This series also marks the EXO member's first villain role.

<a href="https://www.lofficielsingapore.com/culture/all-best-new-korean-tv-series-k-dramas-in-2025-on-disney-plus-celebrity-news" title="10 Exciting Korean TV Series to Look Out For in 2025 on Disney+" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Disney+</a> held a press conference this week for its latest <a href="https://www.lofficielsingapore.com/culture/rowoon-shin-ye-eun-star-in-disney-first-korean-period-k-drama-the-murky-stream-interview" title="Rowoon &amp; Shin Ye-eun Star in Disney+'s First Korean Period Drama, 'The Murky Stream'" target="_blank" rel="noopener">APAC Original</a>, The Manipulated in Seoul. The newest original series is a gripping Korean action thriller that promises to keep viewers on edge from start to finish. The series premieres globally on 5 November with a four-episode debut, followed by two new episodes each week leading up to a high-stakes finale on 3 December.
At the heart of The Manipulated is Park Tae-joong, played by Ji Chang-wook (The Worst of Evil, Gangnam B-Side), a hard-working, decent man whose world collapses overnight when he&rsquo;s arrested for the rape and murder of a woman he insists he&rsquo;s never met. Wrongly convicted and sentenced to life in prison, Tae-joong&rsquo;s faith in humanity is crushed &mdash; until a new inmate with a strikingly similar story reveals a chilling truth: someone is framing innocent people.
Driven by rage and loss, Tae-joong sets out on a relentless mission for justice, marking the start of an explosive manhunt that blends moral ambiguity with high-octane action.

Ji Chang-wook: &ldquo;I immersed myself completely in the situation&rdquo;

Speaking at the press conference, Ji Chang-wook described his approach to portraying Tae-joong: &ldquo;He&rsquo;s a very hardworking, average guy. Later on, he finds out about other instances. Instead of just focusing on the character, I also focused on the scenario and fully immersed myself in the situation.&rdquo;
Helmed by directors Park Sin-woo (The Killing Vote) and Kim Chang-joo (Hard Hit), and written by Oh Sang-ho (Taxi Driver, Fabricated City), The Manipulated is packed with intricate twists, layered performances, and heart-pounding revelations. Each episode reportedly changes in tone and setting, creating an unpredictable viewing experience. As Ji Chang-wook teased, &ldquo;If you start this show, you&rsquo;ll be hooked.&rdquo;
Known for his dedication to action roles, Ji once again teamed up with the stunt director to deliver intense and realistic action sequences. Director Park Sin-woo, who previously collaborated with Ji on Fabricated City, revealed that it was the actor who approached him about The Manipulated: &ldquo;He came to me after reading the script and said he wanted to do it so much. For me, it was a no-brainer.&rdquo; Despite thematic similarities, both director and actor clarified that The Manipulated stands as a wholly new story.

Doh Kyung-soo&rsquo;s First Villain Role

In a dramatic departure from his past roles, <a href="https://www.lofficielsingapore.com/culture/exo-d-o-do-kyung-soo-parting-ways-with-sm-entertainment-after-13-years-kpop" title="EXO&rsquo;s D.O. Is Parting Ways with SM Entertainment After 13 Years" target="_blank" rel="noopener">EXO&rsquo;s Doh Kyung-soo (D.O.)</a> steps into his first ever villain role as An Yo-han, the cold-blooded mastermind who frames others for his crimes.&ldquo;I tried to give him an eerie kind of style,&rdquo; Kyung-soo shared. &ldquo;I referred to a lot of documentaries and shows about psychopaths and criminals who are great manipulators to really understand him.&rdquo;
Yo-han&rsquo;s twisted dynamic with Tae-joong forms the emotional core of the show. &ldquo;Yo-han thinks of Tae-joong as a cockroach that would never die,&rdquo; said Doh. &ldquo;For Tae-joong, Yo-han is the evil he must destroy.&rdquo; That tension and game of cat and mouse is the centre of this high octane, action series.&nbsp;

On Lee Kwang-soo's Character&nbsp;

Adding another layer of tension is Lee Kwang-soo, who plays Baek Do-kyung, a wealthy VIP client of Yo-han&rsquo;s &mdash; and, in Kwang-soo&rsquo;s own words, &ldquo;the most disgusting character&rdquo; he&rsquo;s ever read. &ldquo;When I read the script, I thought he was the most disgusting character &lsquo;cos he&rsquo;s so full of himself.&rdquo; His character adds more chaos and intrigue to the plot as well as the perfect side-villain for viewers to root against as the protagonist plots his downfall.&nbsp;
Kwang-soo, a longtime friend of Kyung-soo, spoke warmly about their on-set chemistry. &ldquo;Actor Kyung-soo is so different from friend Kyung-soo,&rdquo; he said. &ldquo;He&rsquo;s a completely different person when he&rsquo;s working &mdash; professional and intense. It makes him a pleasure to work with.&rdquo; Kyung-soo echoed the sentiment, saying Kwang-soo&rsquo;s total transformation made it easy to immerse himself in their scenes together.

Doh Kyung-soo. (Courtesy of Disney+)

Ji Chang-wook. (Courtesy of Disney+)

Jo Yoon-su. (Courtesy of Disney+)

Kim Jong-soo. (Courtesy of Disney+)

With the launch of The Manipulated, Disney+ continues to strengthen its lineup of acclaimed Korean originals, joining hits like <a href="https://www.lofficielsingapore.com/culture/son-suk-ku-kim-da-mi-cast-director-disney-plus-nine-puzzles-interview-mystery-series-k-drama" title="Son Suk-ku &amp; Kim Da-mi Goes Against a Serial Killer in Disney+&rsquo;s &lsquo;Nine Puzzles&rsquo;" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Nine Puzzles</a>, Vigilante, <a href="https://www.lofficielsingapore.com/culture/refreshing-new-k-dramas-to-watch-this-october-netflix-disney-plus-doona" title="5 Refreshing New K-Dramas You Should Watch This October" target="_blank" rel="noopener">The Worst of Evil</a>, and Gangnam B-Side. Fans of dark, character-driven crime dramas won&rsquo;t want to miss The Manipulated &mdash; streaming exclusively on Disney+ from 5 November.

Ji Chang-wook and Doh Kyung-soo Face Off in Disney+'s 'The Manipulated'

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