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A solid cast, an unsolved case, a tense alliance against a backdrop of serial murders: the drama Scarecrow, expected in 2026, is already shaping up to be one of the most intense thrillers of the year.
It's now official: Park Hae-soo, Lee Hee-joon and Kwak Sun-young will headline Scarecrow, the new ENA series directed by Park Joon-wooknown for Taxi Driver and Crash. The screenplay is directly inspired by one of South Korea's most chilling criminal cases: the Hwaseong serial murders between 1986 and 1991 (already dealt with in Bong Joon-ho's cult film Memories of Murder).
An unsolved murder case resurfaces from the past
Scarecrow will follow the story of Kang Tae-joo (Park Hae-soo), a once promising policeman, now demoted to his hometown of Gangseong. When new serial murders rock the region, he sees an opportunity to restore his reputation. But he is soon forced to team up with Cha Si-young (Lee Hee-joon), an ambitious prosecutor and former high-school classmate... whom he deeply despises.
The 2 men find themselves embroiled in a hellish hunt, mingled with personal grudges and hidden motives. Their paths, between 1988 and 2019, intertwine in an investigation that spans more than 30 years.
Three former comrades, 3 visions of justice
Park Hae-soo describes Kang Tae-joo as a principled, disillusioned but upright man who refuses to compromise with injustice. This role marks his reunion with Lee Hee-joon, after their collaboration on the series Karma. The latter plays Cha Si-young, a prosecutor from an elitist family, obsessed with power and ready to do anything to launch his political career thanks to this high-profile case.
On his side, Kwak Sun-young interpreter Seo Ji-won, a pugnacious and upright journalist with the Gangseong Daily, who is also a former classmate of Kang Tae-joo. Both ally and watchdog, she closely follows the investigation, not hesitating to question the actions of the police.
A heavy atmosphere and strong psychological tension
More than just a whodunit, Scarecrow promises to be a plunge into human darkness: ambition, betrayal, revenge... All the ingredients are there to make this series a complex drama, driven by ambiguous characters and constant suspense.
The 3 main actors have already expressed their enthusiasm. Park Hae-soo speaks of a project "carefully prepared over the long term", while Lee Hee-joon underlines the strength of the script from the very first pages. As for Kwak Sun-young, she says she can't wait to discover the chemistry this team will create in front of and behind the camera.
Broadcast scheduled for the first half of 2026 on ENA. A series to keep an eye on for fans of psychological thrillers and stories based on true events.
