IRIS (아이리스)

Kim Hyun Joon and Jin Sa Woo are college roommates and best friends when they are recruited into a top-secret organization known as the NSS. Hand-picked by Seung Hee, the agency's top profiler, the two quickly prove themselves and rise through the ranks. Along the way both men fall for Seung Hee, who only has eyes for one of them. When Hyun Joon is sent on his most dangerous and high profile mission yet in Hungary, he finds that he has been set up. Believing that everyone he cares about is either dead or a traitor, Hyun Joon goes on a quest for vengeance and discovers the inner-workings of the mysterious IRIS agency. -DramaFever

Genre: action, romance, thriller


Network: KBS

Created by Jung Tae Won

Written by Kim Hyun Jun + Jo Gyu Won + Kim Jae Un

Directed by Kim Kyu Tae + Yang Yun Ho


Starring
Lee Byung Han as Kim Hyun Joon
Kim Tae Hee as Choi Seung Hee
Jung Joon Ho as Jin Sa Woo
Kim Seung Woo as Park Chul Young
Kim So Yeon as Kim Sun Hwa
Choi Seung Hyun (TOP) as Vick
Kim Young Chul as Baek San



For each episode, we will write a short synopsis and discuss any points of interest or topics that relate to our lectures and readings.

You can watch IRIS with English subs on DramaFever and KissAsian.

News

-concept based on 1999 film Shiri 쉬리
-all actors performed their own stunts
-filmed in Hungary, Russia, Japan, China, Korea, US
-1st time the Seoul Metropolitan Government grants permission for filming in front of the Sejong Center for the Performing Arts
-budget of over 20 billion won
--> IRIS and its spin-off Athena: Goddess of War share the record for the most expensive Korean drama ever produced
-Lee Byung Han made $90,000 USD per episode

[APR 2008]: Lee Byung Han announces he has been cast for IRIS
[JUN 2008]: TOP announces he has been cast for IRIS
[OCT 2008]: Kim Tae Hee announces she has been cast for IRIS
[FEB 2009]: Kim So Yeon announces she has been cast for IRIS
[MAR 2009]: filming for IRIS begins in Japan
[JUN 2009]: filming for IRIS begins in Hungary
[OCT 2009]: IRIS novel volume I released
[NOV 2009]: IRIS novel volume II released
[OCT-DEC 2009]: IRIS (아이리스) aired
[JAN 2010]: IRIS distribution rights in Japan sold to TBS for a record $4.2 million USD
[JUN 2010]: filming for Athena Goddess of War (IRIS spin-off) begins in Korea
[JUL 2010]: filming for Athena Goddess of War begins in Italy, Switzerland, Singapore, and Japan
[JUL 2010]: IRIS graphic novel announced
[OCT 2010]: filming for Athena Goddess of War begins in Honolulu
[SEPT 2010]: IRIS graphic novel released
[NOV 2010]: filming for Athena Goddess of War begins in New Zealand
[NOV 2010]: IRIS the movie (아이리스 : 더 무비) aired (length cut version of the drama with new scenes for the theatrical release)
[DEC 2010-JAN 2011]: Athena Goddess of War (아테나: 전쟁의 여신) aired
[OCT 2011]: IRIS 2 announced
[NOV 2012]: filming for IRIS 2 begins in Budapest, Hungary
[DEC 2012]: filming for IRIS 2 begins in Cambodia
[FEB-APR 2013]: IRIS 2 (아이리스 II) aired