"IRIS" season 2 starts pre-production

Pre-production work for the second season of blockbuster TV series has kicked off amidst much hype and anticipation among fans, according to production company Taewon Entertainment on Tuesday.

Taewon explained in a press release that "IRIS" producers have started the casting process for the next season, even talking with agents for the actors from the first season such as Lee Byung-hun, Kim Tae-hee and Kim So-yeon and considering a new face to appear in the series as well.

The first season of "IRIS" garnered much publicity in Korea last year for its huge scale, global location shoots and a star-studded cast, led by Lee and including Jung Joon-ho, Kim Seung-woo, and Choi Seung-hyun, better known as T.O.P. from popular Korean idol group Big Bang.

The drama sparked a frenzy among viewers around the country and dominated weekly TV ratings charts during its two-month run.

It even created a spin-off series titled "Athena: Goddess of War", which Taewon is also producing as of present and is set to be broadcast later in the year. The line-up for "Athena" include top Korean actors Jung Woo-sung, Cha Seung-won, Soo Ae and E Ji-ah.

First season of "IRIS" is set to premiere in Japan tomorrow with noted Japanese actors Fujiwara Tatsuya and Kuroki Meisa providing voice-overs for its two main characters, originally played by Lee Byung-hun and Kim Tae-hee.

The sequel will pick up from about three years after lead character Hyun-joon was killed by a gunshot while driving in his car and unfold the circumstances surrounding his death.