Former MBLAQ member-turned-actor, Lee Joon, will lead the cast of the upcoming vampire drama, "Vampire Investigator." "Vampire Investigator" is the latest supernatural series, in a year that hosted dramas like "Blood," "Orange Marmalade," and "Scholar Who Walks the Night."
On September 17, CJ E&M announced the casting of the OCN supernatural crime series, which is scheduled to air at the beginning of 2016.
According to a report published by the Korean outlet MBN, Lee Joon will portray a private investigator who is transformed into a vampire. He utilizes his newfound supernatural powers for crime fighting while attempting to uncover the mysteries that led to him into the realm of the undead.
"Lee Joon is pleased to be able to do an action role," said a representative for the production team, in a statement published by MBN. 'His 'Vampire Investigator' character is three-dimensional and one that he is very attracted to.
K-Dramas have often reflected society's preoccupation with the afterlife, particularly as it pertains to ancestor worship in Korea. "Vampire Investigator" follows the recent MBC drama, "Scholar Who Walks the Night," which chronicled the exploits of a Joseon-era scholar who attempted to thwart a vampire that ruled over the kingdom.
The KBS2 series, "Orange Marmalade," combined a contemporary vampire tale with episodes set within the Joseon period. Based on a popular webtoon, "Orange Marmalade," approached vampirism from an alternate universe where a pact was made between humans and the undead. The drama was likened to "Twilight" during its initial episodes, but the period setting provided a unique perspective on the trope.
Yeo Jin Goo led the cast as Jung Jae Min, a popular high school student who strongly disliked vampires. He developed a relationship with Baek Ma Ri (AOA's Seolhyun), a female vampire who attempted to assimilate with her classmates. CNBLUE's Lee Jonghyun was Han Shi Hoo, a feral vampire that was forced to conform to societal rules.
2015 kicked off with the SBS medical vampire series, "Blood." Ahn Jae Hyun starred as Park Ji Sang, a brilliant vampire surgeon, who was tasked with saving humanity from the exposure of a clinically-tested vampiric virus. Gu Hye Sun was his innocent, physician lover, Yoo Tae Ra.
Vampire K-Dramas are imaginative and incorporate unique premises to explore an age-old tale. However, there is a possibility that viewers will begin to tune-out from new series, after experiencing an onslaught of the genre.
In "Vampire Investigator," Lee Joon will be joined by Oh Jung Se (Plus Nine Boys) and Lee Se Young (Trot Lovers). Oh Jung Se will appear as an investigator while Lee Se Young will star as an administrative assistant.
The series benefits from the strength of the screenwriting and production team. The team behind the popular series, "Vampire Prosecutor," will be responsible for production and the script will be written by Yoo Young Sun of "Blood Rain" fame.
