‘Island’ Is A Fantasy Drama You Need To Catch Up On, Here’s Why

This article was first published on 11 November 2022. 

Island is a K-drama that you need to have on your radar right now. It stars Memoir of a Murderer Kim Nam-Gil, The Beauty Inside’s Lee Da-Hee, and True Beauty’s Cha Eun-Woo (of K-pop group ASTRO). The second part of the fantasy-thriller drama will arrive this 24 February and we're here to spill why you need to catch up on this series, stat!

ASTRO’s Cha Eun Woo as Father Yohan in Island. (Photo from: YouTube/ZAPZEE Official)

Island plot and cast

Island is set on Jeju Island and is about three individuals fighting against a greater evil who’s set to destroy the world.

There’s Van (Kim Nam-Gil), a man raised and trained to be a weapon. He fights against evil and goes after possessed victims and kills them. He contains his emotions well, but deep inside, he feels burdened and guilty about his current way of life.

Meanwhile, there’s Won Mi-Ho (Lee Da-Hee), who comes from a wealthy family that runs a huge business. Because of certain circumstances, she was sent to Jeju Island as some sort of punishment. She starts working as a teacher but eventually gets involved in a case related to ghosts and spirits.

Finally, there’s Yohan (Cha Eun-Woo), a Catholic priest who performs exorcisms. His main mission is to protect life and banish evil.

Aside from these three figures, there’s also Gungtan (Sung Joon), who was raised alongside Van to fight against evil. However, in a twist of events, Gungtan turns to the dark side and becomes the enemy of Van.

Lee Da-Hee as Won Mi-Ho. (Photo from: YouTube/ZAPZEE Official)

Reasons to watch the series

1. The plot is pretty exciting

If you're tired of rom-coms and zombie stories we often see in K-dramas recently, this is a good switch. It hints at romance a bit and the monsters in the drama resemble zombies in some way, but the storytelling provides enough nuance to separate it from those exhausted storylines. The lore of the drama is also pretty well thought out. 

2. It highly references various religions and mythologies but treats each with respect

This drama is based on a webtoon series of the same name. And while creative liberties are often taken when it comes to TV adaptations, the religious and mythological references the webtoon alluded to are also the core of the drama. After all, Van, Mi-Ho, and Yohan’s varying backgrounds focus on various perceptions about combatting evil and yet, that doesn’t erase how their purpose and goal are the same.

Kim Nam-Gil as Van. (Photo from: YouTube/ZAPZEE Official)

3. It’s a refreshing role for ASTRO’s Cha Eun Woo

The drama caught a lot of attention ever since Cha Eun-Woo was cast as Father Yohan since it’s a leap from his usual romance drama lead roles. The K-pop idol proves that he’s just as versatile as other seasoned actors, who can jump into a challenging role that seems emotionally and physically taxing. We can’t wait to see what else he has in store for the viewers apart from the already interesting portrayal he’s shown so far in the first part of the series. 

Island release date and where to watch

Island Part 1 aired on South Korean TV network TVING and is available for streaming on Amazon Prime for international audiences. Season 2 is currently ongoing on both platforms as of 24 February 2023. 

(Cover photo from: @tving.official)