All of the highly anticipated Netflix dramas to be released in October feature actor Kim Shin-rok. Kim Shin-rok, who has emerged as a trustworthy actor by showing a presence that steals the hearts of viewers in every work he appears in, is targeting the global stage by consecutively releasing the Netflix film ‘War of Ran’ and the second season of the series ‘Hellbound’.

First, in the large-scale historical blockbuster ‘War of Ran’, which will be released on the 11th, he steps forward to protect the people from the enemy and corrupt officials. In a film set before and after the Imjin War, he plays Beom-dong, a volunteer soldier from the lowest class with a strong will and inner strength that cannot be broken by the enemy or the social order.

Even in the midst of the Imjin War when even the king fled and abandoned his country, he respects and follows Kim Ja-ryeong (Jin Seon-gyu), a nobleman who thinks of the people first and cares for them, but at the same time, he cannot understand him who is devoted to his country and government and never loses his loyalty to the king. He plays the role of showing the contradictions of the times with a balanced portrayal of the two sides.

Above all, among the stellar lead actors including Kang Dong-won, Park Jung-min, Cha Seung-won, Jin Seon-gyu, and Jung Sung-il, she is the only woman. She only uses a flail in the film and subdues large Japanese soldiers in one breath, showing off powerful fighting skills that are no less than those of male volunteer soldiers, and even creating a new era of female action scenes.

Originally, this character was planned to be male, but it is known that it was changed to female in order to cast Kim Shin-rok. Regarding this character, Kim Shin-rok said, “It wasn‘t easy for a woman to join the militia during the Joseon Dynasty, but I acted as if Beom-dong was a good and brave person who did what she could while going through a terrible war.”
Following ‘Jeon, Ran’, another leading role, ‘Hell’ Season 2, will be released on the 25th. Kim Shin-rok previously showed off his ‘crazy presence’ in season 1, which was released in 2019, and clearly made his face and name known to the public, so expectations are high for his performance in this production.

Last season, Park Jung-ja, who he plays, received a warning from the messengers of hell and died a terrible death leaving behind her beloved children, but this season, she has suddenly come back to life and is responsible for the unpredictable developments, and is expected to maximize the drama’s unique dystopian atmosphere and mystery.


Reporter Lee Seung-mi smlee@donga.com