According to Disney+ Korea on April 30, Golden Land ranked first on Korea’s TOP 10 chart, surpassing MBC Perfect crown. Despite its 19+ rating, the bold and provocative content sparked explosive reactions soon after its premiere.
Golden Land tells the story of Kim Hee-joo, played by Park Bo-young, a customs officer who gets his hands on gold bars worth KRW 150 billion from a smuggling ring. She is then thrown into a chaotic world of greed and betrayal, struggling to claim the treasure for herself. True to its adults-only rating, the first episode boldly depicts the characters’ desires, violence and psychological breakdowns, quickly engaging viewers and capturing their attention.
The story begins with Hee-joo living a normal life as an international airport security officer before getting entangled in a gold smuggling case. As someone who once supported rules and order, he suddenly finds himself on the border between legality and desire. What initially begins as a fight for survival gradually turns into pure greed, increasing the tension step by step.
The characters surrounding Hee-joo also act on their own motivations, creating cracks in their relationships. His dangerous partner Woo-gi, played by Kim Sung-cheol, walks the fine line between cooperation and betrayal. Her lover Do-kyung, played by Lee Hyun-wook, represses emotions while displaying an obsessive desire for gold. Corrupt police officer Jin-man, played by Kim Hee-won, manipulates the situation for both power and profit, while executive Park, played by Lee Kwang-soo, relentlessly chases gold, increasing the pressure.
Going beyond a simple crime thriller, Golden Land presents a psychological narrative centered on the question: “What choice would you make if you had KRW 150 billion of gold in your hands?” It directly explores the ease with which humans can collapse in the face of absolute value.
Another highlight is Park Bo-young’s shocking transformation, completely losing her typical sweet and adorable image.
In the published episodes, Hee-joo suffered repeated violence and threats under the family name. Later, while working on the Golden Land casino, meets pilot Do-kyung and begins to dream of happiness for the first time. However, everything collapses after a sudden accident and she is forced to return to the most horrible place with gold bars worth 150 billion KRW, making for an intense plot.
Park Bo-young has long been loved for her warm and bright image in many projects. He had previously shown a more mature and heavier character Our unwritten Seoulsuccessfully expanding his acting range. However, his truly new face is fully revealed Golden Landsurpassing his previous transformation and delivering a darker, more intense performance that shocked audiences.
Despite being his first thriller, his control over the narrative is overwhelming. He convincingly portrays a character pushed to the edge, capturing the trembling fear and fierce determination to survive. From raw, physically demanding action scenes to emotionally turbulent moments, he delivers a realistic and compelling performance, earning praise such as “as expected by Park Bo-young.”
After the broadcast, reactions poured in online, including comments such as: “I’ve never seen Park Bo-young like this before,” “It’s her first thriller, but it suits her perfectly” AND “She completely embodies Kim Hee-joo.” Many also praised her action skills and versatility, reaffirming her reputation as an actress “trustworthy actress”.
Never having been stuck in one image, Park Bo-young once again signals the birth of another iconic role since his first release. The anticipation is high for what he will continue to show Golden Land.
The original Disney+ series Golden Landwith Park Bo-young, releases two episodes every Wednesday.
Sources: Naver
