The Tyrant (TV series)

The Tyrant is an upcoming South Korean television series directed by Park Hoon-jung, starring Cha Seung-won, Kim Seon-ho, and Kim Kang-woo. The series tells the thrilling story of the race to find a bioweapon that is stolen during a secret handover between Korean and US intelligence agencies. It is scheduled to premiere worldwide on Disney+ on August 14, 2024.

Synopsis
A US intelligence agency discovered a secretive initiative called The Tyrant Project. The plan of the Korean government to develop bioweapon that can enhance human abilities was exposed, prompting the US to demand the program's immediate termination and the handover of all samples. After dismantling the project, the bioweapon was supposed to be handed over to the US. However, an unknown party attacks during the covert handover.

It was Director Choi, a member of a government agency secretly running The Tyrant Project, who instructed his operational staff Ja-kyung and Mo-yong. They successfully secure the bioweapon. Upon learning of the incident, US intelligence agent Paul becomes determined to personally retrieve the bioweapon. Additionally, Lim Sang-won, a former agent entrusted with neutralizing individuals associated with The Tyrant Project, enters the picture.

Cast

 * Cha Seung-won as Lim Sang, a former agent turned hitman tasked with eliminating the forces related to The Tyrant Project.
 * Kim Seon-ho as Director Choi (Choi Guk-jang), a member of a Korean government agency who has been running The Tyrant Project unofficially.
 * Kim Kang-woo as Paul, a member of the US intelligence agency trying to dispose of the last sample of The Tyrant Project.
 * Cho Yun-soo as Chae Ja-kyung, a technician who has been asked to steal the last sample of The Tyrant Project.
 * Kim Joo-hun as Mo-yong.
 * Jang Young-nam
 * Lee Ki-young
 * Justin Harvey as Crocodile 1, Paul's enhanced, super-human right hand.
 * Park Hyung-soo, as Paul's man.
 * Kim Ho-jun
 * Moo Jin-sung

Concept
According to Park Hoon-jung, The Tyrant is a story on a larger scale compared to the smaller narrative structures of The Childe. It involves the emergence of multiple nations and highly skilled individuals. It shares a worldview to The Witch franchise, and depict story from the opposite side's perspective. The Tyrant will be a film that has elements of science fiction and fantasy.

Later, Park Hoon-jung expressed his thoughts on the release of Disney+'s original series, saying, "I thought Disney+ was the best platform to present The Tyrant because it respects the original expression of the work and shows bold steps."

Casting
On October 19, 2023, 's representative disclosed to the press that Kim Seon-ho was confirmed to star in the film Tyrant. Simultaneously, an industry insider informed the press that Cha Seung-won would play the lead role in the film. YG Entertainment's representative confirmed that Cha Seung-won had received an offer to appear and was positively considering. In November 23 of the same year, Kim Kang-woo confirmed his appearance in Tyrant and reunited with director Park Hoon-jung and Kim Seon-ho, after their prior collaboration in The Childe.

Ace Maker Movie Works, the film distributor, made an announcement on January 9, 2023, confirming the casting of three actors for the film. Kim Seonho's character, Choi Gukjang, undergoes a 180-degree transformation from his previous role as Gwigongja in The Childe. The media has taken notice of Kim Seon-ho's commitment to lose weight for his character in the new movie, which has increased excitement and anticipation for this upcoming role.

Filming
On December 28, 2022, it was reported that the filming of The Tyrant would begin in January, 2023. Originally the plan was to start filming at the end of December, but it was delayed due to certain circumstances. On January 9, 2023, the film distributor, Ace Maker Movie Works, officially announced the start date of filming as January 2, 2023.

Filming took place in Busan from January to February 2023. In February, filming was taking place at Doma-keun market in Daejeon Metropolitan City. The remaining filming mostly occurred in Jeju for a duration of four months. The Jeju Indoor Film Studio was one of the locations used for filming thanks to an agreement between the film production company and the Jeju Film and Cultural Industry Promotion Agency. This collaboration allowed the film to benefit from the 'Jeju Location Attraction Support Project,' which provides incentives, location scouting, and administrative support to encourage local film and drama production companies to choose Jeju as their filming destination.

Release
At the end of the year 2023, it was reported that The Tyrant is part of the film distributor Ace Maker Movie Works' 2024 lineup. In early 2024, it was also mentioned as a film to be released that year. The Tyrant has secured pre-sales in various regions and platforms, including Germany (Splendid), Taiwan (MovieCloud), Southeast Asia (Purple Plan), Thailand (Neramitnung Film), CIS (Paradise Group), and in-flight entertainment (Eagle).

A statement from a representative of the series informed the press that The Tyrant was originally created with theater release in mind, but after filming was completed, it was completed as a four-part series during the editing process. The decision to expand it was made to effectively showcase the individual charm of each character and highlight the directorial expertise of Park Hoon-jung through distinctive and impactful scenes. It was announced as part of Disney+ 2024 lineup on February 19 and is set to premiere worldwide on August 14, 2024. Disney+ dropped a trailer for the upcoming series on July 12.