Hellbound (TV series)
Supernatural beings condemn people to Hell in South Korea.
Hellbound (Korean: 지옥) is a South Korean television series blending supernatural horror, dark fantasy, and thriller elements. It was written and directed by Yeon Sang-ho alongside Choi Gyu-seok, adapting their own webtoon of the same name. The story is set in the then-future year of 2022, where mysterious supernatural beings appear without warning to issue decrees condemning people to Hell. The ensemble cast includes Yoo Ah-in, Kim Hyun-joo, Park Jeong-min, Won Jin-ah, Yang Ik-june, Kim Do-yoon, Kim Shin-rok, Ryu Kyung-soo, Lee Re, Kim Sung-cheol, Im Seong-jae, Lee Dong-hee, Hong Eui-jun, and Cho Dong-in.
The first season made its debut at the 2021 Toronto International Film Festival on September 9, 2021, marking the first Korean drama to be featured at the festival. It launched on Netflix on November 19, 2021, and quickly became one of the platform’s most-watched series worldwide, though it did not surpass *Squid Game*, which had been released in September 2021 and remained Netflix's most-watched series globally at that time. Critics responded positively but noted its release shortly after *Squid Game*, though they anticipated it would spark heavy discussion and leave a lasting impression. The second season premiered on October 25, 2024, after being invited to the On Screen section of the 29th Busan International Film Festival.
- Genre
- Supernatural dark fantasy thriller horror
- Country
- South Korea
- Creators
- Yeon Sang-ho, Choi Gyu-seok
- Based on
- Webtoon of the same name by Yeon Sang-ho and Choi Gyu-seok
- First season release
- November 19, 2021 (Netflix)
- Second season release
- October 25, 2024
Lore & Background
The concept began with an 11-minute-long animated short titled Hell written and drawn by Yeon Sang-ho in 2002, expanded into a 34-minute short titled Hell: Two Lives in 2003. This was followed by a webtoon version retitled Hellbound published between 2009 and 2011, released in two trade paperbacks in South Korea in 2021, with English releases through Dark Horse Comics in 2022. A sequel webtoon, Hellbound 2: The Resurrected, was released from September 2023 to August 2024. In April 2020, Netflix approved production of an original series based on the webtoon, with Yeon signing on to direct. The first season was filmed at Cube Indoor Studio from August 2020 to January 2021, with outdoor locations including the old Chungnam Provincial Government Buildings and the Hannam University Missionary Village. On February 25, 2021, the director and cast introduced the series at a Netflix content roadshow.
Reader's Guide
Hellbound is significant as the first Korean drama to be screened at the Toronto International Film Festival, where its first three episodes premiered in the 'Primetime' section on September 9, 2021. It also screened at the 26th Busan International Film Festival and the 65th BFI London Film Festival. Upon its Netflix release, it became the world's most-watched Netflix series the next day, surpassing Squid Game. Critics were positive but noted its following in the footsteps of Squid Game, predicting heavy discussion and lasting impact. On Rotten Tomatoes, 97% of 32 critics' reviews were positive, with an average rating of 7.8/10. The second season was invited as one of six drama series in the On Screen section of the 29th Busan International Film Festival, where three of its six episodes had their world premiere. The series explores human fallibility through a supernatural premise of decrees and demonic demonstrations, with two organizations—the New Truth Society and the Arrowhead group—gaining power by exploiting fear.
Did You Know?
- The series is based on a webtoon that itself originated from an 11-minute animated short by Yeon Sang-ho in 2002.
- Yoo Ah-in played the cult leader Jeong Jin-soo in season 1, but was replaced by Kim Sung-cheol in season 2 following drug use charges.
- The first season became one of the world's most-watched Netflix series shortly after its release, but did not surpass Squid Game, which remained the platform's most-watched series globally at that time.
- The second season was invited to the On Screen section of the 29th Busan International Film Festival in 2024.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is Hellbound (TV series)?
Hellbound is a South Korean supernatural horror-thriller that debuted on Netflix in November 2021, created and directed by Yeon Sang-ho and Choi Gyu-seok. The plot takes place in a near-future 2022 South Korea where terrifying demonic figures materialize out of nowhere to pronounce death sentences and drag the condemned into the earth.
What are the supernatural beings in Hellbound (TV series)?
The creatures are grotesque, multi-limbed entities that appear without warning, recite a formal decree naming a specific individual, and then physically pull that person into the ground. They function as an unstoppable force of divine judgment that no government, religious group, or legal system can stop or explain.
How does the Hellbound (TV series) story end?
The Season 1 finale culminates in the protagonist Jung Jin-ah being personally condemned and dragged into Hell by the creatures, shattering the New Truth Movement's cohesion. The series closes on a deliberately open, unsettling note that implies the phenomenon is escalating, paving the way for the 2024 sequel.
Why is Hellbound (TV series) significant in dark fantasy television?
It delivered a uniquely Korean blend of body horror, theological dread, and social-thriller commentary to a global streaming audience, sparking intense online debate about faith, mob mentality, and institutional power. Its visual design of the creatures and its refusal to offer easy answers set a new tone for genre storytelling on the platform.
What is Hellbound (TV series) based on?
The show adapts a webtoon of the same name that Yeon Sang-ho and Choi Gyu-seok originally wrote and illustrated. Because the two creators retained full control over the screen adaptation—writing, directing, and overseeing the production—the television series stays closely aligned with the source material's themes and tone.
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