‘Hellbound’: K-Drama Outranks ‘Squid Game’ on Netflix’s Top 10
On Nov.19, Netflix released a new, highly anticipated Korean drama, Hellbound. By Train of Busan director Yeon Sang-ho, the drama has become another smash-hit for the streaming platform. The drama is said to gain the same level of success as Squid Game and is on its way to doing so. Hellbound has officially outranked Hwang Dong-hyuk’s drama on Netflix’s Top 10 list. Another Netflix original K-drama is taking over among worldwide audiences with its supernatural phenomena storyline.
Netflix’s ‘Hellbound’ was originally a webtoon by Yeon Sang-ho
Fans were excited to see how Yeon would make the transition from movies to television. Hellbound is his first K-drama based on his own webtoon. Yeon’s webtoon of the same name was illustrated by Choi Gyu-seok. The webtoon follows the same storyline seen in the Netflix K-drama.
In the modern world, Jeong Jin-soo (Yoo Ah-in) is the leader of a rising religion and explains a new world order. Angels will deliver prophecies of your death. When it is time, three emissaries from hell will fulfill the prophecy. The basis of Netflix’s Hellbound is that humanity has failed to live a righteous life and must now pay for their sins. The drama creates a riveting, suspense-filled storyline of an inescapable reality with a twist ending.
‘Hellbound’ lands on Netflix’s Top 10 list
Since the K-drama’s premiere on the streaming platform, it has gained considerable traction and popularity. Before its debut, many anticipated Hellbound would reach the same level of stardom as the acclaimed dark survival drama Squid Game. According to Soompi, it was already on the fast track for success as the first-ever K-drama to premiere at the Toronto International Film Festival.
Hellbound has already won against Squid Game as it takes over its ranking on Netflix’s Top 10 list. For the first time since its premiere in October, Squid Game has fallen off the list. According to NME, “Hellbound also came in Number One in regions such as South Korea, Mexico, and Belgium, as well as in the Top Three in the US, Canada, Germany and more.”
While Squid Game has amassed millions in impact value for the platform, Hellbound is yet to see an immense profit. But fans are hopeful Yeon’s first K-drama will be another global phenomenon with its storyline and impressive cast of famous South Korean actors.
Yeon Sang-ho became well known for a popular zombie-apocalypse movie
Korean content fans were excited to see what Yeon would bring to the table in his first K-drama. Hellbound plays into Yeon’s ability to instill fear on a different level than his movie Train to Busan. According to Den of Geek, “the scariest parts of Hellbound are not the monsters (though they are very scary), but rather people who choose to turn away from their capacity to empathize and toward their ability to enact violence on one another.”
Yeon’s acclaimed zombie horror movie, Train to Busan stars Goblin actor Gong Yoo. The movie centers around a father and his daughter. Riding a train to Busan from Seoul, a zombie outbreak occurs and threatens the lives of the passengers.
Yeon’s movie was announced to get an American remake. IGN reported the remake is officially titled Last Train to New York, but its storyline is yet to be announced.
