Kokdu: Season of Deity
2023 South Korean television series
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Kokdu: Season of Deity (Korean: 꼭두의 계절)[b] is a 2023 South Korean television series starring Kim Jung-hyun, Im Soo-hyang, Kim Da-som, Ahn Woo-yeon, Kim In-kwon, and Cha Chung-hwa. It aired on MBC TV from January 27 to March 24, 2023, every Friday and Saturday at 21:50 (KST).[5] It is also available for streaming on Wavve in South Korea, and on IQIYI, Viki and Viu in selected regions.[6][7][8][9]
| Kokdu: Season of Deity | |
|---|---|
Promotional poster | |
| Hangul | 꼭두의 계절 |
| Hanja | 꼭두의 季節 |
| Lit. | Season of Kkokdu[a] |
| RR | Kkokduui gyejeol |
| MR | Kkoktuŭi kyejŏl |
| Genre | |
| Developed by | Kim Ho-jun (planning)[2] |
| Written by | |
| Directed by | |
| Starring | |
| Music by | Park Se-joon |
| Country of origin | South Korea |
| Original language | Korean |
| No. of episodes | 16 |
| Production | |
| Producers | |
| Running time | 70 minutes[4] |
| Production companies | |
| Original release | |
| Network | MBC TV |
| Release | January 27 – March 24, 2023 |
Synopsis
The series is about a grim reaper named Kokdu (Kim Jung-hyun) who visits the mortal world every 99 years to punish humans. He meets Dr. Han Gye-jeol (Im Soo-hyang), a doctor with mysterious abilities, and starts working as a visiting doctor.[3]
Cast
Main
- Kim Jung-hyun as Kokdu[a] / Do Jin-woo / Oh-hyeon
- Kokdu: an underworld god who has been cursed to lead the deceased in the afterlife after angering the Creator, and has to enter a human body that looks just like him to carry out the murders of immoral people.[1][10][11]
- Do Jin-woo: a successful surgeon and Gye-jeol's fellow hospital worker, who is possessed by Kokdu.[12]
- Oh-hyeon: Seol-hee's lover who was cursed by the Creator to become Kokdu.[13]
- Im Soo-hyang as Han Gye-jeol / Seol-hee
- Han Gye-jeol: an ER doctor who graduated from the lowest-ranking medical school in the country.[10][12]
- Seol-hee: Gye-jeol in a past life, who is a princess that was loved by Oh-hyeon for a long time.[14]
- Kim Da-som as Tae Jeong-won
- A talented woman who never missed the first rank from the time she entered Korea University of Medicine until graduation.[15][16]
- Ahn Woo-yeon as Han Cheol
- Kim In-kwon as Oksin / Lee Eung-chul
- A demigod whose purpose of existence is to assist Kokdu.[19][20] In the human world he poses as a chaebol.
- Cha Chung-hwa as Gaksin / Seo Bok-gyeong
Supporting
Pilseong Bio
- Choi Kwang-il as Kim Pil-soo
- Chairman of Pilseong Hospital.[19]
- Kim Young-woong as Jung-sik
- Pil-soo's shadow who is a murderer with fourteen convictions.[22]
People in Yeongpo City
- Lee Jung-joon as Jung Yi-deun
- Gye-jeol's ex-boyfriend.[23]
- Kim Byeong-ok as Shin Hong-geun
- Owner of Yongwang-nim Samgyeopsal.[19]
- Oh Young-sil as Oh Kyung-seung
- Hong-geun's wife.[19]
- Lee Young-ran as Moon Myung-ja
- CEO of Yeongpo Jongga Co.[19]
- Woo Hyun as Choi Dal-seung
- Myung-ja's husband who is the president of Yeongpo Small Business Association.[19]
- Kim Byeong-chun as Bae Jeong-guk
- Manager of Fire Fist Gym.[19]
- Min Jun-ho as Detective Kim
- A homicide detective.[19]
Pilseong Hospital
- Son So-mang as Sa Guk-hwa
- Jeong-won's friend who is a nurse at Pilseong Hospital.[24]
Extended
- Jung Ah-mi as Jang Mi-soon
- Jin-woo's biological mother who is a professor of Hepatobiliary and Pancreatic Surgery at Pilseong Hospital.[25]
- Oh Yeon-ah as Ji Soo-yeon
- A doctor at Pilseong Hospital.[26]
- Park Shin-woo as Jo Bong-pil
- A pharmacist who does not hesitate to commit illegal and evil acts.[27]
- Jung Wook as Park Chung-seong[28]
Special appearances
- Jung Young-joo as a deceased patient's daughter[29]
- Sung Byeong-sook as a patient[30]
- Kim Kang-hoon as the Creator[31]
- Yoo Jae-suk as an employee[32]
- Jeong Jun-ha as an employee[32]
- Lee Mi-joo as an employee[32]
- Wang Bit-na as Gye-jeol's mother[33]
Production
Filming of the series had started by September 2022.[10]
Hangout with Yoo cast members Yoo Jae-suk, Jeong Jun-ha and Lee Mi-joo made cameo appearances on Kokdu: Season of Deity as part of the variety show's "HWY HR" segment. The filming of their scene with lead actress Im Soo-hyang was conducted in Ganghwa County, and was broadcast on the show on October 22, 2022.[32][34]
On October 31, 2022, the production team announced that filming for the series was halted due to the death of actor Lee Ji-han who died on October 29 during the Seoul Halloween crowd crush tragedy, and would resume at a later date after reorganization. It was reported that Lee took the role of Jung Yi-deun, the ex-boyfriend of Im Soo-hyang's character.[35][36] On November 7, an official from MBC confirmed that filming would resume on that day, and the production team decided to find a replacement for the late actor after much deliberation.[37][38] It was later announced that Lee Jung-joon would join the cast, taking over Lee Ji-han's role.[23]
Release
Viewership
| Season | Episode number | ||||||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | 11 | 12 | 13 | 14 | 15 | 16 | ||
| 1 | 858 | N/A | 560 | N/A | N/A | N/A | 523 | N/A | N/A | N/A | N/A | N/A | N/A | N/A | N/A | N/A | |
| Ep. | Original broadcast date | Average audience share (Nielsen Korea)[39] | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Nationwide | Seoul | ||
| 1 | January 27, 2023 | 4.8% (14th) | 4.8% (14th) |
| 2 | January 28, 2023 | 2.2% (33rd) | N/A |
| 3 | February 3, 2023 | 3.1% (20th) | 3.2% (19th) |
| 4 | February 4, 2023 | 2.4% (34th) | N/A |
| 5 | February 10, 2023 | 2.8% (24th) | |
| 6 | February 11, 2023 | 1.9% (36th) | |
| 7 | February 17, 2023 | 2.7% (23rd) | |
| 8 | February 18, 2023 | 1.4% (47th) | |
| 9 | February 24, 2023 | 2.0% (29th) | |
| 10 | February 25, 2023 | 1.7% (43rd) | |
| 11 | March 3, 2023 | 1.6% (36th) | |
| 12 | March 4, 2023 | 2.0% (31st) | |
| 13 | March 11, 2023 | 1.4% (43rd) | |
| 14 | March 17, 2023 | 1.4% (37th) | |
| 15 | March 18, 2023 | 1.3% (43rd) | |
| 16 | March 24, 2023 | 1.6% (37th) | |
| Average | 2.1% | —[c] | |
| |||
Awards and nominations
| Award ceremony | Year | Category | Nominee / Work | Result | Ref. |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| MBC Drama Awards | 2023 | Best Supporting Actor | Cha Chung-hwa | Won | [40] |
| Top Excellence Award, Actress in a Miniseries | Im Soo-hyang | Nominated | [41] | ||
Notes
- The Korean title is a play on the names of lead characters Kokdu and Han Gye-jeol, which can also be literally translated to Kokdu's Gye-jeol.
- Due to some unpublished ratings, the exact average rating is unknown.
