On the morning of October 28, a press conference for the new Netflix original series "Dead-End Job" was held at the Fairmont Ambassador Seoul in Yeongdeungpo-gu, Seoul. Director Kim Da-min, creator Han Jun-hee, and actors Kim Minha and Lee Hee Jun attended the event to talk about the project.
"Dead-End Job" is a blue-collar survival horror series set around Geomi Manpower Agency, a bizarre temporary employment office where pay starts at 50 times the hourly wage, following a young man named Hyeok-jun (played by Lee Jae-wook) as he gets thrown into nightmarish workplaces.
Lee Hee Jun plays the boss running Geomi Manpower Agency, where a perilous cost lurks behind exorbitant daily wages. Explaining what drew him to the role, Lee Hee Jun shared, "The script felt so fresh. I loved how it unleashed its imagination using the premise of struggling to make a living and part-time jobs being brutally tough. Working with Director Kim Da-min, whom I had connected with since 'A Killer Paradox,' was a big factor, and I also really wanted to work with Director Han Jun-hee."
Regarding the focus of his performance, Lee Hee Jun added, "Since the jobs come with dangerous costs, I tried to portray him as someone who actually inspires trust, so that people coming in would feel reassured and willingly accept the gigs."
Creator Han Jun-hee joked, "To cast senior actor Lee Hee Jun, I used the tactic of telling him, 'I will make you look cool and sexy.' I wanted to bring out a stylish look with wet hair and dirty-sexy vibes." He went on to praise him, saying, "It was an honor to work with an actor who prepares so thoroughly." Lee Hee Jun quipped in response, "I was instantly won over when he said he would make me sexy," prompting laughter in the room.
Finally, Lee Hee Jun expressed strong confidence in the series, saying, "If you have something early the next morning, do not press play. With its incredible pacing, you won't be able to take your eyes off it."
"Dead-End Job" marks the first full-length series directed by Kim Da-min, who wrote the script for the Netflix series "A Killer Paradox" and drew attention with the film "FAQ." Han Jun-hee, who has showcased a solid creative vision through Netflix series such as "D.P." and "Weak Hero Class 1," served as creator.
Lee Jae-wook portrays Hyeok-jun, a young man who dives into ultra-high-paying part-time gigs to make ends meet, only to confront bizarre events. Go Min-si plays Yeon-ju, who lingers around Geomi Manpower Agency and approaches Hyeok-jun, while Kim Minha plays Hyeok-jun's younger sister Ji-yun, a realist who fears going broke more than ghosts. Lee Hee Jun transforms into the boss running the suspicious staffing office Geomi Manpower Agency.
Consisting of eight episodes, "Dead-End Job" will be released on Netflix on October 30 at 5 p.m.
[Photo = Reporter Baek Seung-cheol]
(SBS Entertainment News | Kang Sun-ae)