SEOUL, South Korea,
March 6, 2017 /PRNewswire/
-- Netflix Inc., the world's leading Internet television
network, today announced its second Korean original television
series - Kingdom. The eight-episode series, produced by a
prominent Korean Drama production company, Astory, is set in
Korea's medieval Joseon period where a crown prince is sent on a
suicide mission to investigate a mysterious outbreak that leads him
to a brutal truth that threatens the kingdom.
Kingdom breaks new ground by combining two popular genres
in one series: historical period drama and zombie action-thriller.
The show is a collaboration between two of Korea's strongest
storytellers - director Kim
Seong-hun whose latest success Tunnel was a top five
movie in the Korean box office last year; and writer Kim Eun-hee whose series Signal was one
of the top K-dramas in 2016.
"I am thrilled about partnering with an eminent writer like
Kim Eun-hee. Kingdom presents
the opportunity to work on long-form television at its most
ambitious and on a truly cinematic scale because of the
unparalleled creative freedom that Netflix as a global internet
television network provides," said director Kim Seong-hun.
"I have been working on Kingdom since 2011. I wanted to
write a story that reflects the fears and anxiety of modern times
but explored through the lens of a romantic fascination of the
historical Joseon period. Working with Netflix helps us to unlock
this creative vision for Kingdom and I am excited to further
build this unique story with the director for whom I have
tremendous respect," said writer Kim
Eun-hee.
"Kingdom captured our imaginations from the moment we read the
script with its visual feast of historical drama blended with
supernatural fantasy," said Erik
Barmack, VP of international originals, Netflix. "We are
incredibly honored by this rare opportunity of pairing two premier
creative minds in Korea - film director Kim
Seong-hun and television writer Kim
Eun-hee."
All 8 episodes of Kingdom will premiere exclusively on
Netflix in 2018 to its members in over 190 countries.
About Netflix
Netflix (NASDAQ:NFLX) is the world's leading Internet
television network with over 93 million members in over 190
countries enjoying more than 125 million hours of TV shows and
movies per day, including original series, documentaries and
feature films. Members can watch as much as they want, anytime,
anywhere, on nearly any Internet-connected screen. Members can
play, pause and resume watching, all without commercials or
commitments.
About Astory
Astory was established in 2004, with the aim of creating
compelling stories backed by a collaborative working environment.
Closely working with creators on a wide range of scenarios, Astory
was able to create a large number of quality dramas that drew a fan
following, including Signal, Five Children, Cinderella's
Stepsister, Scent of a Woman, You are the best, Lee SoonShin
and Horse Doctor, in a short span of time.
About Kim Seong-hun
(Director)
Kim Seong-hun began his
filmmaking career as an assistant director in 2003 and directed his
first film in 2006. He directed A Hard Day (in Korean
"Take It to the End") which premiered and drew positive
reviews at the Directors' Fortnight sidebar of the 2014 Cannes Film
Festival. The film also received numerous awards and nominations,
including Best Director at the 51st Grand Bell Awards. His latest
film, which he wrote and directed, is Tunnel - a top five
film in Korean box office in 2016.
About Kim Eun-hee
(Writer)
Kim Eun-hee is in the top echelon
of writers in Korea. Her previous work, Signal, was one of
the top shows of 2016 and a game-changer that re-defined standards
for Korean TV. Ms. Kim won the 2016 52nd Baeksang Arts
Screenwriting Award for Television. She also wrote 3 Days,
Ghost and Sign.
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SOURCE Netflix Inc.