Hitoshi Iwaaki's legendary manga 'Parasyte', which Thai fans know as Porasit Deratchan, has inspired a new sci-fi thriller Korean series called Parasyte: The Grey, will be released on Netflix on April 5.
The original manga, which sold more than 25 million copies in more than 30 countries, inspires Parasyte: The Grey, which is set in a new locale with fresh characters. What if extraterrestrial parasitic life forms infiltrate Korea?
At the centre of the story is Su-in, portrayed by Jeon So-nee (Our Blooming Youth, Scripting Your Destiny, Soulmate, Bad Police), as she grapples with her newfound coexistence with a parasite. A gender swap on the protagonist. The series also tracks the efforts of “Team Grey", a group dedicated to fighting mysterious parasites that live off humans.
Parasyte: The Grey is directed by Yeon Sang-ho, known for sparking the K-zombie frenzy and acclaimed projects such as The King Of Pigs, The Fake, Jung_E and The Bequeathed. Yeon has a track record for bringing comic book stories to screens, as he did with the acclaimed Hellbound.
The mangaka and director have mutual respect for one another. A fan of Yeon’s Train To Busan, Iwaaki said, “I am most excited that this is a new story; while I am the author of the original manga, I could also be a member of the audience that experiences thrill and awe. Thinking back to when the original manga was adapted in Japan, 'Parasyte' the manga is like a ‘child’ to me, born from my own work in a small room, while the animation and live-action film were like ‘grandchildren’, born from my child going out in the world and meeting many people and their wisdom, experience, and technology. I am overjoyed that another ‘grandchild’ is being born in Korea. I believe that this ‘new story’ taking place in a different location will lead us into a world beyond my imagination.
Yeon says, “In my twenties, Parasyte was a staple for those of us who were passionate about manga and animation. Having the opportunity to build upon it and create something new is not only a great honour, but also a dream come true from my younger years.”
The cast includes Koo Kyo-hwan (D.P., Kingdom: Ashin Of The North, Kill Boksoon, Escape From Mogadishu) who plays a man driven to fight parasites in his quest to find his missing sister. Lee Jung-hyun (Limit, Decision To Leave, Night Of The Undead) portrays the leader of the anti-parasite task force Team Grey. Kwon Hae-hyo (D.P., Forecasting Love And Weather, Peninsula) plays a senior detective committed to protecting Su-in while Kim In-kwon (The Cursed: Dead Man’s Prey, The Battle Of Jangsari) plays his junior colleague.
