After South Korean production Squid Game took over Netflix, the streamer has doubled down on developing other series from that nation. This, of course, includes more of the same from that deadly faux-reality show but also other shows such as the upcoming Parasyte: The Grey.
This live-action manga adaptation also follows the success of One Piece, so Netflix is riding quite a wave. In this next series, however, the production differs starkly from its source material although it appears to remain loyal to the same universe. The basic sci-fi gist? The story involves parasites who begin falling from the sky and send their hosts into homicidal frenzies. Not fantastic, obviously, but the potentially greater risk is in how humanity responds and potentially comes together or drives itself apart. Let’s talk about what to expect from this series.
Plot
Parasyte: The Grey exists in the same world as and is based upon Parasyte, the manga from Hitoshi Iwaaki. The series, however, takes place in a new location and is an original story. Director Yeon Sang-ho told Tudum that the series pays tribute to the source material, which “was a staple for those of us who were passionate about manga and animation.” However, “the opportunity to build upon it and create something new is not only a great honor, but also a dream come true.”
In this show, a young woman named Su-in survives a car accident in the physical sense, but she seems different than usual. As it turns out, she’s one of many humans who are infected by parasites. Most of these victims, however, lose control of their minds and end up becoming murderers who are controlled by the invaders. However, Su-in resides in a strange state where she remains half-mutant and can still retain her mind and humanity.
That non-homicidal status, however, does not free her from being a target of Team Grey, which has been directed by the government to eliminate every parasite (and in turn, every parasite-infested human) in existence. Together with her parasite, Su-in must manage to survive while also trying to figure out what makes her different from the other victims. As Yeon Sang-ho describes his view, he strove to make the series echo the theme of coexistence and whether humans could coexist with apparent enemies.
Cast
The cast includes Jeon So-nee as Jeong Su-in, the central parasite victim who manages to ward off the organism from taking over her brain. Thus, they co-exist. Koo Kyo-hwan appears as Seol Kang-woo, in search of his missing sister and tracker of parasites. Lee Jung-hyun also stars as Choi Jun-kyung, who heads up Team Grey.
Release Date
Parasyte: The Grey streams on April 5.
Trailer
Without further adieu, here’s a look at what’s coming in about a week.
