Actor Lee Jae Wook is preparing to meet audiences in a new role with Netflix’s upcoming mystery-horror series Dead-End Job.
Scheduled to premiere worldwide on October 30, 2026, the eight-episode series has attracted attention for its unusual premise, which transforms ordinary part-time jobs into terrifying experiences.
Netflix recently released a preview clip featuring Lee Jae Wook alongside Choi Hyun Wook, offering viewers an early glimpse of the series’ atmosphere and the actors’ on-screen chemistry.
The story combines the pressures of making a living with supernatural mysteries, placing its central character in increasingly dangerous situations as he searches for financial stability.
Written by Kyung Min Sun and Lee Shin Ji, the series is directed by Kim Da Min, with Han Jun Hee serving as executive producer.
Ahead of its global release, the first four episodes were screened at the 31st Busan International Film Festival, where the project received attention for its distinctive approach to workplace horror.
Lee Jae Wook Faces Terrifying Assignments in ‘Dead-End Job’
Dead-End Job follows Hyuk Jun, played by Lee Jae Wook, a young man struggling with overwhelming debt who feels increasingly trapped by his circumstances.
Desperate for money, he discovers Spider Manpower, an unusual staffing agency offering exceptionally high wages for part-time work.
The agency advertises hourly pay starting at 50 times the minimum wage, making its offers difficult for someone in Hyuk Jun’s position to ignore.
However, the seemingly irresistible opportunity comes with disturbing consequences.
Each episode follows Hyuk Jun as he accepts a different assignment.
His jobs include working an overnight shift at a convenience store, assisting at a clown-themed event, delivering milk before dawn and working at a movie theater late at night.
These familiar environments gradually become settings for strange and frightening encounters.
The series’ promotional material has already offered glimpses of the unsettling situations awaiting Hyuk Jun, including a swarm of moths invading a convenience store and the appearance of a mysterious clown.
As the assignments become more dangerous, the gap between the attractive pay and the risks involved grows increasingly apparent.
The main trailer opens with Hyuk Jun questioning his circumstances, saying,
“Don’t you think I’ve completely ruined my life?”
The owner of Spider Manpower, portrayed by Lee Hee Joon, attempts to persuade him to accept the work.
In one exchange, he promises,
“We start at 10 times the minimum wage. You work for one day, and we pay you that same day.”
Despite the apparent benefits, Hyuk Jun soon encounters phenomena he struggles to explain. His fear becomes evident when he asks,
“What is all this? Are these, like, hallucinations?”
The owner responds with an unsettling challenge:
“Let’s see just how far you can go, Hyuk Jun.”
The series builds its central tension around the question of how much someone might be willing to endure to earn a living, blending financial desperation with supernatural horror.
Go Min Si, Kim Min Ha and Choi Hyun Wook Join the Cast
Alongside Lee Jae Wook, Dead-End Job features Go Min Si, Kim Min Ha and Lee Hee Joon in leading roles.
Go Min Si portrays Yeon Ju, a mysterious woman determined to uncover the truth about Spider Manpower.
Her character raises questions about the agency’s activities, asking Hyuk Jun,
“Aren’t you curious about what Spider Manpower actually does?”
Kim Min Ha plays Ji Yoon, Hyuk Jun’s younger sister. Concerned about her brother, she visits the staffing agency carrying his photograph and begins searching for answers.
Her character provides an emotional connection to Hyuk Jun’s struggle, with her determination driven by her deep affection for her family.
Lee Hee Joon plays the agency’s owner, whose persuasive promises conceal the disturbing nature of the jobs he offers.
The series also includes special appearances by Choi Hyun Wook, Yoon Kyung Ho, Yoon Byung Hee, Cho Hyun Chul and Ko Chang Seok.
These actors portray characters Hyuk Jun encounters during his various assignments.
Choi Hyun Wook appears as Choi Hee Dong in the first episode.
His appearance reunites him with executive producer Han Jun Hee, following their previous collaboration on Netflix’s Weak Hero.
The creative team has also generated interest. Han Jun Hee is known for projects including D.P. and Weak Hero Class 2, while director Kim Da Min previously worked on the screenplay for A Killer Paradox.
The series marks her first time directing a long-form drama.
At the Busan International Film Festival, Kim Da Min explained the central idea behind her approach, saying,
“I approached the project with the question, ‘Is there anything scarier than making a living?’ at its core.”
She added that the different workplaces function like stages, allowing viewers to encounter different forms of fear through familiar settings.
Dead-End Job will premiere globally on Netflix on October 30, with all eight episodes released simultaneously.
With its combination of everyday financial pressures, mysterious assignments and supernatural suspense, the series is set to offer Lee Jae Wook a new opportunity to showcase his acting in a darker genre.
