In the first moments of Trigger, a billboard announces that South Korea is one of the safest countries in the world, largely because of a ban on firearms. Why, then, are military-grade automatic weapons being couriered to unsuspecting Korean citizens, who, in turn, take their unhappiness out on others? When a kind police officer with a traumatic past begins investigating these seemingly random violent crimes, he crosses paths with an overeager citizen sleuth who sheds light on a greater societal evil at play.

The series stars K-drama icons like The Fiery Priest’s Kim Nam-gil; Kim Young-kwang, villain of Netflix’s psychological thriller Somebody; and Squid Game actors Lee Suk and Kim Joong-hee. Trigger is director Kwon Oh-seung’s first project since his 2021 debut, Midnight. 

When will Trigger be released?

Stream it now.

Where can I find the trailer for Trigger?

Check it out at the top of this page. 

Son Ik-chung/Netflix

Who’s in the cast of Trigger?

• Kim Nam-gil (Karma, The Fiery Priest) as Lee Do
• Kim Young-kwang (Somebody, Call It Love) as Moon Baek
• Park Hoon (Descendants of the Sun, Memories of Alhambra) as Gu Jeong-man
• Gil Hae-yeon (The Silent Sea, In Her Place) as Oh Kyung-sook
• Kim Won Hae (Strong Girl: Bong-soon) as Cho Hyun-sik
• Kim Joong-hee (Marry My Husband, Squid Game) as Reporter Wang
• Lee Suk (Love to Hate You, Squid Game) as Jeon Won-Seong

Son Ik-chung/Netflix

What’s Trigger about?

On the surface, Trigger’s premise might sound like a conspiracy-driven whodunit, but director Kwon Oh-seung had a completely different vision for the project. The idea sprang to life after Oh-seung heard about a series of violent international crimes on the news and thought, “We’re so lucky that guns aren’t readily available in Korea, with tensions and conflicts running so high,” he tells Netflix. “If I found a gun right in front of me, what would I do?”

From this question evolved a complex portrait of everyday citizens who are tired of being ignored and taken advantage of. As police officer Do (Kim Nam-gil) and his unshakable — and unexpected — assistant Moon Baek (Kim Young-kwang) discover more about the people pulling triggers, a seed is planted: These crimes are a symptom of a greater ill. The result is a character study in which heroes and villains are a pointless distinction.

“It was important that the characters who eventually pick up a gun were not special or extreme. They had to be ordinary people we could easily come across in real life,” Oh-seung says. “We have become desensitized to many issues in our society because we are too often exposed to them through the news.”

From Oh-seung’s point of view, Trigger explores what happens when everyday issues like class, broken justice systems, and mental health “intersect with the availability of a gun,” he says. “Trigger is a story about who picks up the guns and why.”

Is Trigger based on a book?

No, Trigger is an original series from Oh-seung.

Son Ik-chung/Netflix

Where does Trigger take place?

Trigger takes place in South Korea.

So what’s the TL;DR on Trigger? 

• Trigger is a dystopic K-drama about gun violence in an up-until-now gun-free South Korea.
• The plot follows a police officer and his unlikely partner who investigate an underground network of gun distributors.
• You can stream the show on Netflix now.
• The series was directed by Kwon Oh-seung, whose previous project was Midnight.
• The series stars Kim Nam-gil from Karma and The Fiery Priest, Kim Young-kwang from Somebody, and Lee Suk and Kim Joong-hee from Squid Game.
• Trigger is an original screenplay and not based on a book. 

Kick-Ass K-Dramas To Stream NowFrom Squid Game to Money Heist: Korea – Joint Economic Area, these Korean series are packed with drama.