[Dispatch=Lee Myung-joo] "I think this life is ruined for me, right?"

'Honey Part-time Job'. The title itself raises suspicion. A job that guarantees 50 times the minimum wage? An ultra-high daily wage part-time job? The more you hear about it, the worse the premonition feels.

But for a youth whose life seems failed, it's like a lifeline pulling them out of debt. It's a 'honey part-time job' that's almost impossible to refuse. And so, a livelihood-driven hustle begins.

High income and high risk are basic common sense. But who would have known that they would experience nightmare-like incidents grave enough to stake their lives? It's a reality of the surreal, blending bizarre mystery with horror elements.

The Netflix series 'Honey Part-time Job' (Screenplay by Gyeong Min-seon and Lee Shin-ji, Directed by Kim Da-min) held a production presentation on the 28th at the Grand Ballroom of Fairmont Ambassador Seoul in Yeongdeungpo-gu, Seoul.

Director Kim Da-min, Jun-hee Han (overall planning), and actors Kim Min-ha and Lee Hee-joon attended. Lee Jae-wook was unable to attend due to military service. Go Min-si also did not participate, citing filming schedules.

'Honey Part-time Job' centers on youth Hyeok-jun (played by Lee Jae-wook) being deployed to nightmarish work sites through a personnel office that introduces only high-paying part-time job positions, depicting the ensuing story.

The work applies bizarre imagination to realistic material. Han Jun-hee, the overall planner, shared the production background: "The script felt unfamiliar yet attractive. It was scary, funny, and lighthearted, but not entirely frivolous."

He elaborated: "The starting point was the question, 'Is there anything scarier than making a living?' We wanted to address the universal topic of labor in a complex way."

"We're always thinking about 'what story can only we tell?' We started with the hope that it would become an irreplaceable work for everyone."

For Director Kim, 'Honey Part-time Job' is his first feature series direction. Previously, he wrote the screenplay for Netflix's 'Killer's Shopping List' and directed the film 'Makgeolli Will Tell You'.

Director Kim laughed, saying: "The previous work required about 30 episodes total, but 'Honey Part-time Job' had several times more. There were some challenges."

He added: "We tried to approach each episode differently. We deliberated whether to prioritize CGI or special effects for each episode and created it all together."

Leading this bizarre story is Lee Jae-wook. He took on the role of Hyeok-jun, who steps into a 50-times-minimum-wage part-time job after seeing a 'Spider Recruitment' advertisement.

Han said of Lee Jae-wook: "Lee Jae-wook is an actor who possesses both solidity and fluidity. You can see all the hundreds of faces he has."

"I thought Lee Jae-wook could portray the ambivalent aspects of being both servile and stubborn, of running away yet standing his ground. He did it wonderfully as Hyeok-jun."

In fact, Hyeok-jun in 'Honey Part-time Job' is not drawn as a typical protagonist. He's closer to an ordinary, realistic person rather than a special hero.

Director Kim explained: "Hyeok-jun is a down-to-earth, working-class character. While he can be frustrating at times, he demonstrates determination in moments of survival. Even while being worn down and beaten, you'll find yourself rooting for him."

Go Min-si plays Yeon-ju. He introduces himself as a work disaster protection officer and accident investigator, but his true identity remains veiled. He tracks the truth behind various incidents.

Han said: "We wanted Go Min-si to show the complete opposite of 'Your Taste' from the previous work. We convinced him, asking 'What if we portrayed a different kind of Yeon-ju?'"

"Yeon-ju is a complex character—you can't know what he's thinking or what plans he has. Go Min-si portrayed him well with his unique delicate expressiveness. I hope you look forward to seeing how Yeon-ju transforms."

Kim Min-ha plays Ji-yoon, Hyeok-jun's younger sister. She's a character who knows well the weight of reality—to the extent that poverty is scarier than ghosts.

She said: "I had never played an explosive character before, so my expectations were high that I could show a new side. I expressed myself as freely as a child would."

"From 'Pachinko' to 'One Korea,' I've primarily played characters who restrain their emotions and quietly struggle. I think I'll be able to show you many faces of myself that I didn't know before."

Lee Hee-joon plays the boss of 'Spider Recruitment'. He entices Hyeok-jun toward dangerous workplaces with the promise of high daily wages. He and Yeon-ju form the foundation of this world.

He added: "Since people coming to Spider Recruitment are seeking high-paying work, they have to pay a dangerous price, don't they? I tried to act in a way that gives them confidence to participate in the part-time job."

Before its Netflix release, the work first met audiences at the 31st Busan International Film Festival. It was selected for the 'On Screen' section, with some episodes premiering early.

It received positive reviews as a fresh take on the subject of labor. Director Kim reflected: "It was a new experience to see it on screen. It was more enjoyable communicating with the audience."

"Each episode features a different nightmarish workplace. Hyeok-jun interacts dynamically with new characters, and there will be the fun of intuitively witnessing his struggles."

Finally, Han expressed confidence: "'Honey Part-time Job' is a multifaceted work that is lighthearted, scary, funny, sad, and painful at the same time. You'll be able to run straight through to the end without a pause."

Lee Hee-joon also recommended it: "Capable staff members came together to make it with high completeness. It's a dopamine drama you can't take your eyes off."

Meanwhile, 'Honey Part-time Job' will be released on Netflix on the 30th.

<Photo by Song Hyo-jin>