Netflix's 'Gas Human' Gathers Star-Studded Cast

Netflix has released "Gas Human," an eight-part crime thriller created through a collaboration between Korean and Japanese production teams. This series is a modern reinterpretation of Toho's 1960 tokusatsu film "The Human Vapor," retaining the core concept of the original while presenting a new story. Director Yeon Sang-ho served as executive producer and screenwriter, and the project is garnering attention as a global endeavor combining Japanese actors and production staff with cutting-edge visual effects.

Director Yeon Sang-ho has a proven track record of global competitiveness, having drawn millions of viewers with "Train to Busan" and leading Netflix series like "Hellbound" and "Parasyte: The Grey." His recent film, "The Bequeathed," was also invited to the Cannes Film Festival, showcasing his continued active engagement. For "Gas Human," he took on the roles of executive producer and screenwriter, reshaping the original work into a contemporary crime thriller. The direction was helmed by Director Shinzo Katayama, known for works such as Disney+'s "Gannibal." The series is a fusion of his style, which delicately portrays human psychology, and Yeon Sang-ho's genre sensibility.

The production process is also noteworthy. Korean content production company Wow Point collaborated with leading Japanese film company Toho on the planning and production. The series was simultaneously released in over 190 countries worldwide via Netflix. This is considered an unprecedented case where a Korean production company utilized a prominent Japanese IP to create an original series centered around Japanese actors.

"Gas Human" unfolds around the pursuit of an unidentified being known as the "Gas Human," who commits murders and then disappears without a trace. The story expands beyond a simple mystery, incorporating social tension as detectives, reporters, police, media, criminal organizations, and political powers become entangled.

The all-star cast lineup is another key feature of "Gas Human." Shun Oguri, famous for "Boys Over Flowers" and "Crows Zero," plays Detective Kenji Okamoto. Yu Aoi, a recipient of the Japan Academy Film Prize, takes on the role of Kyoko Kono, a reporter pursuing the truth. Additionally, Suzu Hirose and Kento Hayashi portray siblings who are video creators holding clues to the case, while Yutaka Takenouchi, a businessman with a former yakuza background, adds gravitas to the production. The role of the central character, "Gas Human," marks the acting debut of model UTA, who has walked the runways of global brands.