| Director Hong Won-chan / Courtesy of Hive Media Corp. |
By Kwak Yeon-soo
Writer-director Hong Won-chan, who helmed the hard-boiled action film, "Deliver Us From Evil" (2020), is making his small screen debut with "Gangster" (working title), which will start filming next year.
Set in the turbulent post-war years of the 1960s, when criminal groups vied for influence, the crime noir series follows the rise and fall, friendship and betrayal of young men who become mobsters. The film delves into the country's precarious justice system and how it falls apart through threats and bribery.
It is the first time that Hong, known as the master of action noir films, turned his attention to a different platform. However, the crossover experiment is nothing new to filmmakers. Director Yeon Sang-ho, known for his previous works such as "Train to Busan" and "Peninsula," directed the new Netflix original series, "Hellbound," based on web comics.
Another popular filmmaker, Hur Jin-ho, whose previous works include "Christmas in August" (1998), is currently directing the JTBC drama, "Lost," starring Jeon Do-yeon and Ryu Jun-yeol.
Hong was a scriptwriter for films such as "The Chaser" (2008), "The Yellow Sea" (2010) and "Confession of Murder" (2012). His feature directorial debut, "Office," was invited to the midnight screenings category of the Cannes Film Festival in 2015.