K-DRAMA'S NEW FLAVOUR

The cast of Good Boy charmed Bangkok while discussing the show's unique blend of sports and crime-fighting

- TATAT BUNNAG

n a balmy Bangkok evening, the red carpet at Iconsiam shimmered with excitement as the main cast of Good Boy — Park Bo-gum, Kim So-hyun and Lee Sang-yi — stepped out to greet a global press corps and legions of screaming fans. The energy was palpable, both in the room and on screen. The South Korean action-comedy series had just premiered that day (May 31) on JTBC in Korea, with international audiences tuning in on Prime Video. New episodes are available every Saturday and Sunday, with episodes five and six streaming this past weekend.

The series, created by acclaimed writer Lee Dae-il (Life On Mars) and director Shim Na-yeon (Beyond Evil), blends crime-fighting grit with buddy-cop charm. At its centre is a team of former national athletes — now police officers — banded together to fight crime and corruption. It’s an unusual premise, but one that resonates deeply with audiences seeking fresh storytelling with emotional muscle.

“If you try tom yum goong, you'll find mushrooms, vegetables and shrimp,” said Park, describing the show with a smile. “Many kinds of ingredients come together perfectly to become delicious food. I think Good Boy is like that. It’s fun, refreshing, and satisfying.”

His co-stars chimed in with their own flavourful comparisons.

“Since Bo-gum mentioned Thai food, I'd like to choose Korean food — bibimbap,” said Kim. “Our drama has comedy, action, detective and romance. Each ingredient is perfectly combined, just like delicious bibimbap.”

Lee Sang-yi completed the culinary metaphor: “Good Boy is like mangosteen. It's the best work to watch in this weather.”

And if you ask Park, there’s a perfect serving order too: “Let's have bibimbap as the main dish. On the side, have tom yum goong as the soup. After that, you can have mangosteen as dessert.”

While food analogies might be playful, the preparation behind