Hellbound director Yeon Sang-ho did not expect the Netflix series to be a hit

SEOUL - South Korean director Yeon Sang-ho says he is "bewildered" by the overwhelming response to his latest series, Hellbound.

The horror-fantasy series topped the charts on Netflix when it began streaming on Nov 19 and is expected to follow in the footsteps of another K-drama, Squid Game, currently the most watched show on the streaming platform.

"When I first talked about Hellbound with Netflix, I did not think that it would universally resonate with audiences," he said in an interview on news site Korea JoongAng Daily on Wednesday (Dec 1).

The six-parter starring Yoo Ah-in centres on a floating entity with a horrifying face which appears to notify people of the exact date and time of their deaths. Three gruesome creatures then arrive as scheduled to take them to Hell. A shady and powerful religious organisation known as New Truth Society springs up as fear grips the nation.

"Hellbound just isn't the sort of fare to generate broad appeal. Dark and mysterious, the work targets viewers who enjoy fantasy and complex Lovecraftian tales. It doesn't have the punch of a Squid Game," he said.

Best known for his hit zombie movie Train To Busan (2016), Yeon had written the script for an acclaimed webtoon, also titled Hellbound, which ended its run in September 2020. The Netflix series deviates slightly from the original plot of the webtoon.

"I would have been satisfied by ranking No. 2 on the chart," he said. "I woke up to a pile of messages from the production staff saying that the series ranked No. 1 on the global chart. I was so stunned, bewildered and grateful for this result."

He added: "Although Hellbound is set in South Korea, the problems that the characters deal with are universal: about life and death, sin and punishment, and questions about humanity. Whether or not there is Hell, these are questions that people ask themselves as they lead their lives. I think that's what resonated with the audiences worldwide."

The ending of the series left it open to a second season, although Yeon said that he had not discussed this with Netflix yet.