On April 21, 2026, at CGV Yongsan I’Park Mall in Seoul, the cast and director of Netflix’s upcoming series ‘기리고’ gathered for a press conference ahead of its global release on April 24.
The series, described as a young adult horror drama, centers on a wish-granting app that triggers a deadly curse for high school students who use it. Director Park Yun-seo, known for co-directing ‘Moving’ and working on ‘Kingdom’ Season 2, emphasized blending realism with supernatural elements to ground the horror in relatable teenage experiences.
Park explained that choosing a series format over a film allowed for deeper narrative development, saying, “Unlike movies that rely on short bursts of fear, a series must sustain credibility and engagement across eight episodes by weaving in occult, action and school drama elements without losing momentum.”
Casting focused on emerging talent, with Park noting a deliberate effort to avoid overfamiliar faces: “We wanted fresh expressions that audiences haven’t seen before, and Netflix supported that vision.” The lead ensemble includes rising actors Jeon So-young, Kang Mina, Baek Seon-ho, Hyun Woo-seok, and Lee Hyo-je, alongside No Jae-won as a shaman guiding the group.
Jeon So-young portrays Se-a, a track and field prodigy investigating the app’s mysteries. To embody the athlete, she trained daily with national long jumper Kim Guk-young for two months, adjusted her diet to gain muscle, and even tanned her skin for authenticity. She said, “Playing Se-a required both physical discipline and emotional depth — I wanted to honor her journey as a promising athlete facing unimaginable fear.”
Park praised Jeon’s casting, stating her natural brightness balanced the show’s dark tone: “If the story stayed grim throughout, viewers would fatigue. Her energy brings necessary contrast.”
Kang Mina plays Na-ri, a skeptical realist who doubts the app’s curse. Despite her personal discomfort with horror — admitting she “can’t usually watch horror films” — she committed to the role by mentally preparing before each shoot: “I told myself not to flinch, no matter what.” She described Na-ri as fiercely possessive, adding, “She’ll stop at nothing to get what she wants — but please don’t hate her too much.”
Sources confirm the five main characters — Se-a, Na-ri, Geon-woo (Baek Seon-ho), Hae-joon (Hyun Woo-seok), and Hyeong-wook (Lee Hyo-je) — have been close friends since middle school, anchoring the supernatural plot in enduring adolescent bonds of friendship, jealousy, first love, and rivalry.
The series is an eight-episode release, dropping all at once on Netflix at 5:00 p.m. KST on April 24, 2026. It is rated for mature audiences only due to intense horror themes.
During the same event, Kang Mina addressed her absence from the upcoming 10th-anniversary reunion of the project group I.O.I., set for May 19 with a fresh mini-album ‘I.O.I : LOOP’. She said, “Not participating in the anniversary project is disappointing, but my prior acting commitments came first.” She added, “I feel deeply sorry to the fans, but I’ll focus on acting and return with stronger work.”
What is the premise of ‘기리고’?
The series follows high school students who, after making wishes on a supernatural app called ‘기리고’, receive predictions of imminent death and must fight to survive the curse even as uncovering its origins.
Why did Kang Mina choose to focus on acting instead of rejoining I.O.I. For their 10th anniversary?
Kang Mina stated that though she regretted missing the I.O.I. 10th-anniversary project, her decision to prioritize acting was based on prior commitments, and she aims to deliver strong performances to produce up for her absence.