The highly anticipated Korean drama Climax, starring Ju Ji Hoon, Ha Ji Won, Nana, Cha Joo Young, and Oh Jung Se, has confirmed its premiere date for March 16 at 10 p.m. KST.
On February 12, the production team unveiled the broadcast schedule along with a teaser poster and first teaser trailer. The 10-episode series will air as ENA’s Monday-Tuesday drama and will also be available via KT Genie TV and Disney+.
'Climax' follows a prosecutor who throws himself into a powerful cartel in his pursuit of ultimate authority, and the life-or-death struggles of those around him. Ju Ji Hoon plays Bang Tae Seop, a prosecutor determined to rise to the pinnacle of power. Ha Ji Won takes on the role of Chu Sang Ah, a former top actress who once stood at the height of fame.
The newly released poster features Bang Tae Seop standing alone at the top of a crimson staircase. The cracked walls and red-toned backdrop hint at relentless ambition and a fierce battle for dominance. The tagline, “As you fall into corruption, you rise higher; as you yearn, you reach the peak,” foreshadows the grueling journey ahead.
The first teaser condenses the greed and tangled relationships of characters vying for the summit of power. As they surveil and manipulate one another for different goals, the preview lays bare human instincts colliding and intertwining in the face of power and love.
Lines such as “You only ever planned to use me for your grand ambition” and “It all starts here” mark the beginning of desire and confrontation. The tension escalates with the declaration, “I have no intention of stepping down from here,” followed by scenes of direct clashes between the leads. Bang Tae Seop’s chilling remark, “Humans recognize their own kind,” signals an intense power struggle and complex alliances to come.
Online reactions have been explosive. Viewers commented, “This casting is insane… Ha Ji Won’s voice and gaze, Ju Ji Hoon’s whistle and expression, so immersive,” “Ju Ji Hoon, Ha Ji Won, Nana, Oh Jung Se, Cha Joo Young?! I can’t wait,” and “Finally, it’s here.”
Direction is helmed by Lee Ji Won, who drew acclaim for the 2018 film Miss Baek. Writer Shin Ye Seul crafted a tightly structured script, while Lee’s nuanced yet powerful direction is expected to elevate the series’ overall quality.
Much of the buzz centers on its star-studded lineup. Alongside Ju Ji Hoon and Ha Ji Won, the drama features Nana, Oh Jung Se, and Cha Joo Young. Nana plays Hwang Jung Won, who supports Bang Tae Seop, while Oh Jung Se portrays Kwon Jong Wook, a man whose ambitions surface amid a chaebol succession battle. Together, they are set to depict dangerous relationships shaped by conflicting desires and beliefs in the realms of power and love.
Going beyond a conventional crime or political drama, 'Climax' promises to explore the ruinous consequences of human choices driven by ambition. The series premieres March 16 at 10 p.m. KST on ENA, with simultaneous releases on KT Genie TV and Disney+.
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