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Netflix’s Move to Heaven: how Lee Jae-hoon learned to play a ‘trauma cleaner’ in the gritty new K-drama – interview

South Korean actor Lee Jae-hoon stars in the upcoming K-drama Move to Heaven. Photo: @theseoulstory/Twitter
South Korean actor Lee Jae-hoon stars in the upcoming K-drama Move to Heaven. Photo: @theseoulstory/Twitter
K-drama news

  • Lee Jae-hoon has previously proved his virtuosity in crime series Signal and movie Anarchist from Colony – but his latest role may be his most challenging yet
  • Move to Heaven focuses on a ‘trauma cleaners’ service tasked with clearing the possessions of dead people – and debuts globally on Netflix on May 14

Actor Lee Jae-hoon has proved his versatility throughout his career – from a dogged criminal profiler in the hit series Signal to a rowdy independence activist in the historical film Anarchist from Colony. In the upcoming Netflix series Move to Heaven – which debuts on Friday (May 15) – the actor took on the role of hardened ex-con Sang-gu, whose life changes after working as a trauma cleaner, or a cleaner of scenes of crimes or violent accidents.

Actor Lee Jae-hoon played a criminal profiler in K-drama Signal. Photo: Handout
Actor Lee Jae-hoon played a criminal profiler in K-drama Signal. Photo: Handout

“My character is always cynical and views the world with a sceptical perspective,” Lee, 36, said during an online media event to promote the series on Wednesday. “He has always been lonely and expects his life to stay that way, until he becomes part of the Move to Heaven trauma cleaner service and encounters the clients’ stories.”

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Directed by Kim Sung-ho, whose work includes the family film How to Steal a Dog, the series revolves around people at a trauma cleaners service – ex-con Sang-gu (Lee), his nephew Geu-roo (Tang Jun-sang), who has Asperger syndrome, and Geu-roo’s friend Na-moo (Hong Seung-hee).

Lee Jae-hoon in the upcoming K-drama Move to Heaven. Photo: @jehoonarchive/Twitter
Lee Jae-hoon in the upcoming K-drama Move to Heaven. Photo: @jehoonarchive/Twitter

As they clean out the possessions of deceased people, they uncover the stories they left behind and take on the additional job of delivering them to the loved ones of the departed.

The story, inspired by trauma cleaner and writer Kim Sae-byul’s nonfiction essay, “Things Left Behind”, was penned by Yoon Ji-ryun, who is best known for writing the mega-hit series Boys Over Flowers.

Lee’s character is a former boxer who became a fighter at illegal fight clubs to make money. “He doesn’t take care of himself and had a rough life,” Lee said of his role. “There were a lot of scenes where I had to fight in the ring … I’m excited to show tough, martial-arts action through this series.”