Gangnam grows darker with ‘Gangnam B-Side’

Remember when Psy’s “Gangnam Style” was the ultimate global anthem back in 2012? People danced to its catchy beat without fully grasping what “Gangnam” really meant.

Well, buckle up, as Disney+ flipped the script with its new hard-hitting series, Gangnam B-Side, that drops some serious truth bombs about Seoul’s most glamorous — and gritty — district.

Launched on 6 November with a new double-episode format every week, the eight-episode series takes you straight into the neon-lit, adrenaline-pumping heart of Gangnam, a district in southern Seoul.

Known for its glitzy nightlife and luxury, director Park Noo-ri describes Gangnam as the “symbol of glamor.”

But he’s about to show us what goes down in the shadows. “Where there’s glam, there’s definitely a dark side. That’s where the real action is,” Park teased at the show’s presscon at the Four Seasons Hotel Seoul.

This thriller isn’t holding back — actor Jo Woo-jin promises a “satisfying punch” as the series pull back the curtain on the seedy secrets lurking behind Gangnam’s blinding lights. It’s a chase for the truth as a detective, a prosecutor, and a mysterious fixer take on their most dangerous case yet: tracking down Jae-hee, a notorious club figure who’s suddenly gone off the grid.

Power-packed cast

Directed by Park, who’s got hits like Money (2019) under his belt and worked on thrillers like The Unjust (2010) and The Berlin File (2013), Gangnam B-Side brings a cast that’s all in for the ride. Jo Woo-jin plays Detective Kang Dong-woo, a man who doesn’t back down even when his morals are on the line.

Ha Yoon-kyung is the relentless prosecutor Min Seo-jin, and Ji Chang-wook steps into the role of Yoon Gil-ho, a shadowy broker who knows the city’s underworld like the back of his hand. Singer-turned-actress BIBI plays Jae-hee, a key player in Gangnam’s nightlife, whose disappearance sends shockwaves through the district.

Ji Chang-wook dominates the screen as Yoon Gil-ho, a complicated anti-hero torn between the chaos he’s wrapped up in and his own sense of duty. His ability to shift from hardened to vulnerable makes his character impossible to ignore. Every flicker of emotion keeps you guessing whether he’s the hero or just another villain in a suit.

Jo Woo-jin as Detective Kang brings a relentless drive, pulling the audience into his struggle as he navigates Gangnam’s dangerous moral grey areas. His fiery clashes with Ji Chang-wook are some of the show’s most electric moments, each scene crackling with tension.

BIBI’s portrayal of Jae-hee, under the alias Jenny, adds a raw and real edge to the story. She tackles the role of a sex worker tangled in the criminal underworld with grit and depth, exposing the harsh realities of life in the shadows without sacrificing the character’s strength. Her fierce determination to survive lights up the screen and adds a powerful emotional core to the series.

Get ready to see Gangnam in a whole new light — where glamor meets grit, and no one is who they seem as more episodes unveil.