Song Kang portrays Cha Hyun-soo who fights for survival amid a disturbing phenomenon where humans turn into monsters at the Netflix original series "Sweet Home." Courtesy of Netflix

In the Korean drama scene where the creature genre has rarely been attempted, the Netflix original series "Sweet Home" made history after premiering in 2020, introducing a genre that melds creature and monster elements in a distinctly Korean context.

Netflix series "Sweet Home" director Lee Eung-bok poses prior to an interview with The Korea Times at a cafe in Seoul, Thursday. Courtesy of Netflix

The drama, based on Naver's webtoon of the same title, tells the story of residents in an apartment building displaying symptoms of a mysterious infection, fighting monsters and struggling to survive in a space cut off from the outside world. The story is based on the intriguing premise that monsters are created from the deep-seated desires of people. The first season dominated Netflix charts, reaching the top 10 in 13 countries within just four days.

The success continued into the second season, which premiered last year on the platform. The season expanded with a broader cast of characters, introducing neo-humans and a child with the ability to infect people through touch and manipulate those who are infected.

The highly anticipated third and final season was released earlier this month, bringing together all the events that have unfolded and reaches a conclusion.

The series' director Lee Eung-bok described the daunting task of creating the first-ever K-creature series, noting that the process was far more challenging than he initially imagined.

"When I first encountered the webtoon, I was so hooked and thrilled about adapting it. As we developed the story, the staff and I were constantly worried about whether we were doing it justice. It was incredibly difficult and daunting," Lee said, recalling his five-year journey during an interview with The Korea Times at a cafe in Seoul, Thursday.

"In the first season, we focused more on interior scenes and didn't use many action sequences. We hired a Hollywood visual effects team, but in the second and third seasons, when we expanded the story to outdoor settings, we used Korean technology to create scenes where the monsters attack humans. Unlike a Hollywood team with established knowhow, since we had to create monsters from scratch, the whole process has been a challenge."

A scene from Netflix original series "Sweet Home" / Courtesy of Netflix

In fact, the entire apocalyptic environment was created using computer graphics and there was a large number of creatures designed and animated by Korean staffers.

While the series has been lauded for pioneering Korean-made creature content and visual effects, the final season has garnered mixed reactions from both audiences and experts. Some have criticized the rushed ending, while others have pointed out that the story became scattered.

Lee emphasized that in monster horror genres, it is our humanity that keeps us from becoming monsters.

"I thought human compassion would emerge as people clashed, and I wanted to portray that," the director explained.

"I heard that there are many plans for more K-creature films featuring monsters and possession, but I believe that the narrative is crucial. Creating monster characters that are supported by the narrative should be the top priority. However, because it is a time-consuming and expensive endeavor, I believe we must proceed gradually, step by step. In that sense, I hope that 'Sweet Home,' while not the first of its kind, will serve as a valuable reference point and lead to significant advancements."

A scene form Netflix original series "Sweet Home" / Courtesy of Netflix