Crime drama unfolds at sea on Disney+'s 'Low Life

Set in 1970s Korea, the Disney+ Original Series “Low Life” is a big-budget production, with the atmosphere, makeup, and costume design of the era perfectly recreated - the level of detail extended beyond what the camera could see.

- By VANESSA BALBUENA

At the core of it all, series director and screenwriter Kang Yoonsung wanted to reflect on his parents’ generation: What drove them? What values did they hold?

“It was a learning process for me, and I hoped it would be a moment of connection and reflection for the viewers as well,” the director said. “My two main goals were: First, to authentically recreate the look and feel of the 1970s. And second, to focus on how individual desires and motivations influence the unfolding of the story.”

The 11-episode series “Low Life” follows Oh Heedong (played by Yang Sejong) and Oh Gwanseok (Ryu Seungryong), a nephew and uncle who’ve spent the best part of their lives chasing ways to get-rich-quick. When word begins to spread that an ancient Chinese sunken treasure ship has been discovered off the coast of Korea, the two will raise against time and other opportunists - hardworking, down-to-earth rural folks - to recover the sunken treasure.

It features an all-star cast of Korea’s top veteran actors, a trusted and renowned director, and is based on a webtoon by Yoon Taeho, the beloved creator behind “Misaeng” and “Inside Men.”

Director Kang has been such a huge fan of Ryu Seungryong ever since appearing in 2019's “Kingdom,” that he always awaited the day he’d finally work with veteran actor.

“Now that dream has come true, which makes me so happy,” he said, adding, “Working with all the actors here was an absolute joy. Watching each of them shape their characters was one of the most exciting parts of this project.”

Talking about his role who’s tasked to illegally retrieve the fortune that’s buried off the coast of Sinan, Ryu Seungryong shared, “My character is driven by money. The rest are all chasing the idea that money can solve everything. They get caught up in a web of deceit, tricking one another.”