(Left to right) Hyun Bong-sik, Son Suk-ku, Kim Da-mi and Kim Sung-kyun pose for a photo during the press conference for Disney+'s crime-thriller series 'Nine Puzzles.' Photos courtesy of Disney+
The South Korean crime-thriller series “Nine Puzzles” opens with a chilling murder scene — one that forever changes the life of then-student Yoon E-na. She discovers the lifeless body of her uncle, a single puzzle piece lying beside him. As the first and only person at the scene, E-na immediately falls under the suspicion of detective Kim Han-saem.
Years later, a new string of murders begins, each marked by the same eerie puzzle pieces. Now a brilliant criminal profiler, E-na is drawn back into the unsolved mystery, forming an uneasy alliance with Han-saem as they try to uncover the truth behind the killings.
At first glance, the 11-part “Nine Puzzles” — which premieres May 21 on Disney+ — may appear to be a conventional serial killer drama. But the show’s offbeat tone and eccentric characters set it apart, delivering an entertaining viewing experience, according to director Yoon Jong-bin.
“There are a lot of crime detective thriller shows and they usually have a grave, realistic tone and manner. They’re quite dark and deep. But instead of going for that kind of vibe, I wanted this to be a little bit quirky and offbeat. So that’s how I tried to pursue this show, because the characters are a bit eccentric and quirky,” Yoon said through an interpreter at a recent virtual press conference.
“Nine Puzzles” stars Kim Da-mi as E-na, while Son Suk-ku takes on another detective role as Han-saem.
During the press conference, Da-mi shared that she read the entire script in one sitting, hooked not only by the gripping storyline but also by the characters.
Kim Da-mi
“The characters are very unique. They’re not the classic [criminal] profilers or detectives so I knew that this was going to be a nice challenge for me to take up as an actress,” said Da-mi, who starred in dramas such as “Itaewon Class” and “Our Beloved Summer.”
The 30-year-old actress described E-na as “a childish person who’s stuck in that time period, in her school days.”
“She’s also very frank and she does whatever she wants. She’s unapologetic and straightforward. She could be a little bit of a loose cannon. But she’s also very vulnerable inside,” Da-mi said.
Suk-ku, whose other series include “My Liberation Notes” and “Heavenly Ever After,” described Han-saem as a “relentless detective,” having obsessed over the murder of E-na’s uncle throughout the years.
“He has been on this cold case for 10 years because it was the only case that went cold in his entire career. Because he was on this case all the time, he couldn’t really get promotions, so you can see what kind of maverick this guy is,” Suk-ku said.
Son Suk-ku
Han-saem is also often seen in a beanie and coat, with visible tattoos that add to his character’s eccentric persona.
“I thought it would be kind of fun for a detective to wear a beanie because usually they don't. I talked with director Yoon and he did his homework. He researched if wearing the beanie is against the laws of cops, but it's not... I think it kind of adds that uniqueness to that character,” Suk-ku shared.
Suk-ku is no stranger to portraying detectives in crime dramas, having done so in “A Killer Paradox” and Disney’s “Big Bet.”
Character dynamics
Suk-ku also highlighted the “complex” relationship between Han-saem and E-na, noting that the detective has always harbored suspicions about the younger woman, even as they join forces to solve the case.
“I think to Han-saem, E-na is someone who he wants to protect but at the same time, he wants her out. So there’s that duality of emotions and that’s something that carries out until the end... that chemistry and relationship between the two is very unique but also endearing because there’s that intense suspicion,” he said.
Suk-ku shared that having similar personalities with Da-mi made it easier for them to build rapport and develop their on-screen chemistry.
“Da-mi and I share a lot in common, personality-wise. We are both introverts, we like to have no frills. So when I was talking with Da-mi, I knew that I could be straightforward and she would be good with that, so we were great acting partners. She gave me a lot of help,” the actor said.
Da-mi also had no trouble building a good rapport with her co-star, saying she felt “very at ease” with Suk-ku. “There are a lot of scenes when we share the screen together so we would talk about the show and other things as well, so we had a lot of fun,” she said.
‘Almost cartoonish’
Director Yoon, known for the film “Nameless Gangster: Rules of the Time” and the crime series “Narco-Saints,” said he intentionally avoided making “Nine Puzzles” overly realistic, which is reflected in the show’s visuals.
“I really wanted to make sure the tone of the series is almost on the verge of reality and almost a cartoonish world,” he said. “So when it came to the visuals and wardrobe, I wanted to bring it a little bit slightly off the ground.”
Director Yoon Jong-bin with the cast of 'Nine Puzzles'
Meanwhile, the main cast of “Nine Puzzles” also includes Kim Sung-kyun and Hyun Bong-sik, both of whom Suk-ku previously worked with in the military drama “D.P.”. Suk-ku and Bong-sik also appeared together in “A Killer Paradox.”
Sung-kyun takes on the role of Yang Jung-ho, the leader of the violent crimes unit that includes Han-saem on the team. Bong-sik portrays Choi-san, the most junior detective in the squad.
The show also boasts a star-studded lineup of cameo appearances, including Hwang Jung-min, Park Sung-woong, Lee Hee-jun, Park Gyu-young, as well as Ji Jin-hee, who joined the project at the request of his friend Suk-ku.
“There are a lot of characters involved in the narrative. They aren't just brief appearances but they're all connected… so I needed actors who have really great performances,” director Yoon explained.
Yoon said he “pulled every string that I could” in order to cast the actors for their special appearances. “I’d buy them dinner and kind of ask them to do a brief appearance on my show... My 20-year career was for this because I pulled all the strings I had,” he said.
“Nine Puzzles” is set to premiere with its first six episodes on May 21, with the remaining episodes to be released in two batches over the following weeks.