The short-form drama "Honggeom: Hunters" held a production presentation in Tokyo on the 12th to unveil the work. Photo by Iwill Media
The short-form drama "Honggeom: Hunters," co-produced by Iwill Media and Japanese production company GOKKO, held a production presentation in Tokyo on December 12, unveiling the work.
The event was attended by Kim Jinhwan of iKON, who took on his first leading role, Kim Yehyun, Ahn Jaemo, Josei, Jaehyo of Block B, and director Ahn Sunggon. "Honggeom: Hunters" is a fantasy action series centered on a storyline in which Kang Moo, a YouTuber obsessed with view counts, comes into possession of a mysterious sword and encounters the spirit of the female swordsman Arachi, leading them to hunt down supernatural entities.
This project was jointly funded and produced by Iwill Media and GOKKO, which operates the Japanese short-form platform "POPCORN." It is a Korea-Japan joint project that expands the K-supernatural fantasy narrative into a vertical short-form format.
Jeon Yongjoo, CEO of Iwill Media, and Tada Satoshi, CEO of GOKKO, stated, "The K-supernatural fantasy genre is a field with vision for both Korean and Japanese production companies," adding, "We hope to continue joint productions that combine Korea's unique fantasy universes with Japan's cultural sensibilities."
Director Ahn commented, "We took on the challenge of executing action scenes in a vertical format," and added, "Through a process of research, we developed an optimized approach to direction." He also explained, "The narrative was built around the relationship between two characters whose memories and emotions intersect."
Kim Jinhwan, who played Kang Moo, the YouTuber and his first leading role, said, "I wanted to convincingly portray the growth of a character who starts out weak and timid," adding, "Sword fighting scenes were difficult, but after being told I looked like a real swordsman midway through filming, I gained confidence." Kim Yehyun, who played the swordsman Arachi, shared, "Since my character is central to the story, I focused on my gaze and demeanor."
Ahn Jaemo, who played the villain Eoduksini, said, "This is the most intense villain role I have ever taken on." Jaehyo of Block B, who participated as "the Watcher," explained, "During the shoot, I kept my distance from my colleagues to maintain the villain's perspective."
Josei, the only Japanese actor in the cast, said, "The set was a Korean-speaking environment, but I had no major difficulties," adding, "Jinhwan helped me in Japanese, which was very reassuring."
"Honggeom: Hunters" will be exclusively released on Japan's "POPCORN" in early 2026, with a global service also planned.
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