Netflix series The Uncanny Counter: K-drama enters new territory with colourful demon-fighting saga
- The Uncanny Counter is an adaptation of a popular online comic, and follows a teenage boy who joins a secret group of ‘counters’ who fight evil spirits
- Jo Byung-gyu gets his first crack at a leading role, while Sejeong of K-pop outfit Gugudan presents a new side of herself as the tough Ha-na
The scope of K-dramas is constantly expanding, and the latest television hit to make waves in South Korea is a demon hunter saga chock-full of action, thrills and mystery.
Equal parts Along with the Gods , Spider-Man and Extreme Job , The Uncanny Counter is a 16-episode adaptation of Jang Yi’s popular Daum webtoon (or digital comic) Amazing Rumor from OCN, the cable network behind Voice and Rugal. The series debuted globally through Netflix on November 28, with new episodes airing every Saturday and Sunday.
The Uncanny Counter takes place in the fictional town of Jungjin and begins with a prologue during which a young boy, So-mun, rides in a car with his police officer parents. Their pleasant drive is cruelly cut short when a truck slams into them, leaving the parents dead and So-mun with a limp.
Seven years later, we catch up with a teenage So-mun (Jo Byung-gyu) who lives with his grandparents and goes to school with his friends, who are mercilessly bullied by the mayor’s son and his gang.
Meanwhile, a secret group of demon-hunting “counters” run a popular noodle shop called Eonni’s Noodles. After a senior counter perishes in a fight with a particularly strong Level Three demon, So-mun is struck by a burst of light on the other side of town. He is tracked down by the counters and informed that his body is now playing host to Wigen (Moon Suk), a spirit from Yung (the afterworld).
