The Korea Herald

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Horrors, zombie thrillers set to attract TV viewers in coming weeks

By Yonhap

Published : Oct. 2, 2020 - 11:30

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A screenshot from A screenshot from "Tale of the Nine Tailed" by tvN (Yonhap)
On chilly fall nights, monsters, ghosts and zombies are poised to thrill or even scare South Korean TV viewers and binge-watchers.

The horror show "Sweet Home," based on a famous web cartoon with the same title, will be released on Netflix later this year.

The series is about a student who faces scary experiences after moving into a new apartment, where its residents turn into monsters.

It has drawn wide attention from viewers as the Netflix debut by renowned South Korean director Lee Eung-bok, best known for his smash-hit TV series "Goblin: The Lonely and Great God" (2016) and "Mr. Sunshine" (2018).

Starring Lee Dong-wook and Jo Bo-ah, the fantasy romance "Tale of the Nine Tailed" features a male "gumiho," or a nine-tailed fox, referring to a fairy-tale creature that transforms its appearance into an attractive person to seduce boys.

The fox, which disguises itself as a human, settles in a city in the 21st century and confronts a producer who looks after the mysterious creature. It will premiere on Oct. 7 through tvN.

The comedy zombie drama "Zombie Detective," which first aired last week on KBS, follows a zombie who pretends to be a human and works as a private detective. It caught the eyes of Korean viewers for its fresh setting and story that breaks the stereotype of zombies with the comical acting of Choi Jin-hyuk.

Experts said scary series and shows are no longer summer vacation hits these days.

"If they are well-made, horror shows can appeal to TV audiences any season," culture critic Jeong Deok-hyun said. "But producers have been making some changes in programs featuring zombies and ghosts and mixing in comedy and romance to increase the scares and charm." (Yonhap)