Iris (Korean: 아이리스) is a 2009 South Korean television series starring Lee Byung-hun, Kim Tae-hee, Jung Joon-ho, Kim Seung-woo, Kim So-yeon and Choi Seung-hyun. The plot revolves around two best friends from the 707th Special Mission Group recruited into a secret South Korean black ops agency known as the National Security Service. As the two friends find their loyalties tested and forge new, unlikely alliances, the journey takes them from their home country to Hungary, Japan, and China where they find themselves at the center of an international conspiracy. It aired on KBS2 from October 14 to December 17, 2009, every Wednesday and Thursday at 21:55 (KST).
With a budget in excess of ₩40 billion (US$34.97 million), Iris along with its spin-off Athena: Goddess of War, share the record for the most expensive Korean dramas ever produced. The series was a critical and commercial success, with an average viewership of over 30% in addition to ranking as the top program consistently every week after its debut. The series also took home many of the highest honors at the 2009 KBS Drama Awards, including the Daesang Award for Lee Byung-hun.
The success of the series has led to a feature film, a 2010 spin-off, and a sequel series in 2013.
Cast and characters[]
- Lee Byung-hun - Kim Huyn-jun
- Kim Tae-hee - Choi Seung-hee
- Jung Joon-ho - Jin Sa-woo
- Kim Seung-woo - Pak Chol-yong
- Kim So-yeon - Kim Sun-hwa
- Choi Seung-hyun - Vick
- Kim Yeong-cheol - Baek San
- Yoon Je-moon - Park Sang-hyun
- Kim Hye-jin - Yang Jung-in
- Hyun Jyu-ni - Yang Mi-jun
- Kim Dae-jin - Hwang Tae-sung
- Yoon Joo-sang - Oh Hyun-ku
- Lee Jung-gil - Cho Myung-ho
- Jung Han-yong - Jung Jyun-jun
- Myung Ji-yun - Hong Soo-jin
- Karen Miyama - Yuki
- Yuko Fueki - Eriko Sato
International broadcast[]
| Country | Network(s) | Local title |
|---|---|---|
| South Korea | KBS2, KBS Drama, KBS Story | 아이리스 |
| Botswana | Botswana TV | Iris |
| Hong Kong | TVB Drama, TVB Jade | |
| India | Puthuyugam TV | |
| Indonesia | NET | |
| Philippines | GMA Network | |
| Singapore | Hub VV Drama | |
| Thailand | Channel 7 | |
| United States | DramaFever, Netflix | |
| Brazil | +Globosat | Iris: Organização Secreta Coreana |
| Bulgaria | bTV, bTV Action, bTV Cinema | Ирис |
| China | Xing Kong | 生死迷諜IRIS |
| Japan | TBS Channel, TBS, BS-TBS | IRIS-アイリス- |
| Poland | Tele 5 | Irys |
| Taiwan | EBC Drama, ETTV | 特務情人IRIS |
| Vietnam | HTV2 | Mật danh Iris |