Creative: Kang Eun-kyung
Address: Jung Dong-yoon
Distribution: Park Seo-joon, Han So-hee, Jo Han-chul, Wi Ha-joon
Country: South Korea
Duration: 67 to 73 minutes across seven episodes
Year: 2023
Gender: Adventure
Premiere: December 22, 2023 on Netflix
★★★
If you’ve enjoyed recent Netflix hits like The King’s Affection and Stranger Things, you’ll notice a similar pull toward cross‑genre storytelling in The Monster of Old Seoul. This South Korean series blends historical drama with eerie fantasy, aiming to become a phenomenon on par with the platform’s biggest success stories. Netflix Korea’s leadership has spoken about bold, wide‑racing projects for 2023, signaling the streamer’s ambition to push new formats and voices into the spotlight [Attribution: Netflix Korea press materials].
The story unfolds in Gyeongseong, the historical name for Seoul, toward the end of March 1945, just before the end of Japanese rule. Jang Tae-sang is a sharp, confident pawnbroker known as Mr. Know-It-All. He owns the Golden Treasure House, the town’s premier pawn shop, and he has a reputation for uncovering every secret in Bojeong district. His urgent mission is to locate Myeong-ja, a missing sex worker and the girlfriend of Commissioner Ishikawa, before the cherry blossoms fall. Failure would cost him his money and possibly his life in the escalating war climate.
Two seasoned investigators with ties to Manchuria and Shanghai cross paths with Jang: the veteran Yoon Joong-won and his capable daughter, Yoon Chae-ok. A pragmatic alliance forms as they agree to search for Myeong-ja in exchange for help tracking down a local painter who might hold clues about Joong-won’s missing wife and Chae-ok’s mother. A looming shadow in the background hints at experiments that could threaten them all, guided by Lieutenant Colonel Kato.
The cast also features Claudia Kim as Maeda, wife of Commissioner Ishikawa, and Kim Hae-sook as the manager of the Golden Treasure House, alongside Wi Ha-joon, known for his role in The Squid Game, who joins the ensemble as a trusted ally in this dangerous pursuit. These performances deepen the drama as loyalties blur and danger looms.
Critics and audiences alike have speculated about the show’s tonal direction: could a Korean historical horror drama rival the genre reach of Stranger Things? The series leans on a soundtrack that nods to familiar adventure tunes while embracing a darker, more intimate fear. Genre boundaries blur—romance, drama, and action collide, creating a pace that feels both urgent and reflective.
Director Jung Dong-yoon crafts moments of horror with a deft touch, balancing epic atmosphere and intimate terror. His approach highlights military and civilian crises with thoughtful precision, producing scenes that linger long after the screen goes dark. Each episode typically runs beyond an hour, a common trait in contemporary Korean storytelling that favors immersive world-building. The seven episodes released form a complete arc for the first season, with a promise of more to come in future installments. Early signs suggest Netflix is betting on this series as a flagship project for transnational screens and cross‑genre appeal, a strategic move as streaming wars intensify [Attribution: Netflix Korea press materials].
Overall, Old Seoul Monster blends history and fear into a tense, character-driven thriller. The city’s late colonial setting provides a rich backdrop, while the central trio of investigators, Jang Tae-sang, and a Web of secrets keeps the tempo brisk. Viewers should expect a mix of atmospheric dread, clever plotting, and moments of action that carry emotional weight. The show stands as a notable example of how Korean storytelling continues to experiment with format, mood, and narrative structure, offering something distinctly new while nodding to beloved genre traditions.