Director Yoon Jong-bin Reconsiders OTT After 'Suriname' at Disney Showcase

During the Disney Showcase held at Marina Bay Sands in Singapore on November 21, 2024, director Yoon Jong-bin of 'Nine Puzzle' revealed why he reversed his previous decision to avoid OTT platforms after his experience with 'Suriname'. The Walt Disney Company hosted the event, which featured a press conference for original content from the Asia-Pacific region. The creators and cast of Disney+ Korea originals such as 'Trigger', 'Fine', 'Hyperknife', 'Knock Off', and 'Nine Puzzle' participated in discussions about their projects.

'Nine Puzzle' is Yoon Jong-bin's latest work, following his acclaimed films 'The Outlaws: The War Against Crime' and 'The Age of Civil Disobedience', as well as the drama 'Suriname'. After the release of 'Suriname' on Netflix, Yoon had famously stated, "I will never do OTT again," which sparked considerable interest. So, what prompted him to take on another OTT project?

Yoon explained, "When I was writing 'Suriname', it was incredibly exhausting both physically and mentally, which made me want to steer clear of OTT in the future. I was contemplating making a film for my next project when I was offered the script for 'Nine Puzzle' through Kakao Entertainment. Honestly, before reading the script, I never thought I would take on this project."

He continued, "A close friend asked me to read the script for feedback, and I found it highly engaging. The story was unpredictable throughout; even I was surprised by the twists. The plot revolves around chasing a serial killer, and I kept second-guessing who the culprit was, only to be wrong each time. By the end, when the identity of the killer was revealed, it all made sense."

Yoon also noted the uniqueness of the main characters, Yoon Na and Kim Han-sae, stating, "They are very distinctive and unlike typical characters found in thrillers or detective stories. This made me ponder whether I should take on this project. I realized that if I turned it down, I might never write a detective story again. This is the only project where I didn’t write the script myself. If I had, I probably would have made the female lead the main character. Initially, I thought about directing just one segment, but eventually, I ended up directing the entire project."

The Disney Showcase, which took place over two days starting November 20, 2024, allowed attendees to preview upcoming works from the Walt Disney Company. Approximately 500 journalists, influencers, and Disney partners from 12 Asia-Pacific countries, including South Korea, Singapore, Japan, China, Hong Kong, Taiwan, Indonesia, Malaysia, the Philippines, Thailand, Vietnam, and Australia, were present at the event.

'Nine Puzzle' is set to be released in 2025.