Korean content is absolutely scorching in pop culture right now. From K-Pop to K-dramas to Korean reality shows, it feels like the whole world can’t get enough of Korean stories. As Korean American star Daniel Henney once told me, Korea “is a small little country with a lot of heart, a lot of potential and they grind.”
Next week, the Korean takeover continues with a superhero inspired series, Moving, about a group of young metahumans who suddenly start appearing throughout the country. According to the synopsis, Moving centers around a former black ops team of superhumans created by South Korea’s fictional National Security Planning Agency. The team mysteriously vanished, and decades later, children with superpowers begin to appear.
The fascinating premise mixes mystery, action, and drama and feels reminiscent of the once hugely popular NBC TV series, Heroes, and the current smash hit The Boys. While I’m not personally as well-versed in Korean content as others, this is the first time I’ve heard about a major Korean superhero story. And as someone who has always loved superhero content, I’m eager to see a Korean spin on the genre.
The series is adapted from the ultra popular Webtoon of the same name, by creator Kang Full, which received over 200 million views. In an interview with Deadline, Kang explained that the focus for his stories are the characters. ““No matter how interesting the plot is, it all comes down to who is taking us through the story and what experiences they’ve previously had,” Kang told Deadline.
Moving premieres August 9th on Hulu.
SYNOPSIS
In the 1990s, South Korea’s National Security Planning Agency established a black ops team of superpowered individuals. Tasked with carrying out classified missions, members of this elite unit used their powers to defend the country and achieve the impossible on a daily basis. Despite their successes, one day the team suddenly went dark, dispersing across the country, never to be heard from again.
A few decades later, Bongseok, a boy who could float before he could walk, and Huisoo, a girl who survived a horrific car crash unscathed, end up at the same school, quickly becoming close after confiding their secrets in each other and discovering there are more people like them out in the world. But while life seems relatively carefree for the teenagers, a mysterious delivery driver named Frank begins murdering people with powers across Seoul.
With danger drawing ever closer, will anyone be able to stop Frank before he uncovers the children’s secrets?
Editor’s Note: This piece was written during the 2023 WGA and SAG-AFTRA strikes.
Ron is the founder and Editor-in-Chief of POC Culture. He is a big believer in the power and impact of pop culture and the importance of representation in media.
