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K-series 'Nine Puzzles' with Kim Da-mi, Son Suk-ku set for premiere on Disney+ on May 21
K-series 'Nine Puzzles' with Kim Da-mi, Son Suk-ku set for premiere on Disney+ on May 21
The highly anticipated Korean crime thriller “Nine Puzzles” will be premiering on Disney+ on May 21.
The series stars actress Kim Da-mi of “Itaewon Class,” and actors “Son Suk-ku of “Big Bet,” Kim Sung-kyun of “Moving” and “Reply 1988,” and Hyun Bongsik of “When Life Gives You Tangerines.”
The drama tells the story of Yoon Ena (Kim Da-mi), a high school student who discovers the body of her murdered uncle next to a single puzzle piece.She becomes the police’s prime suspect after she fails to answer the police questions.
After a decade, she is now a criminal profiler and she will find herself once again in the middle of a series of murders, with each victim linked to a puzzle piece like the one from the night of her uncle’s murder.
During a press conference in Seoul, the cast and director Yoon Jongbin talked about the series and roles.
Director Yoon said “Nine Puzzles” is “basically a mystery series. It’s about two very unique individuals trying to uncover the truth behind a series of serial murders and the forces behind it.”
Accepting the drama project
Kim Da-mi said she was attracted to the series when she first read the script.
“When I first read the script, I was really curious about what happens next. I kept reading without stopping, wondering, ‘Who’s the killer?’ It had a lot of that kind of fun. And the idea of playing a slightly unconventional profiler seemed like a new challenge for me, so I took it on,” she said.
For Son Suk-ku, working with the director was a key factor in doing the series.
“The script was a big part of it, of course. But I’ve also said this before—I’ve been a huge fan of Director Yoon Jongbin for a long time. So when he offered me the role, I was personally honored. That was the key factor: the director himself,” he said, adding that it was a bucket list moment for him.
Kim Sung-kyun said “Nine Puzzles” reunited him with the director after 13 years.
“Director Yoon and I are reconnecting after about 13 years. He gave me my debut with ‘Nameless Gangster,’ and although we worked on ‘Kundo’ too, I wasn’t on set as much back then. So this was our first real reunion in over a decade, and it meant a lot. It was emotional. Plus, the script was so good. He gave me a big role, and I’m just very thankful for that,” he said.
According to Yoon Jongbin, “When I first read the script for ‘Nine Puzzles,’ I thought, ‘This is a kind of new project I’ve never done before.’ It made me curious and excited. Although I had just done a series and wasn’t planning to do another one immediately, this was fresh and interesting enough to make me reconsider. I’ve always wanted to try things I’ve never done before, and this seemed like the perfect opportunity. So I chose this project with that mindset.”
World of mystery
The stars said viewers will be drawn to “Nine Puzzles” because of so many reasons.
“I think the series has a lot of visual elements and tension that never lets up. Please look forward to it, and I hope you all watch it,” said Kim Da-mi.
Son Suk-ku said, “I think it’ll be really fun to guess who the culprit is from episode 1 all the way to the end. Watch it with your friends, family, and loved ones. That kind of shared mystery-solving experience is a lot of fun. We worked hard to bring that to you, so I’d appreciate it if you watched and enjoyed it.”
“I believe ‘Nine Puzzles’ will definitely offer viewers an escape into a new world of mystery—something thrilling and different from daily life. Please give it lots of interest and love,” said Kim Sung-kyun.
Hyun Bongsik said “Nine Puzzles” is “a mystery series that’s clearly different from the usual ones—and even more fun. Please give it your attention.”
“Nine Puzzles” will premiere on Disney+ on May 21 with the first six episodes released. Three more episodes will be released on May 28 and the final two episodes will be out on June 4.