New stills for medical grim reaper drama Kkokdu’s Season
by Jenzy
New stills of our titular anti-hero have dropped for MBC’s fantasy drama Kkokdu’s Season, giving us a glimpse into the fantastical and medical elements the drama promises.
Played by Kim Jung-hyun (Mr. Queen), Kkokdu has all the makings of a terrifying spectre: he’s the ruler of the underworld; he’s a grim reaper that offs evil humans; his name has an abundance of Ks. However, he was not always this way, as he was once a human. But after dying and forgetting his former identity and purpose for remaining as a spirit, our embittered protagonist became bitter and rebellious, getting on the Creator’s bad side. As a result, Kkokdu is sentenced to pull double duty guarding the underworld and going to earth every 99 years to kill the morally bankrupt.
In his latest trip to the world above, Kkokdu inhabits the body of doctor Do Jin-woo to carry out his vengeful plans. But it’s at the hospital where he ends up meeting fellow doctor Han Gye-jeol, played by Im Soo-hyang (Doctor Lawyer). Gye-jeol has a mysterious ability that proves to be invaluable to Kkokdu’s mission, and the two end up working together to ironically both save and take lives.
Also in the main cast, we have the arrogant fellow doctor Tae Jung-won, played by Dasom (Dramaworld), and our hound-like detective Han Cheol, played by Ahn Woo-yeon (Young Lady and Gentleman).
Considering that this production both lost an actor in Lee Ji-han to the Itaewon tragedy and marks Kim Jung-hyun’s drama comeback since his scandal, the cast and crew are likely under immense pressure for this show to succeed. For their sakes, I hope it does.
Written by Kang Yi-heon and Heo Joon-woo (Less Than Evil) and directed by Baek Soo-chan (Alice) and Kim Ji-hoon (Please Check Out The Event), Kkokdu’s Season will premiere on January 27 on MBC.
Via Xsports, Sports Kyunghang
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Tags: Ahn Woo-yeon, Dasom, Im Soo-hyang, Kim Jung-hyun, Kokdu: Season of Deity
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1 Lord Cobol (Kdramas, like water, flow downhill)
December 18, 2022 at 3:09 PM
That's our problem right there -- once every 99 years isn't nearly often enough.
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DancingEmma
December 18, 2022 at 3:46 PM
You said it. I might appear macabre but we could even use a daily clean up.
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2 DancingEmma
December 18, 2022 at 3:47 PM
I cautiously look forward to this. I hope KJH’s mental health has been tended to and the support is ongoing.
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LaurenSophie
December 19, 2022 at 7:19 AM
I also hope that if this is *not* a good drama that he doesn't hold himself (or isn't held by others) responsible, and moves on to something better, quickly. He's a really good actor, but this one not only has a weak lead actress, but also sounds convoluted.
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3 LT is Irresistibly Indifferent, Dame Judi
December 18, 2022 at 4:17 PM
I really don't know how to feel about this. It give me Black trauma flashbacks with the premise and the screenwriters are rookies. Also the word 'Alice' is in there somewhere as well.
I didn't watch much of Less than Evilbecause I didn't like Luther and because I felt its use of gendered violence was gratuitous and exploitative.
However, I think Kim Jung-hyun has potential to be a really amazing actor. He has natural gravitas and has given great performances in Time and Mr Queen.
So does this mean I'm going to watch this?
I do not know.
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OldLawyer
December 18, 2022 at 4:34 PM
Nor do I know if I will watch. My best wishes to the writer's, cast, directors and crew but I may wait and see how others like it first.
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DancingEmma
December 18, 2022 at 5:05 PM
He was indeed very good in ‘Mr Queen’ as was Shin Hyesun.
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4 Lonestar Girl
December 18, 2022 at 4:52 PM
👉🏼 “his name has an abundance of Ks.” 😂
I don’t like dramas or shows of any kind dealing with the underworld, so chances are I will not be watching. But I wish Kim Jung-hyun the best and I’m glad he’s back. I think he’s a terrific actor.
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5 Snow Flower
December 18, 2022 at 5:41 PM
I have been a fan of KJH since Rebel: Thief Who Stole the People and wish him a great comeback, but why does it have to be a story about a Grim Reaper?
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Elinor, Team Glasses team co-captain
December 18, 2022 at 6:29 PM
I really like watching him, too, but 'embittered medical grim reaper' sounds like a particularly unappetizing word salad. On the other hand, nearly every preview/promo/poster set this year has been somewhere between mildly misleading and downright deceptive, so who knows what this will really be. Like others, I'll probably keep an eye on the first recap or two before jumping in.
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Lelly19
December 19, 2022 at 4:46 AM
My thoughts exactly!! 😅
I'll definitely check it out, though.
Who knows, maybe I'll be pleasantly surprised and actually enjoy it?
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6 DancingEmma
December 18, 2022 at 7:00 PM
I have to say ‘scandal’ is such a loaded word that is attached by the Korean media to these deviations from the expected norm of the meek, mild and grateful archetype that most young Korean actors are expected to constantly display in public. He behaved oddly and rudely on that occasion and should be held accountable for it. Western actors do a thousand time worse and so much of it has is still largely swept under the carpet.
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stove
December 20, 2022 at 6:16 AM
My two cents worth about this. I do not like their obsessions with actors and singers. I mean acting is a job. If they are good at it is great. If not too bad. What they do in private or whether they are good or bad people is not my business. If I want a good dentist I will look for whether they are good at fixing teeth not whether they have impeccable personalities. I find these obsessions borderline pathological.
Having said that I did like him in Mr. Queen, hopefully, this project bode well for him.
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stove
December 20, 2022 at 6:19 AM
Also, I find it ridiculous when they call a relationship a scandal. Loving someone is not a scandal :)
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DancingEmma
December 20, 2022 at 9:09 AM
Hear. Hear!
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DancingEmma
December 20, 2022 at 9:32 AM
@stove: I respectfully disagree with you on this. It is really important for me that people live ethically and kindly. In order to support anyone or any business, evidence of unethical or illegal conduct is a deal breaker for me. I might not always know about these but I try not to be oblivious and when I find out, I will not endorse that conduct through silent patronage.
Here, as far as I could tell, the situation didn’t involve such an egregious conduct so I’m prepared to give him the benefit of the doubt and wish him well.
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stove
December 20, 2022 at 12:31 PM
I guess I did not express myself correctly here. Of course, being ethical and kind is important. I was mostly referring to personal issues here. You cannot expect someone to be always nice and perfect. Whereas breaking a law, and hurting someone are completely separate things.
I do refrain myself to judge people, especially the younger generation. Once you reach a certain age and are a parent to young adults, you do see how one can easily make a mistake.
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7 Kafiyah Bello
December 18, 2022 at 7:03 PM
This made me LOL "his name has an abundance of Ks." LMAO. I look forward to this because KJH is always a good time.
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8 ladynightshade wants her own ryu sunjae
December 18, 2022 at 8:35 PM
Kim Jung-hyun is a terrific actor and I hope the script is able to utilize his talents to the fullest extent. However, the writer + director team makes me skeptical. As well as the whole ‘embittered medical grim reaper’ premise. It’s overdone and unoriginal.
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DancingEmma
December 18, 2022 at 9:03 PM
What I would love to see is a complex story about a team of reapers who go only and specifically after profiteers and war mongers. It should have a multi-continental setting but with largely Korean actors. Imagine having characters thinly based on Cheney, Kissinger, and co, and their Russian, Korean, and other equivalents. I would love Son Sukko to be one of them as well as having Bae Doona, Jung Somin and SIG in it.
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ladynightshade wants her own ryu sunjae
December 19, 2022 at 3:36 AM
Sadly, the current state of politics in South Korea means that guys like Cheney and Kissinger probably aren’t looked down as the heinous war criminals they are. South Korea is firmly pro-America and pro-capitalist, geopolitically speaking. Of course, there are many individuals within the country who oppose the American empire, but they’re not gonna be in a position to make a cool grim reaper fantasy drama. One can dream though. I’ll add Yoo Ah-in as another cog of our dream team of war criminal hunters.
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DancingEmma
December 19, 2022 at 4:43 AM
How have I missed your replies:) Sadly, this is going to stay as a wish for sure. And, a great suggestion re Yoo Ahin.
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ladynightshade wants her own ryu sunjae
December 19, 2022 at 10:14 AM
Son Seok-gu, Bae Doo-na, Jung So-min, Seo In-guk, Yoo Ah-in. Who else should we add? How big should our team be? Let’s keep this going.
DancingEmma
December 19, 2022 at 10:52 AM
I want to add Junho but it doesn’t feel right, does it? How about Kim Dami as part of the team? And, I also want Son Woohyun - who was so wonderful as Kang Seojoon in “To My Star” + 2 - as he doesn’t get roles big enough to showcase his talents.
And, the scary grandad from The King’s Affection as one of the villains? And, for another villain - I don’t know what’s his name, too lazy to look up right now - but he was the frightening serial killer dad in ‘Flower of Evil’. I had a nightmare about his eyes😱
ps - You have tried to teach me how to do italics and bold & I still can’t do it on my stupid iPad.
ladynightshade wants her own ryu sunjae
December 21, 2022 at 3:48 AM
As much as I love him, Junho does feel a bit out of place in our ragtag team. He could still have a part in our ideal grim reaper drama, but not as one of the reapers. How about as one of the war criminal/war profiteering villains? I feel like he could pull it off.
A snarky, badass Kim Da-mi would fit in perfectly. Son Woo-hyun is an inspired choice. I watched To My Star, but even I wouldn’t have thought of him.
You went with some older choices as well, so I’ll go opposite and choose someone on the younger end. How about Yoo In-soo? I loved his turn as the menacing villain in All of Us Are Dead and currently loving him as Dang-gu in Alchemy of Souls. Comic relief or terrifying youngster - he’d be a chameleon.
P.S. Maybe HTML formatting works different when done from an iPad? Sorry, I only know how to do it from my iPhone.
DancingEmma
December 21, 2022 at 10:22 AM
Ooh - Junho as a war criminal would be chilling. He is an exceptional actor and could pull it off!
And, to digress for a sec, Son Woohyun deserves much bigger roles. He was so charming and captivating in TMS 1 and 2 that I found it sad to see him in the driver role in the Golden Spoon. And, it was horrible to see Kim Kangmin as a bully in the same. I know it is all make believe:) but it just seemed wrong.
And, Yoo Insoo, this is YOUR inspired suggestion! He is very talented and has great comic timing! I love his acting.
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ladynightshade wants her own ryu sunjae
December 23, 2022 at 8:54 PM
Agreed wholeheartedly on both Son Woo-hyun and Kim Kang-min. I know the former especially has been an active actor for quite some while, so I hope they both have their big breaks sooner rather than later. Such talent should not be wasted on bit roles!
All this talk on Junho suddenly gave me inspiration for a completely new drama lol. How does a romcom starring his majesty with our favourite Jung So-min sound? It just randomly came to me, but I can’t stop thinking about it now.
I love how we basically hijacked this Kkokdu’s Season comment section as a soundboard to throw drama/casting suggestions at each other. I missed doing things like this.
DancingEmma
December 23, 2022 at 8:59 PM
Ohhhhh! I love it! You clever person, you! I hadn’t thought of pairing them! Now I want so badly to see them in a good drama!
Ahhh. How I love these flights of fancy with you!
DancingEmma
December 23, 2022 at 9:00 PM
I feel a tad embarrassed about hijacking the thread but it got me to have such fun with you so sorry, not sorry!😂
ladynightshade wants her own ryu sunjae
December 23, 2022 at 9:35 PM
Jung So-min + romcoms = a match made in heaven. The only thing that could make it even better is a talented, gorgeous love interest. And who’s better than Junho? Obviously the script needs to be top-tier, I cannot except anything but perfection for my beloveds.
May our flights of fancy never end. I can’t exactly do this with anyone else; our conversations, brief as they are, fill this very specific void I have where I want to talk endlessly about kdrama actors and casting and drama plots/themes.
ladynightshade wants her own ryu sunjae
December 23, 2022 at 9:38 PM
I can’t apologize for hijacking this thread either. I’m having fun here and in a way I haven’t in a long time. My fellow beanies will have to tolerate my behaviour for a little while, sorry not sorry.
DancingEmma
December 23, 2022 at 9:43 PM
It makes me happy that we can get right back into it after some time. I have so much fun doing this with you as it fills the exact specific void in me too. I miss you, you clever person!
Elinor, Team Glasses team co-captain
December 23, 2022 at 11:58 PM
@dncingemma @ladynightshade Yes! Junho and Jung So-min! A while back there was a post discussing dream drama pairings and that was definitely one of mine. They appeared together in a couple of movies, but I need a full-length drama with the two of them snarking and bantering and facing down untold peril together.
DancingEmma
December 24, 2022 at 12:51 AM
@elinor: Oh, i had forgotten the 2 movie with them! I have tried to find both of these films but Viki in my region is extremely irritating as it does not license most Korean films. I particularly want to see Junho as a male courtesan in ‘Homme Fatale’. I don’t care how daft it maybe.
ladynightshade wants her own ryu sunjae
December 24, 2022 at 6:26 AM
@elinor, @dncingemma: I forgot they already acted together in Homme Fatale. I’ve heard… mixed reviews of the film and Junho’s acting in it (that honestly seems impossible to me lol), but whoever decided to cast him as an ahistorical male gisaeng is a genius in my book. Say what you will about the execution, but they had a ✨vision✨ and I respect that immensely. They were looking out for me.
But yes, the world needs a full-length 12 episode, well-written romantic comedy drama with Junho and Jung So-min (most romcoms do not need 16 episodes, thank you very much). I truly believe it could bring about world peace. Or at the minimum, peak television.
9 Kurama
December 18, 2022 at 9:04 PM
I think I will pass this one.
I don't specially like Kim Jung-Hyun, he was the weakest part of the dramas I watched with him. Im Soo-Hyang was pretty disapointing in her last drama (the writing didn't help...).
Neither Alice, neither Please Check Out The Event were good dramas, so I don't really trust these PDs.
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10 Diana Hansen
December 19, 2022 at 7:50 AM
I really liked him in Mr. Queen and hope for a good drama for his comeback. I will watch in hopes of a good drama for all.
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