OLDBOY Writer Hwang Jo-yoon Developing New Korean Crime Thriller GOLD LAND to Disney+
Disney+ is diving deeper into Korean crime drama with Gold Land, a new original series from Oldboy screenwriter Hwang Jo-yoon. It’s described as a “fast-paced series about smuggling, loan sharks and escaping one’s past.”
The show marks Hwang’s streaming debut and the story centers on Heeju, “a woman from a remote town who accidentally comes into possession of gold bars from a smuggling ring. Finding herself in a van full of gold and pursued by dangerous criminals, Heeju races toward the one place she vowed never to return.”
Park Bo-young stars as Kim Heeju, “a determined woman desperate to escape her past, while Kim Sung-cheol plays Jang Wook (nicknamed “Woogy”), a member of the criminal organization hunting Heeju who grew up in her neighborhood.”
The series is helmed by director Kim Sung-hoon, known for Chief Detective 1958 and Confidential Assignment.
Disney+ has been steadily growing its Korean slate, and Gold Land joins an increasingly stacked lineup. Upcoming titles include Delusion, a vampire drama; Low Life, a gritty treasure-hunt thriller; and Tempest, a geopolitical action series involving a diplomat and special agent.
Not to mention recent hits like Unmasked, Hyper Knife, and Nine Puzzles, the latter breaking records as Disney+’s most-watched Korean original globally in just nine days.
With Gold Land, Disney+ seems to be signaling a clear direction: darker stories, emotionally complex characters, and creators who aren’t afraid to take risks.