The Korean drama “Snowdrop” from Disney+ starring Jung Hae-In (“Tune in for Love”) and Blackpink singer Jisoo will premiere in the U.S. on Feb. 9, the streaming service said Monday.
The period drama, which is set in 1987, tells the forbidden love story of a Southern Korean college student (Jisoo) and a North Korean spy (Jung Hae-in) as South Korea fights for its independence.
The series, produced by jTBC, has received strong criticism in Korea over its lack of historical accuracy, prompting lawsuits and petitions to bar it from airing, according to NME. One such petition had gathered more than 300,000 signatures in December as several advertisers bowed out.
“Snowdrop” also made headlines earlier this month for the untimely death of 29-year-old cast member Kim Mi-Soo, who plays student activist Yeo Jungmin. According to CNN, no cause of death was given in her Jan. 5 death.
The logline for “Snowdrop: “When a blood-soaked man (Jung Hae-In) bursts into the dormitory of a women’s university in Seoul, Korea, Eun Yeong-ro (Jisoo) will go against her better judgement and risk being expelled to hide the man from his attackers and tend to his wounds. Unbeknownst to Yeong-ro, the man has a harrowing secret that threatens to put her friends’ and family’s safety at risk, and the two young lovers will have to work together to overcome the obstacles.”
In a press release, Disney+ promises “an emotional rollercoaster full of excitement, action, and romance.”
“Snowdrop is a heart-warming fictional melodrama about a young couple in love, and as the story unfolds, find themselves enduring an unbearable pain that one rarely encounters in a lifetime. I hope global audiences find this heartfelt series also gripping and suspenseful as the two come to face their fate,” said director Jo Hyun-tak.
“Snowdrop” was among the top five most-watched titles in the majority of Asia-Pacific markets on Disney+ in its first five weeks on the service, according to the streamer.