Knock-Off (TV series)


Knock-Off is an upcoming South Korean black comedy television series written by Han Jung-hoon, directed by Park Hyun-seok, and starring Kim Soo-hyun and Jo Bo-ah. The series depicts a man's rise from office worker to counterfeit kingpin after the 1997 Asian financial crisis.
Originally scheduled to be released on Disney+ in April 2025, Disney Korea temporarily postponed the release of the series due to the controversy surrounding Kim Soo-hyun's relationship with the late actress Kim Sae-ron.

Synopsis

Kim Seong-jun, whose stable life as an ordinary office worker is shattered by the 1997 Asian financial crisis, transforming him into the king of the global counterfeit market as he navigates unemployment, steps into the shadowy world of counterfeiting, and rises to become the vice president of the notorious 'Saemmul Market'—a bustling hub of illicit trade—using his exceptional intellect, quick adaptability, and fierce ambition to dominate not just South Korea but the international counterfeit scene. His former lover, Song Hye-jeong, is a special judicial police officer tasked with cracking down on counterfeit goods, engaging him in a tense game of pursuit.

Cast and characters

Main

Supporting

Special appearances

Production

Development

The series is a black comedy genre, and director Park Hyun-seok and writer Han Jung-hoon would be working once again after Song of the Bandits. In addition, Arc Media and SLL would be jointly managed the production.
According to SPOTV News report, the series was confirmed to have two seasons with nine episodes each. News1 reported that the production team reorganized its schedule and filming would begin in earnest.

Casting

Kim Soo-hyun and Kim Si-eun were reportedly cast for the series in March and April 2024, respectively. Yoo Jae-myung, Ko Kyu-pil, Jo Bo-ah, Jo Woo-jin, Lee Jung-eun, Kim Eui-sung, Kang Mal-geum, Kim Hye-eun and Choi Gyu-ri were reportedly cast in May 2024. Kwon Na-ra, Kim Mu-yeol, and Woo Do-hwan were cast in July 2024. Kim S.H. and Jo were confirmed to appear as the lead actors of the series in August 2024. On August 29, 2024, Star News reported that according to multiple sources Kim S.E. has decided not to appear in the series and the production team was considering to cast as her replacement. The next month, Yoo, Lee, Kim E., Bang, Kwon, Park Se-wan, Kim H., Kim M., Jung Man-sik, and Kang were confirmed to appear to complete the casting lineup of the series.

Release

On March 21, 2025, announced that they had temporarily postponed the release of the series, which was scheduled for a possible April 2025 premiere, due to the controversy surrounding Kim Soo-hyun's relationship with the late actress Kim Sae-ron. In April 2025, the filming of the drama was indefinitely suspended due to the case of Kim Soo-hyun.