South Korean content has taken the world by storm, beginning with ‘Squid Game’ in 2021, Netflix’s top non-English show. Following this, ‘Physical: 100′ and ‘The Glory’ have smashed viewing records, earning global acclaim. In response, Netflix CEO Ted Sarandos announced a $2.5 billion investment in the genre, with 60% of viewers having explored these offerings. This year, a lineup of sequels to these globally beloved hits is set. ChosunBiz delves into the creative minds behind these phenomena, offering an insider’s look at the magic of K-content. [Editor’s Note]
The Netflix series ‘Sweet Home’ has concluded its five-year production run with its third and final season, released on July 19, 2024. The series first premiered in December 2020, with the second season following in December 2023.
‘Sweet Home’ is a Netflix series that explores a world where the line between monster humans and humans blurs. The series depicts a more desperate struggle between the two as they navigate the choice between becoming monsters or staying human.
The drama was one of the early Korean dramas to gain global attention, preceding ‘Squid Game’ (2021). The first season made history by being the first Netflix original Korean series to enter the Top 10 on Netflix in the United States, reaching number one in 13 countries within four days of its release.
However, while the first season received significant attention and popularity, the second season was criticized for having an overly expanded universe and an abundance of new characters that made the story feel scattered.
Director Lee Eung-bok acknowledged these criticisms during an interview on July 25: “We received feedback saying that the hidden stories and character relationships were not cleared up in season two, so we focused on addressing these issues in the final season.”
Lee described the series’ overarching theme as exploring the transformation of humans into monsters due to unchecked desires, followed by a stage of the monster cocoon, where these monsters evolve into ‘neohumans’ after shedding their desires and emotions. He said the series uses this concept to metaphorically question whether it is right to suppress human desires to save the Earth and how to protect others in an apocalyptic world devoid of desires.
Considering the international response to season three, Lee said, “I was curious about the reactions in the U.S. and other English-speaking countries, and found that, like in Korea, the reviews were mixed. I thought that focusing on a universal worldview and unpacking its meaning might satisfy domestically and internationally audiences.”
Thanks to these efforts, season three achieved global recognition, ranking fifth worldwide and reaching number one in nine countries within a week of its release. Lee said, “Once the work is released to the public, it’s no longer in my hands. I believe it’s more meaningful to create something that resonates and is talked about for a long time rather than focusing solely on immediate rankings.”
Lee acknowledged some regrets over not fully meeting the expectations raised by the first season and the intrigue built in the second. “Although I’m not disappointed by the mixed reviews, I do feel some regret,” he said. “If given the chance, I’d like to explore unresolved stories and character dynamics, possibly in a spin-off featuring romance and comedy.”
As Korea’s first creature genre series, Sweet Home required a bold approach. Its unique monster designs and movements could not be replicated with standard VFX techniques, which was challenging given the Korean production environment at the time.
Lee remarked, “Not many staff members had experience with this level of VFX, but the experience helped Korean VFX companies grow. It was a tough challenge, but it significantly upgraded the overall production environment in Korea.”
Following Sweet Home, the introduction of a ‘post-production supervisor’ helped enhance VFX quality, leading to the creation of other creature series like ‘Hellbound’ (2021), ‘Gyeongseong Creature’ (2023), and ‘Parasyte: The Grey’ (2024). Additionally, Sweet Home was the first Netflix original Korean series to produce three seasons.
Lee, who debuted with the Korean horror drama ‘Hometown Legends’ (2009), has directed several hit productions, including ‘Descendants of the Sun’ (2016), ‘Goblin’ (2016), and ‘Mr. Sunshine’ (2018).
He said, “Although ‘Hometown Legends’ was an unfamiliar genre in Korea at the time, it dealt with important values like human relationships and humanity, which I incorporate into all my works, including the three seasons of ‘Sweet Home.’”
Lee is now gearing up for his next project, ‘Dear X,’ based on a thriller webtoon featuring actors Kim Yoo-jung from ‘20th Century Girl’ (2022) and Kim Do-hoon from ‘Moving’ (2023).
