Ha Jung-woo, Hwang Jung-min, Jo Woo-jin
The first script read for Suriname took place on March 22. Based on a true story about a Korean migrant that became the top drug kingpin in South American country Suriname, this project is a six-episode drama series planned to air on Netflix. Actors Jo Woo-jin (Mr. Sunshine), Yoo Yeon-seok (Hospital Playlist), Park Hae-soo (Smart Prison Living), and Chu Ja-hyun (My Unfamiliar Family) have recently confirmed that they will join Ha Jung-woo (Along with the Gods) and Hwang Jung-min (Hush) in this new drama.
Hwang Jung-min is set to play the main character who becomes an incredibly powerful drug cartel boss, and Ha Jung-woo is set to play his opposite, a national intelligence agent who’s intent on catching him. Not too much else has been revealed about the plot, but given its 35 billion won budget (approximately 31 million USD), it’s a huge project that’s being closely watched by those in the industry.
Yoo Yeon-seok, Park Hae-soo, Chu Ja-hyun
It’s being directed by Yoon Jong-bin (Gongjak, Beastie Boys), who has been a favorite director of Ha Jung-woo’s and Hwang Jung-min’s. Suriname will be Ha Jung-woo’s fifth project and Hwang Jung-min’s second with Director Yoon.
Originally, the project was supposed to be filmed in the Dominican Republic, but due to COVID-19-related travel restrictions, 80% of the filming will proceed domestically in Korea and the remaining 20% in several Southeast Asian countries. They’ve already spent a good portion of the budget building the set in Korea, so it’ll be interesting to see how much of Suriname’s natural environment they can simulate.
Suriname the drama will begin production in April, but a release date has yet to be announced.