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| ▲ A poster for "Aema" is shown in this image provided by Netflix. (PHOTO NOT FOR SALE) (Yonhap) |
By Woo Jae-yeon
SEOUL, Aug. 18 (Yonhap) -- The upcoming Netflix original series "Aema" is actually 20 years in the making, director Lee Hae-young said, a project he said has evolved significantly over time to find its final form.
Inspired by the sensational 1982 hit film "Madame Aema," the six-episode series explores the vibrant and tumultuous world of 1980s Korean cinema, highlighting the female camaraderie forged on the wild journey to stardom.
"It's been quite a while since I first conceived the idea, but I wasn't confident enough to make it into a two-hour movie," the director said at a press conference in Seoul on Monday.
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| ▲ The cast and director of Netflix's new series "Aema" attend a press conference in Seoul on Aug. 18, 2025. (Yonhap) |
The passage of time, however, brought with it a change in perspective and a creative landscape more receptive to a series format.
"Times have changed so much and my own perspectives have expanded, allowing the story to be told in a more comprehensive narrative," he said. "It is like fulfilling my long-cherished dream."
The series centers on two actresses, Hee-ran (Lee Ha-nee), the top actress of her time known for sharp tongue and unwillingness to back down from what she believes is right, and Ju-ae (Bang Hyo-rin), a newcomer who works as a nightclub dancer with dreams of stardom and gets her big break when she is cast in "Madame Aema."
The two set out to navigate the male-dominated world of filmmaking, behind-the-scenes drama, backstage rivalries and power struggles of the era's film industry.
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| ▲ Actresses Lee Ha-nee (L) and Bang Hyo-rin attend a press conference for "Aema" in Seoul on Aug. 18, 2025. (Yonhap) |
"It was a time when the production of adult films was encouraged by the government, but ironically, there was a strict censorship system in place," the director said of the contradictory nature of the time.
While the original "Madame Aema" symbolizes the burgeoning desires of the people of the era, the actresses who lived through the time had to endure and confront countless prejudices and violent misunderstandings, the director said.
"I wanted my version of 'Aema' to give those actresses support" by reexamining the time from a new vantage point and conveying a fresh message, he said.
Actress Lee Ha-nee recalled her excitement upon receiving the casting offer.
"It wasn't like I fully experienced the old filmmaking system featured in the series, but I am of the generation that caught a glimpse of its final days," she said of how she felt a connection to that time.
"Remembering how women were sexually consumed in the past allowed me to be more daring on set for this series," she said. "I am also glad that we can make this project by looking back on the era from a different perspective."
The series is set for premiere on Friday.
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