Squid Game, Oldboy, Parasite… if these recent sellout hits are your cup of tea, we might have your new favourite series. Bargain, a Paramount+ production premiering today in the UK, stars actors Jin Sun Kyu (Extreme Job), Jun Jong Seo (Money Heist: Korea), and Cang Ryul (My Name), and is an adaptation of director Lee Chung-hyun’s award-winning short film of the same name, released in 2015.

Director and writer Jeon Woo-sung, who was part of the production team of the original short film, picked up the story and developed it into a six-part series. In Bargain, men are lured to a remote hotel under the guise of sexual encounters, only to be caught in a trafficking ring where their organs are auctioned off to the highest bidder. After a catastrophic earthquake, the victims, traffickers, and buyers are all trapped inside the crumbling building. Cut off from the outside world, they must fight to survive the aftermath at any cost.

Here, we had the pleasure of siting down with Woo-sung to discuss the adaptation, his passion for the film industry, Bargain’s legacy, and what’s next on his personal journey.

Watch the trailer for Bargain…

Read the full interview…

How did you first find your love for film, writing and direction?
In my early twenties, my main focus/intereset was photography, and during my mid-twenties while serving in the military, I began writing short stories. The decision to start making films was heavily influenced by my colleagues who I still work with today. After completing my military service, I directed my first short film, hoping to continue this work for as long as possible, and I have been doing it ever since.

How would you define your directional style?
I aim to create works where the audience can easily follow the emotions of the characters, leading to an intuitive sense of enjoyment. While I have a strong affinity for symbolism and metaphors, I also make an effort to ensure they don’t become overly conspicuous.

What have been your career highlights to date?
Definitely, this series Bargain! It’s truly an honour to receive such a great deal of attention from both the audience and the media.

Congrats on Bargain! How do you feel about the series being released?
It’s just a few days away from the worldwide release, which is a great joy and gratitude for me. As the creator, it’s truly fascinating to see different reactions from various countries.

When you first saw the short film, what did you think of the concept?
In the case of a short film, I believed that the completeness was emphasized because it has a structure where the beginning and the end are similar. From the initial planning, the concept was clear, but I remember Director Lee Choong Hyun, who originally directed the short film, spending several months revising the screenplay into dozens of versions, all in pursuit of the best outcome.

What about the story made you confident that you could develop it into a wider concept?
The central theme throughout the work was a provocative flip, and the characters, though flawed and peculiar, were uniquely charming and quite funny at the same time.

From the initial idea, how did you begin to shape the wider themes?
When I was offered the role of director and writer, several concepts were already in place. Firstly, to use the short film Bargain as the intro of the entire work. Secondly, to have a sudden earthquake trigger another flip of the story. Within these limiting yet provocative conditions, my priority was to create the most plausible and engaging story. In the end, this story could only be about ruthless capitalism and deception, naturally becoming an allegorical representation of the contradictions and chaos in the Korean society I live in.

What drew you to casting Jin Sun Kyu, Jun Jong Seo and Cang Ryul is leading roles?
In the original short film, the character ‘Hyungsoo’ faced consequences, bringing catharsis to the audience as the story concluded. However, as the story expanded in the series, this unforgivable character continued to survive. That’s why the actor taking on the role of Hyungsoo needed to have a spiteful yet endearing and strangely sincere image. In that regard, honestly, no other actor came to mind except Jin Sun Kyu. When I wrote the script and proposed the role, he agreed to join right away, and it was a very memorable moment.

For the character ‘Joo Young,’ I wanted an actress who could portray both innocence and villainy simultaneously. Once again, in that aspect, Jun Jong Seo is an actress who has an incomparably unique image in the Korean film industry. During the script development phase, Jun Jong Seo contributed many ideas and ultimately transformed into a mysterious character that maximized her own strengths.

‘Geuk Ryul’ is a character who appears fragile but harbors something constantly boiling within. At the time, I watched a play called “” that Cang Ryul was performing in, and I was convinced that with such energy and acting prowess, he could truly bring out an excellent Geuk Ryul.

If you had to pitch the film to someone who had no idea what it was about, what would you say?
A strange and dreadful yet thrilling story unfolded by the villains who met each other for the first time, walking a tightrope between truth and falsehood.

What do you think Bargain’s legacy will be?
I believe it has a unique format as an OTT series. While Season 1 had all episodes linearly connected, I think it would be interesting to explore an episode-by-episode one-take format if the series continues in the future.

What’s next for you personally?
It’s not quite confirmed yet, but I’m in discussions about creating an OTT series. I can’t reveal the details of the content, but I want to incorporate unique touches in terms of format and characters. Additionally, I have a desire to work on a theatrical film simultaneously. It would be interesting for me to work on a science fiction film with a fundamental message embedded in it.

Bargain is available to stream exclusively on Paramount+ globally from today (5th October).