Apple TV+ joins the Korean wave with first sci-fi series about hacking brains

• Apple TV+ is launching in South Korea on November 4.
• The launch will feature Apple’s first Korean-language series ‘Dr. Brain.
• The sci-fi series stars Lee Sun-Kyun from the Oscar-winning movie Parasite.

Apple is launching its streaming service Apple TV+ in South Korea on November 4. The iPhone maker is also debuting its first Korean series on the same day. Titled “Dr. Brain”, the series is a sci-fi drama, and it’s based on a popular webtoon with the same name. For those unaware webtoons are digital comics that originated in South Korea.

The sci-fi series features Lee Sun-kyun from the Oscar-winning movie Parasite who plays a brain scientist Sewon. A mysterious accident takes the life of his family after which Sewon decides to find out what happened. Sewon conducts “brain syncs” which is basically like hacking into the brains of the dead to access their memories for clues.

The story follows Sewon who from a young age has been known to have a “very unique” brain and who could become a new type of genius. It’s after his family’s death that he conducts these brain experiments where he’s lying next to the dead with his brain and that person’s brain synced together to dig into their memories. The trailer continues to show that Sewon starts hallucinating about these memories appearing before him even when he’s not conducting the experiments.

Dr Brain will be released on a weekly basis with the first episode airing on November 4 globally and it will continue until December 10, 2021. Apple is partnering with local internet service provider SK Broadband for the launch of Apple TV+ in South Korea. The streaming service will be available at 6,500 Korean won (₹415 approx) per month.

Dr Brain is Apple’s first Korean-language series and it also marks the entry of a new streaming service in South Korea where Netflix is the only popular global player. Netflix has hit it big with Korean-language movies and series with Squid Game becoming its most popular show so far. Apple TV+ will be facing another competition which is also set to debut on November 12, just after a week.

Disney+ actually has a lot prepared for its South Korea arrival with five new Korean series which include Moving, Grid, Snowdrop, Rookies and “Sixth Sense Kiss. The streaming service will also release an exclusive documentary titled “Blackpink: The Movie” on Disney+ and in local theatres. It also announced a spinoff of the popular Korean TV show “Running Man” exclusively for Disney+.

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