Patrol, shows TV show rankings. (PHOTO NOT FOR SALE) (Yonhap)

 

SEOUL, Sept. 12 (Yonhap) -- Netflix's new original series "Narco-Saints" rose to eighth in the global rankings just two days after its release.


 

According to an online ranking site Flix Patrol on Monday, The series ranked eighth in the Netflix TV program category as of the previous day. It has been two days since the episodes were released on Sept. 9.



It topped in four countries: Korea, Hong Kong, Singapore, and Vietnam.



It ranked second in Malaysia and third in the Bahamas, Bangladesh, Indonesia, Jamaica, Kenya, Taiwan and Thailand.

The series also placed seventh in the United States, ninth in Canada, and 10th in Australia.



The series tells the story of a ordinary entrepreneur who cooperates in the secret operation of the National Intelligence Service to arrest a Korean drug lord who has taken over the South American country. Actors such as Ha Jung-woo, Hwang Jung-min, Park Hae-soo, and Jo Woo-jin star.



Although it is a highly anticipated film released by Netflix during the Chuseok holiday, it did not meet the world-wide popularity of "Money Heist: Korea -Joint Economic Area," which was released in last June.



"Money Heist: Korea -Joint Economic Area" ranked 3rd in the world within one day of its release and topped in 5 countries.  But "Money Heist: Korea -Joint Economic Area" was already receiving worldwide attention as the remake of a Spanish drama and "Narco-saints" is likely to rank higher over time.



Flix Patrol ranks and totals rankings by country based on the TOP 10 rankings provided by Netflix.



KBS drama "Young Lady and Gentleman," which ended in last March, ranked sixth, and ENA drama "Extraordinary Attorney Woo" ninth, and the tvN drama "Alchemy of Souls" 10th. (END)
 

(C) Yonhap News Agency. All Rights Reserved

 

—

 

http://english.chosun.com/site/data/html_dir/2022/09/13/2022091301292.html
Another Korean Series Makes Netflix Top 10

By Lee Tae-hoon | September 13, 2022 12:54

Korean series "Narco-Saints" ranked eighth on Netflix's global charts on Monday, according to FlixPatrol, which provides streaming rankings worldwide.

It is Netflix's biggest-budget Korean series at W35 billion in production costs, W10 billion more than mega hit "Squid Game" (US$1=W1,384).

Starring veteran actors Ha Jung-woo and Hwang Jung-min, it topped Netflix's TV show chart in Korea on Sunday and placed eighth globally a day after its release on Friday in time for Korea's biggest holiday Chuseok.

It is director Yoon Jong-bin's first drama series after hit films like "Nameless Gangster: Rules of Time" and "The Spy Gone North."

The six-episode series revolves around a man who joins a secret mission to capture a Korean drug lord operating in the South American country of Suriname.

Most of Yoon's work features strong male leads, and the onscreen chemistry between Ha and Hwang seems to have engrossed viewers.

[Helena]

https://top10.netflix.com/tv-non-english

Global Top 10 [ SEPTEMBER 5 - SEPTEMBER 11, 2022 ]

Weekly Top 10 list of most-watched TV (Non-English)

 

 

NARCO-SAINTS: SEASON 1
Top 10 in TV in 13 countries on Netflix
IN THE AMERICAS: Bahamas•Guadeloupe•Jamaica•Martinique
IN AFRICA: Kenya
IN ASIA: Hong Kong•Indonesia•Malaysia•Singapore•#1 South Korea•Taiwan•

[Helena]

https://koreajoongangdaily.joins.com/2022/09/14/entertainment/television/korea-suriname-netflix-suriname/20220914172005643.html
Suriname's foreign minister says country will take legal action against producers over unfair portrayal

BY YIM SEUNG-HYE [yim.seunghye@joongang.co.kr] | September 14, 2022

 

A scene in Netflix's “Narco-Saints,” featuring actors Ha Jung-woo, left, and Hwang Jung-min, right. [NETFLIX]

Korea's hit Netflix series “Narco-Saints” has caused a stir in Suriname, a country located on the northeastern Atlantic coast of South America, next to Brazil.

According to an article in the Suriname Herald published on Sept. 13, Minister of Foreign Affairs, International Business and International Cooperation Albert Ramdin said during a press briefing on Sept. 12 that he will take legal action against the producers of Korea's Netflix series that is depicting Suriname as a corrupt country associated with cocaine.

The minister is quoted as saying that Suriname has made so much effort to distance itself from such negative images and “is no longer a country associated with drugs.”

  
“However, the country is on the verge of a crisis of being tainted again with the image due to Netflix’s recent series. I am going to make contact with Korea regarding the issue,” the minister said.

The report said that the minister plans to reach out to the U.S Embassy in Korea as there is no Korean embassy in Suriname.

The South American nation became familiar to most Koreans only after being featured in the Netflix series “Narco-Saints,” which is titled “Suriname” in Korean.

The series revolves around a drug lord active in Suriname and undercover secret agents working to capture him. It’s adapted from true events about a Korean drug lord named Cho Bong-haeng who operated a massive trafficking organization in Suriname between the late 1990s and early 2000s.

[Helena]

https://koreajoongangdaily.joins.com/2022/09/15/entertainment/television/narco-saints-suriname-accidental-narco/20220915132543983.html
Overseas Koreans told to take care after Suriname's threat of legal action against Netflix series

BY HALEY YANG [yang.hyunjoo@joongang.co.kr] | September 15, 2022

A scene from the new Neflix Korea series "Narco-Saints" [NETFLIX]

After the South American country of Suriname announced it will take legal action against the hit Netflix Korea series “Narco-Saints” for depicting it as a drug-ridden nation, the Korean embassy warned local Korean residents to pay special attention to their safety. 

The Korean embassy in Venezuela posted an official statement titled “Safety Notice for the Korean community in Suriname” on its website Tuesday.   

“We are assuming that many Korean residents in Suriname are very troubled due to the aftermath of ‘Suriname,’” the statement reads. “Please pay attention to your safety, and if there are any concerns or need for help, please notify us through the local president of the Korean community immediately.” 

“The embassy has the safety of Koreans as our first concern and will do our best for your security,” it added.

 

The Korean embassy in Venezuela posted an official statement titled “Safety Notice for the Korean community in Suriname” on its website Tuesday. [SCREEN CAPTURE]

Korea and Suriname established diplomatic relations in 1975. The Korean embassy in Venezuela also covers Suriname. 

On Monday, the Surinamese government officially objected to the Neflix show’s portrayal of the country and announced it would take legal action. According to an article in the Suriname Herald published on Sept. 13, Minister of Foreign Affairs, International Business and International Cooperation Albert Ramdin said during a press briefing on Sept. 12 that he will take legal action against the producers of Korea's Netflix series that is depicting Suriname as a corrupt country associated with cocaine.   

The minister is quoted as saying that Suriname has made so much effort to distance itself from such negative images and “is no longer a country associated with drugs.” 

“However, the country is on the verge of a crisis of being tainted again with the image due to Netflix’s recent series. I am going to make contact with Korea regarding the issue,” the minister said.   

The report said that the minister plans to reach out to the U.S Embassy in Korea as there is no Korean embassy in Suriname. 

 

A scene from the new Neflix Korea series "Narco-Saints" [NETFLIX]

The South American nation, located on the northeastern Atlantic coast of South America next to Brazil, became familiar to most Koreans after being featured in the Netflix series “Narco-Saints.” The show’s original title in Korean is “Suriname.”   

The series revolves around a drug lord active in Suriname and undercover secret agents working to capture him. It’s adapted from true events related to a Korean drug lord named Cho Bong-haeng who operated a massive trafficking organization in Suriname between the late 1990s and early 2000s.   

Five days after launching on Sept. 9, “Suriname” is currently the third most-watched on Top TV shows on Netflix, according to data analysis company FlixPatrol as of Thursday.