When a kdrama roll in a veteran cast with an intense plot, I immediately added Money Heist Korea: Joint Economic Area to my to-watch list on Netflix.

I’ve yet to watch the original Spanish Money Heist version, so I came into the Money Heist franchise without any expectations nor any idea of how it’s going to pan out except that a bunch of desperate folks are planning to rob a mint that would be their biggest golden ticket to life, dreams and all.

While the original Money Heist targeted the Spanish Royal Mint, the Korean version revolves around a fictional creation of the Joint Economic Area for both South and North Korea, and possibly the biggest heist in the Korean peninsula.

It’s kinda interesting to see how the narrative will develop with the story and character tweaks being made to the original plotline in this new adaptation as tensions from both sides of the teams (the robbers and the police) reveal their ugly heads as the plot thickens. Will the differences between the North and South tear the teamwork apart or is the reunification a bad idea after all?

Fresh-faced Jeon Jong-seo (also known as Rachel Jun) plays Tokyo, a tough North Korean soldier who came to the South in search of a better life. Through a series of unfortunate events, she was crushed attempting to survive on her own after her hopeful migration to the South. Discovered by the Professor who literally offered her a second life, Tokyo rose to be one of the key figures in her team as she now has a higher purpose than what she originally planned to achieve. Newcomer Jeon Jong-seo rose to fame with the role of Hae-mi in the 2018 acclaimed South Korean thriller Burning.

The Professor, played by veteran Yoo Ji-tae, who is also a film director and screenwriter, is the architect and brains behind the money heist. Mysterious, smart and extremely meticulous, the Professor is the nerve centre behind the money heist, and possibly the greatest criminal project ever conceived. Above all, besides the success of the heist, the Professor has one rule – that there are to be no casualties in the exceedingly dangerous criminal project. However, behind the mild demeanour and genuine charm, something feels off as the Professor extrudes a quiet uneasiness – what could he be hiding? Is the heist truly what it seems to be?

The scenes intensify whenever Berlin aka Park Hae-Soo appears on screen. Did I just said Park Hae-Soo is Berlin? Well, he played the role so well that, I had believed he is the real persona of the character Berlin the producer had in mind when he wrote the original Money Heist.

Berlin, the leader of the group, has the enormous task of taking charge of the situation, dangerous and very fluid, both inside and outside of the mint. A survivor of a brutal North Korean prison camp against all odds, coupled with a dark past and violent instinct, Berlin has no qualms to kill and deploy underhand tactics to instil fear in those around him – his co-robbers included.

KDrama Tidbit: Did you know that the talented actor Park Hae-Soo, nicknamed Netflix’s Son, was initially hesitant to take on the role of Berlin?

Born privileged and rich, Rio (Lee Hyun-woo) is one of the youngest members of the motley crew. However, despite being immature and playing a supporting role, Rio’s quick thinking and rare skills prove indispensable to the survival of the team with his maverick hacking capabilities and well-timed tech executions.

KDrama Tidbit: Lee Hyun-woo began his career as a child actor at the age of nine, building up his resume by playing roles in a number of large-scale productions, such as The Legend, King Sejong the Great, The Return of Iljimae, and Queen Seondeok.

Seon Woonjin, played by accomplished South Korean-American film and theatre actress Kim Yun-Jin, leads the police merry band formed by both North and South Korea in her capacity as South Korea’s best criminal negotiator. Tough, intelligent and patient, Woojin seeks to draw out the Professor’s weaknesses before laying siege to the mint with the combat expertise of her North Korean counterpart (played by Kim Sung-oh).

KDrama Tidbit: Do you find Kim Yun-Jin familiar, especially to the international audience? We did! You see, she is best known for her role as Sun-Hwa Kwon on the American television series Lost, ranked by critics as one of the greatest television series of all time.

Heartthrob Denver (played by Kim Ji-hoon) gives the audience a respite from the intense negotiation scenes with his boyish charm and laid-back character. Good-looking and at times goofy, Denver is a straightforward dude who simply wants to get rich without all that unnecessary fuss. As they say, it’s extremely rare to come across a kdrama without any romance, so who shall the golden couple here be…(lips peeled!)?

As someone who has absolute loyalty in Money Heist: Korea, then it is Nairobi (played by model, television personality, singer-songwriter and actress Jang Yoon-ju). Why? Because Nairobi works for no one else but herself, and whatever the direction of the money goes, the seasoned con artist moves swiftly towards the flow of cash, even at the expense of everything.

Officially, Money Heist Korea: Joint Economic Area part one of season one has concluded, and fans worldwide are waiting with abated breadth for the second part to arrive this winter! Enjoy!