WARNING: This article contains minor spoilers for The Bequeathed episode 1
Summary
- “The Bequeathed” is a new K-drama on Netflix about legacy and secrets, featuring mysterious and engaging characters.
- The story follows Yun Seo-ha, who learns about the death of an unknown uncle and inherits his property.
- The show explores Seo-ha’s complicated personal life, the investigation led by a skilled detective, and the secrets surrounding her extended family.
The Bequeathed’s cast brings mysterious and engaging characters to life in this new K-drama about legacy and secrets. One of the first major K-dramas releasing in 2024 on Netflix, The Bequeathed was created by Yeon Sang-ho, who directed Train to Busan. Between a family drama and a dark, sinister mystery that comes following a murderer, The Bequeathed quickly sets up the tone of the show, most of which is told from the perspective of Yun Seo-ha.
The new Netflix Korean show sees Yun Seo-ha learning about the death of an uncle she did not even know existed. As his only living relative, Seo-ha is called to handle the paperwork, which is when she finds out she inherited her uncle’s property – a piece of land at the top of a mountain currently being used as a cemetery. However, things get complicated fast, as both Seo-ha’s uncle and his land are more important than they seem. The cast of The Bequeathed includes experienced actors that viewers may recognize from other popular movies and TV shows.
Kim Hyun-joo as Yun Seo-ha
Yun Seo-ha is introduced as a college teacher whose career is not moving as fast as she would want. She is also dealing with problems in her marriage, having recently found out that her husband is cheating on her. Seo-ha’s life becomes even more complicated once she learns about the existence –and death—of an uncle she had never heard of. The Bequeathed episode 1 also establishes that Seo-ha’s father, who was the older brother of this uncle, abandoned her at a young age, setting up more family mysteries.
The Bequeathed’s Seo-ha is played by Kim Hyun-joo, known for films such as Calla, Star Runner, Shinsukki Blues, and the 2023 Netflix sci-fi movie Jung_E. She has also starred in multiple Korean dramas, including but not limited to Love You! Love You!, Glass Slippers, Marrying a Millionaire, Boys Over Flowers, The Miracle We Met, and Trolley. Kim Hyun-joo recently starred in another Netflix K-drama web series, Hellbound, where she played the attorney Min Hye-jin. The Bequeathed is a character-driven story, with Kim Hyun-joo’s performance guiding the show.
Park Hee-soon as Choi Seong-jun
A skillful homicide detective who does not play by the rules, Choi Seong-jun was the first one to investigate the death of Yun Seo-ha’s uncle. Not everyone at the police is a fan of his style, though – Seong-jun was criticized for starting his own investigation before the death in question was even confirmed as a homicide. Choi Seong-jun is played by Park Hee-soon, known for movies such as Seven Days, The Scam, Revenger, and The Policeman’s Lineage. When it comes to TV roles, Park Hee-soon is best known for Netflix’s My Name, a K-drama starring Han So-hee.
Park Byung-eun as Park Sang-min
Whereas Seong-jun likes do to things his own way, Captain Park Sang-min seems to follow a more strict set of rules. He is constantly haunted by his past, especially regarding the cause that led to his leg injury. Sang-min feels that something is not right about this murder case, and he suspects that Yun Seo-ha’s uncle was more important than people assumed. Park Byung-eun, best known for portraying Min Chi-rok in both Kingdom and Kingdom: Ashin of the North, plays Sang-min in The Bequeathed.
Park Sung-hoon as Yang Jae-seok
Yang Jae-seok is Yun Seo-ha’s husband in The Bequeathed. As discovered by Seo-ha with the help of a private investigator, Jae-seok is having an affair with one of his gym class students. Although Seo-ha stays quiet at first, she soon confronts him about her discoveries. Yang Jae-seok is played by Park Sung-hoon, whose most notable K-drama works include Joseon Exorcist, Not Others, The Kidnapping Day, and The Glory, the last of which was a hit for Netflix. Park Sung-hoon is also set to appear in the upcoming drama Queen of Tears as well as Squid Game season 2.
Ryu Kyung-soo as Kim Yeong-ho
Ryu Kyung-soo, known for Confession, Itaewon Class, Hellbound, and the Jung_E movie, plays Kim Yeong-ho in The Bequeathed. It turns out that the uncle is not the only family member Seo-ha is not aware of – she also has a half-brother from her father’s side. Kim Yeong-ho’s introduction is a rather disturbing scene in which he claims she got to live the life he never could. Both Seo-ha and the police conclude that investigating Yeong-ho’s story can be the key to understanding more about this family, and the importance of the land left by the murdered uncle.
Watch The Bequeathed on Netflix
