Following the success of KPop Demon Hunters and Squid Game, Netflix is continuing to expand its Korean offerings. The streaming giant announced this week that production has begun on its newest Korean series, titled Variety.
Directed and written by Kim Yong-hoon, known for the acclaimed series Mask Girl and the film Beasts Clawing at Straws, Variety "is set to explore the fierce desires and ambitions of people within the glamorous world of K-pop."
The series stars both Son Ye-jin (Crash Landing on You) as Se-eun, a powerful, ambitious, and exceptionally skilled entertainment executive in South Korea who is willing to risk everything for the revival of the idol group she personally created. Despite her glamor and skills, though, she must navigate "the overwhelming emotions in many unexpected situations," Netflix teases.
Starring alongside Son Ye-jin is another rising actress, Jo Yu-ri. The 23-year-old actress is coming off an incredible performance as Player 222 in Seasons 2 and 3 of the hit Netflix drama Squid Game. In Variety, she will star as Seung-hui, an obsessive fan who will do whatever it takes to meet her favorite idol.
"The character unfolds through a deep and conflicting mix of love, hate, and fierce devotion," Netflix says of Seung-hui.
Kim Yong-hoon made his feature directorial debut in 2020 with Beasts Clawing at Straws, an adaptation of the Japanese novel by Keisuke Sone. The neo-noir black comedy crime thriller weaves together the lives of several characters, all connected by a stolen bag of money.
His most successful work to date, however, is probably Mask Girl, another black comedy crime thriller. The 2023 Netflix original series, which Kim both wrote and directed, is based on a popular Korean webtoon by Mae‑mi and Hee‑se. The series received critical acclaim in Korea, while Kim won the Director Award in the series category at the 22nd Directors' Cut Awards.
Kim is best known for creating crime thrillers and suspense narratives that mix dark humor with morally complex, opportunistic characters pushed to the edge. Based on what Netflix has shared about Variety and its two lead characters, the glittering world of K-pop may turn out to be far less glamorous than it appears.
Netflix has only confirmed production on Variety, but has not yet announced when the series may debut. For those interested in some of Kim Yong-hoon's previous work, Beasts Clawing at Straws is available to stream for free on Tubi and Pluto TV with ads. You may also find it on Amazon Prime Video. Mask Girl is even easier to find, as all seven episodes of the series are available to stream on Netflix.