Editor's note: There are possible spoilers in this article!
A new crime thriller series has arrived and we believe that it should be everyone's next hyperfixation for the year 2024. Plus, we're keeping our fingers crossed that the series will return for a second season.
Netflix's A Killer Paradox stars the brilliant actors Choi Woo Shik, Son Suk Ku, and Lee Hee Joon. NGL, they were the trio we never knew we needed in this lifetime. Together they gave intense action-packed scenes, matched with the complexity of their characters.
We had a quick chat with the stellar cast of A Killer Paradox and they gave us a better picture of how the show will be driving us all insane. In their words, the dark comedy action-thriller show is nothing but *trendy, genius, and like a pop.*
If you're curious why they described it like that, well you're at the right place. Read on to learn more about the trendy Netflix series and why you must ~not miss~ A Killer Paradox.
7 reasons why A Killer Paradox is a must-watch K-drama this 2024
1. Your brain won't stop thinking about it.
What's gonna happen next? It's quite rare for shows to pique the interest of its viewers by its first episode. But with A Killer Paradox, curiosity builds up and you'll almost feel like you're with the protagonist Lee Tang (Choi Woo Shik) as he tries to solve his problems.
Quick background on its plot: Lee Tang comes back to his normal routine life after completing his military enlistment. Now living life as the youngest in their household and still finishing college, Lee Tang feels unmotivated and quite lost. He puts his focus on experiencing a working holiday program in Canada, hoping he'd feel that spark return.
Things turned a bit sour and problematic when he accidentally kills a man while on his way home. Bits and pieces of his high school life come rushing back to him, somewhat justifying his actions as an act of self-defense. But of course, what do you do when you're in your twenties and accidentally kill someone? Lee Tang panics.
As early as the first episode, it has been shown that Lee Tang has this thing called "dumb luck". He always got away with doing bad things, like cheating on his best friend or stealing his best friend's gadget—and it escalated to him killing somebody.
Later on, Lee Tang figures out that the lives he unexpectedly took were serial killers. But what happens next? Does he become the hero of the story?
2. A Killer Paradox's cast overcame challenging transformations for the show.
The cast was perfect for their roles. You probably first saw Woo Shik act as the lover-boy Choi Woong in the rom-com series Our Beloved Summer. In A Killer Paradox, he's the complete opposite of Choi Woong. Woo Shik brought out some killer instincts yet still portrays a confused and lost kid.
Despite his stellar acting in the show, Woo Shik noted how challenging it was to be Lee Tang. "I didn't go through any transformation. But to act [an] extreme emotional spectrum... To act in—I don't wanna really say a murderer—but you know, in Lee Tang's shoes, in his point-of-view is kinda challenging for me," he said in a roundtable interview with the press.
READ: 10 Interesting Facts About Our Beloved Choi Woo Shik
As for Suk Ku and Hee Joon, the two are both naturals when it comes to action projects. It's safe to say that much was expected of them and to be honest, they delivered so well! Looking past the difficulties of portraying their complex characters, the two pointed out their physical transformation for the show, especially for Hee Joon.
Hee Joon revealed that it took him two hours to become his role as Song Chon, and he needed an hour to remove all his makeup as well. "My character is 65 years old so it's so interesting to me. I got make-up for two hours every day and removed it for one hour. It was so interesting. It was my transformation time," Hee Joon shared.
Suk Ku, on the other hand, needed less time to become Jang Nan Gam. Yet he enjoyed the process. "I also had to go through the transformation—for my beard and mustache. It wasn't as tough as what he had to go through, but it was still a transformation that took me about 30-40 minutes every day. So, it was quite challenging. But I actually enjoyed the process," he stated.
3. A Killer Paradox offers a flavorful watch.
The show only runs for eight episodes, however, it's still a lot to take in. The cast remains hopeful of instilling a mind-boggling reaction in the viewers. In Suk Ku's words, he wishes the audience would say, "Oh, snap, I just saw something new."
Since there were a lot of things that the series aimed to tackle, Hee Joon sees it as the show's different flavors. He points out how the different aspects of A Killer Paradox are out there to give the audience a taste of different genres rich with compelling emotions from the characters.
"I wish that they taste many things from this series because my character is like a noir, some characters are like fantasy and comedy..." he said.
Above everything else, Woo Shik would like viewers to focus on one overarching question: "Who are we to judge? It's gonna be really fun to watch with that question in mind," Woo Shik declared.
4. The Philippines was featured in A Killer Paradox.
Yes, a part of A Killer Paradox was shot in the Philippines! To be exact, Woo Shik filmed some of his final scenes in the city of Navotas.
In March 2023, he was actually spotted by some fans walking around the area. There were even videos of him and the production team interacting with the neighborhood where they filmed!
LOOK: Omo, 'Our Beloved Summer' Star Choi Woo Shik Was *Spotted* In Manila!
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5. The cast had so much bromantic chemistry.
A Killer Paradox reminds me of the popular cartoon show, Tom and Jerry. You'd watch them go after one another, only to find out that the other one had already escaped.
They were barely together in most of the episodes, but you can feel the tension and the chemistry between the three actors. As the three actors say, throughout the series, they were oozing with too much sexiness and...testosterone!
"We respect each other. We love each other's acting. I watched the series last night, and I respect it. These guys were so sexy! These guys have so much testosterone. I love these guys!" Hee Joon professed.
True enough, towards the latter part of the show, when they would all be facing each other and their vulnerabilities, you can see how they perfectly match each other's acting excellence. But here's a fun fact: They perfectly match each other's humor, even off-cam! It was obvious during their roundtable interview, that they created a really beautiful and comfortable brotherhood because of A Killer Paradox.
"You're the sexiest," said the sweet and funny Suk Ku to Hee Joon as they looked back on how they portrayed themselves to be able to finish such a good drama.
"The scenes that we play in this drama was very... somewhat like gore, it was killing (people). But at the same time, in the set, we are always joking around, and having good times. So, I think everyone enjoyed it," Woo Shik expressed.
6. Tip: Never lose sight of the sidekick.
We won't talk much about one of the supporting—yet one of the most pivotal—characters in the show, as it may give away too much. However, it's a must that we note how the role of Roh Bin in A Killer Paradox made us drop our jaws.
Roh Bin is the so-called sidekick of Lee Tang in the show. Ironically similar to Batman's sidekick, Robin, right? You'll have to find out how much of an impact he has on the whole story, and most importantly the characters!
7. The ending was the beginning.
There were still a lot of questions by the end of the series. Does Lee Tang possess supernatural powers? Or is it all just dumb luck? Does Jang Nan Gam still think the same, or did he switch to the other side?
One thing's for sure though: the final scene is an opening to another story. That's why we believe A Killer Paradox could get a second season (we hope!). It depends, but with all of the unanswered questions, we're rooting for a continuation!
Verdict: A Killer Paradox bravely questions humanity and our ethical dilemmas in a complex yet compelling storytelling. The show captured its viewers' attention and curiosity with its unconventional and explosive turn of events plus the bizarre shots that show different perspectives of the story. Indeed, it's trendy, genius, and like a pop.
All eight episodes of A Killer Paradox are now available for streaming only on Netflix! Check out the official trailer here: