Netflix's New K-Drama Hit Already Has a Rare 100% on Rotten Tomatoes

Summary

• On February 9, 2024, a new K-drama, A Killer Paradox, debuted on Netflix.
• It is a crime thriller starring an actor from the Parasite movie.
• The series immediately received critical acclaim and climbed into the top 10 most-watched non-English series.

Korean TV shows have long occupied a weighty niche in Netflix's repertoire, starting with Something Kingdom, which made waves in 2019 with its bold and witty approach to a mishmash of fantasy, zombie horror, and historical drama. The pinnacle, of course, was Squid Game, which morphed into an entire media franchise (the irony) and is back in the spotlight with the upcoming release of Season 2.

But while in the past Netflix's new projects were known for their fandom and media exposure, Netflix's top 10s in terms of popularity, both worldwide and by country, are a good indicator of the demand for a particular movie or series. And now, all indications are that the new flagship of South Korean production for Netflix will be a new crime drama that some have already compared to Dexter.

Except it's special in two ways: first, it features a Parasite star, and second, critics have given the series a perfect 100% on Rotten Tomatoes.

What is the New K-Drama About?

Choi Woo-shik, known for his high-profile roles in Train to Busan and (especially) Parasite, plays Lee Tang, whose life suddenly takes a dark and twisted turn after he accidentally kills a drunk man. However, the man turns out to be a serial killer, and Lee Tang, convinced that the murder was justified, embarks on a hunt to kill other criminals who are not being pursued by the justice system.

By the way, it's worth mentioning that Disney+ released another K-drama with similar themes, Vigilante, which features a similar protagonist, on Disney+ in the fall of 2023. The only difference is that Vigilante's protagonist is a student at the police academy, and there is a strong emphasis on action. However, fans of slow-burn thrillers and character dynamics should check out A Killer Paradox first.

A Show That Is More Than Just 'Korean Dexter '

The new Korean crime drama has delighted critics, who are usually rather cold to K-dramas, with a perfect 100% score on Rotten Tomatoes.

Comparisons to Dexter were inevitable. A noble psychopath hunts criminals to rid society of them because the system fails to deliver justice. Moreover, as in Dexter, the protagonist of A Killer Paradox is not a clear-cut villain, but at the same time it is not easy to call him an anti-hero. Everything is more complicated!

However, the series cannot be reduced to a mere comparison with Dexter, as it offers a highly original and seemingly even darker take on the corrupt law enforcement system and the public that breeds killers, both those hunted by Lee Tang and those like Lee Tang.

The series was praised for both its script (though some noted that the plot became a bit predictable towards the end, though this was remedied with some intriguing twists) and its cinematography and editing, which made A Killer Paradox a top-notch K-drama. But of course no one could resist mentioning the brilliant performances of both Choi Woo-shik and the rest of the cast, including Son Suk-ku and Lee Hee-joon.

So it's no surprise that when the series was released on Netflix, it immediately became one of the most popular shows on the service, both in English and non-English. According to Netflix, A Killer Paradox ranked second in the Top 10 non-English shows worldwide with a total of 21,900,000 hours watched for the week of February 5-11.

However, What's on Netflix reports that the show is still going strong: as of February 19, for example, the show is ranked #9 among the Top 25 Netflix series worldwide, and continues to hold a respectable #2 spot in the Indian Top 10, as well as making the French Top 10.