Ju Ji-hoon, Ha Ji-won, Nana, and Cha Joo-young are joining forces in the new drama "Climax", arriving next year.
Genie TV has set "Climax" as an original series for the first half of 2026. The show follows prosecutor Bang Tae-seop, who plunges into a power cartel to claw his way to the top, and the fierce survival game that ensnares everyone around him.
"Climax" marks filmmaker Lee Ji-won’s first foray into television after sweeping new director honors at the Baeksang Arts Awards for "Miss Baek". The series is produced by Hive Media Corp, the studio behind "12.12: The Day", "Inside Men", and "The Man Standing Next".
Ju Ji-hoon stars as Bang Tae-seop, a prosecutor who rockets to fame after marrying the country’s biggest actress, played by Ha Ji-won. Ha takes on the role of Chu Sang-ah, once the nation’s top star who, post-marriage, finds herself treated like yesterday’s news. It’s Ha’s first drama in four years since KBS’s "Curtain Call". Teaming up for the first time, Ju and Ha chart a taut relationship that swings between ambition and notoriety.
Nana plays Hwang Jeong-won, an undercover informant at Bang’s side who holds the key to a Pandora’s box exposing the cartel’s ugly underbelly.
Cha Joo-young steps in as Lee Yang-mi, the second wife of the chairman of WR Group, Korea’s No. 3 conglomerate. Returning with a bold image shift, Cha storms in as a power player who shakes up the Bang-Chu marriage and cranks up the tension. Oh Jung-se plays Kwon Jong-uk, the eldest son vying for succession and Lee’s chief rival within WR Group.
“With director Lee Ji-won’s meticulous eye and a cast that inspires instant confidence, we’ve built a formidable team,” the producers said. “The intertwined desires and choices of these characters ignite a gripping, high-stakes saga. We can’t wait to share it.”
Genie TV’s "Climax" will premiere in 2026 on Genie TV and air as ENA’s Monday-Tuesday drama.
(SBS Entertainment News | Kim Ji-hye)