Ji Chang Wook is once again stepping into the dark world of revenge and justice with Disney+'s upcoming psychological thriller, "The Manipulated,' a television adaptation inspired by the 2017 box-office hit "Fabricated City."
If the information from KBZoom is anything to go by, the new series reunites Ji Chang Wook with director Park Shin Woo, known for visual richness and emotional layering in his storytelling. This will be their second project together, having previously worked on one that received critical acclaim.
Director Park Shin Woo, in a recent news conference held in Seoul, explained why Ji Chang Wook was the first choice to play the lead role.
Park said, "As soon as the idea of adapting the movie into a series came up, Ji Chang Wook immediately expressed interest—even before the script was finished. He waited patiently for the project to take shape, and his dedication made it natural for me to cast him."
Park added that the longer format in the series allowed more character development and deeper narratives.
"The Manipulated was structured like stages, with two episodes per arc, designed to make viewers unable to stop watching," he said as quoted by The Straits Times. "Through new developments and unpredictable clashes, we aimed to showcase the unique appeal of a series format."
The story follows the life of Tae-joong, an ordinary man whose life falls apart after being falsely accused of a violent crime. Learning that this incident was staged by a manipulative sculptor named Yo-han, he begins a dangerous revenge journey in which the borders between justice and obsession are blurred.
Ji Chang Wook said that he approached the character of Tae-joong a little different from his character in Fabricated City.
"I didn't try to connect this role to Fabricated City," he shared. "Rather than emphasizing complexity, I wanted to express Tae-joong's emotions in the rawest way possible—so that viewers could feel his fear, anger, and desperation with him."
Do Kyung Soo of It's Okay, That's Love and Swing Kids fame will be essaying the role of Yo-han as his first ever villain. "To capture his psychological instability, I kept changing my hair constantly—so much that it ended up damaging my real hair," he admitted during the event.
Director Park promised the series would mix high-intensity action with psychological tension. From highly intense fight scenes to cinematic motorcycle chases, "The Manipulated" promises audiences an immersive experience into its moral conflict.
"The Manipulated" includes 12 episodes and will premiere the first four on Disney+ starting November 5, followed by new episodes released weekly.
READ MORE: Ji Chang-wook Faces Off Against D.O. in Disney+ Thriller 'The Manipulated'
