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Karma (South Korean TV series)

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Karma
Promotional poster
Hangul
악연
Literal meaningIll-fated Relationship
Revised RomanizationAgyeon
McCune–ReischauerAkyŏn
GenreCrime thriller
Based onKarma
by Choi Hee-seon
Written byLee Il-hyung
Directed byLee Il-hyung
Starring
Music byHwang Sang-joon[1]
Country of originSouth Korea
Original languageKorean
No. of episodes6
Production
Running time47–61 minutes
Production companies
Original release
NetworkNetflix
ReleaseApril 4, 2025 (2025-04-04)

Karma (Korean: 악연) is a 2025 South Korean crime thriller television series written and directed by Lee Il-hyung, and starring Park Hae-soo, Shin Min-a, Lee Hee-joon, Kim Sung-kyun, Lee Kwang-soo, and Gong Seung-yeon.[2] Based on the Kakao webtoon of the same name by Choi Hee-seon, the series is about people who are entangled in an unexpected ill-fated relationship and destroy each other while pursuing their own desires. It was released on Netflix on April 4, 2025.

Synopsis

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The story involves a man who makes an irreversible deal after witnessing a mysterious accident, a doctor who has a lifelong trauma from the incident she experienced as a child and meets someone she didn't want to see again, a debt-ridden man who invested in cryptocurrency by borrowing money from private lenders in hopes of striking gold but ended up in debt because he lost money, and a man who loses his job unfairly and falls into the trap of bad luck when he receives a request for a large sum of money. Each of them becomes deeply intertwined, seemingly by an ill-fated relationship.

Cast and characters

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Main

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Special appearance

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Production

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Development

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In July 2023, it was reported that the Kakao Webtoon Ill-fated Relationship by Choi Hee-seon, which was serialized in 2019, would be made into a drama with six episodes and is directed and written by Lee Il-hyung, who helmed A Violent Prosecutor (2016) and Remember (2022). Moonlight Film, Baram Pictures, and Kakao Entertainment managed the production.[5]

Casting

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In August 2023, Star News reported that both Shin Min-a and Park Hae-soo would be starring in the series.[6] In response to the report, both agencies of Shin and Park stated that they were positively reviewing the offer.[7] A month later, Netflix confirmed the ensemble cast of the crime thriller series with Park, Shin, Lee Hee-joon, Kim Sung-kyun, Lee Kwang-soo, and Gong Seung-yeon.[8]

Release

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Karma was released exclusively on Netflix on April 4, 2025.[9]

Reception

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Critical reception

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Karma received positive reviews from critics. On review aggregator website Rotten Tomatoes, the first season has an approval rating of 83% based on 6 reviews, with an average rating of 7.2/10.[10]

Joel Keller of Decider wrote: "Karma has the potential to be a fine series with intertwining plots, but it could also be an exercise in frustration, depending on how long those plots take to develop."[11]

References

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  1. ^ @hwang_sang_jun (March 3, 2025). 넷플릭스 시리즈 <악연> 4월 4일 스트리밍 [Netflix series <Karma> streaming on April 4th] (in Korean). Retrieved March 5, 2025 – via Instagram.
  2. ^ "Karma". British Board of Film Classification. April 4, 2025.
  3. ^ a b c d e f Ziwei, Puah (November 10, 2023). "'Squid Game' star Park Hae-soo to lead new Netflix K-drama, 'Karma'". NME. Retrieved March 4, 2025.
  4. ^ Jung, Esther (March 29, 2025). 김남길, 신민아 연인이었다..."밝고 편하게 해 줘" (악연) [Kim Nam-gil and Shin Min-a were lovers..."Make it bright and comfortable" (Karma)]. MHN Sports (in Korean). Retrieved March 30, 2025.
  5. ^ Chae, Sung-oh (July 3, 2023). [단독] 웹툰 '악연' 영상화...IP부터 제작까지 '카카오 DNA' 총출동 [[Exclusive] Webtoon 'Ill-fated Relationship' to be made into a video...'Kakao DNA' all out, from IP to production]. Bloter (in Korean). Retrieved March 5, 2025.
  6. ^ Lee, Seung-hun (August 30, 2023). [단독]신민아·박해수, 범죄 스릴러 '악연'으로 만난다 [종합] [Exclusive] Shin Min-a and Park Hae-soo to meet in crime thriller 'Karma' [Comprehensive]]. Star News (in Korean). Retrieved March 4, 2025.
  7. ^ Kim, Ha-young (August 30, 2023). 신민아x박해수 측 "'악연' 출연, 긍정 검토 중" [Shin Min-a x Park Hae-soo's Side: "Positively Reviewing Appearance in 'Karma'"]. Sports Kyunghyang (in Korean). Retrieved March 4, 2025.
  8. ^ Jung, Seung-min (November 9, 2023). 박해수→신민아...넷플 새 스릴러 시리즈 '악연' 캐스팅 [Park Hae-soo→Shin Min-a...Casting for Netflix's New Thriller Series 'Karma']. MHN Sports (in Korean). Retrieved March 4, 2025.
  9. ^ Kim, Ji-ye (March 4, 2025). "'Karma' hits Netflix this April as crime thriller series arrives". Korea JoongAng Daily. Retrieved March 4, 2025.
  10. ^ "Karma: Season 1 (2025)". Rotten Tomatoes. Fandango Media. Retrieved April 11, 2025.
  11. ^ "'Karma' Netflix Review: Stream It Or Skip It?". 2025-04-04. Retrieved 2025-04-10.
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