Move over, Liam Neeson — Netflix’s upcoming thriller series crowns a new action hero
The series hails from the director of the 100%-rated action thriller 'A Shop for Killers' — which rather sets the bar.
Right, Netflix is clearly done letting Hollywood hog all the glory when it comes to ageing action heroes. You remember that era after Taken hit cinemas in 2008—suddenly we were drowning in films where grizzled older blokes (and, occasionally, Jackie Chan) were doling out beatings to much younger villains. Well, it looks like Korea is throwing its own contender into the ring with The Shooter, a new action series heading for the streamer very soon.
The Shooter unites star Lee Jung-eun (Parasite) and director Lee Kwon, best known for the action hit A Shop for Killers, released in 2025.
Semi-Retired and Fully Dangerous
This one’s got a twist that’s actually, dare I say, interesting: not another gruff dad, not another ex-CIA type, but a grandmother in her seventies who gets pulled back into the line of fire. Jeong Suk-ja has been keeping things low-key and ordinary—until her grandson is assaulted. Suddenly, decades after she last picked up a gun, she’s back on the hunt, unravelling secrets surrounding the suspiciously powerful Chunghwa Group. There's even an unusual partnership that turns her whole world upside down, so it’s not all bullets and bruises—some actual mystery at play.
The whole thing will be steered by director Lee Kwon, who’s currently riding high from that 100%-rated action-thriller, A Shop for Killers (possibly the only drama your cousin will stop scrolling Instagram for). If you want credentials, the main role is handled by Lee Jung-eun—she’s familiar to anyone who watched Parasite, and she also popped up in Okja and Bong Joon Ho’s cult favourite Mother. For bonus trivia, she recently led the horror-comedy My Daughter Is a Zombie, which happened to top Korea’s box office in 2025. Not exactly light on genre experience, then.
The Rest of the Roster
- Kim Moo-yul: Turns up once again in a Netflix action job after stints in The Gangster, the Cop, the Devil, Ballerina, The Roundup: Punishment, Juvenile Justice (where he acted alongside Lee Jung-eun before), and the top 10 mainstay Teach You a Lesson.
- Huh Joon-ho: Plays the ex-gangster, current chairman of Chunghwa Group—the sort of character who never goes quietly.
- Choi Sung-eun, Bae Na-ra, Seo Hyun-woo, Moon Jong-won: Rounding out the ensemble, though without massive details out just yet.
The script’s by Kim Hee-su, with Studio Dragon (you’ve seen their name on plenty of K-dramas) handling production. A table read’s already taken place, so the wheels are very much in motion—and yes, Netflix have shown off a group photo if you’re fascinated by those (and really, who isn’t, at least for 0.3 seconds?).
The cast held their first official table reading in early 2026, confirming production is underway.
For anyone keeping a tally, this is just the latest in a steady line of Korean action and revenge thrillers from the streamer. If you enjoyed Kill Boksoon, Agent Kim Reactivated, or My Name, you’ll know exactly the kind of stylish, blood-pumping chaos Netflix tends to back. The Shooter looks destined to slot in comfortably alongside them, possibly even outgunning a few.