Blood Free ~ A Sci-Fi K-Drama Series on Disney+

“Blood Free” (aka “Dominant Species”) is a 2024 Korean drama series streaming on Disney+/Hulu, with 10 episodes, and is categorized as science fiction (sci-fi), political, thriller, suspense, crime, and mystery.

• From Han Hyo Joo’s Blood Free to Ji Chan Wook’s Gangnam B-side: 6 upcoming K-dramas releasing in 2024 | PINKVILLA: Korean

♦ Would You Rather Eat Meat With Blood or Just Full of Germs?

In “Blood Free”, lab-grown meat is not the food of the future. It’s food you should be eating NOW. There is no reason to slaughter cows, pigs, and chickens. There is no need for fishermen to fight over fishing rights.

• BF CEO and Founder Yun Ja-Yu has successfully produced genetically engineered cultured meat and is the leader in this market.
• Woo Chae-Woon has a military background and now works as a private bodyguard. According to his resume, he once worked in Naval Intelligence Command.
• CitizenX is the name of a group of hackers who have used ransonware to attack several different entities. One of those entities was Naval Intelligence Command. The other was BF Group.

Yun Ja-Yu had just finished making a convincing presentation about cell-cultured meat and how wonderful it is. As she exited the building there was mob of protesters which her drivers safely drove through and got on the road to carry her to her next destination. But no matter how great of a scientist you are and how successful you are in business, you can still get stuck in traffic.

While waiting for the traffic, a man committed suicide. He jumped off a building and landed on top of the car that Yun Ja-Yu was riding in. She ended up in the hospital with an injurd neck. It could have been worse. She could have died.

While in her hospital bed, she kept looking at the video of the accident over and over. Finally, she asked: “Who is this man?” The man was Woo Chae-Woon. One of her employees mentioned that he worked in security. Yun Ja-Yu instructed the employee to gather more details about him.

She had to leave the hospital immediately because while she was not physically at her company’s lab, CitizenX hacked the files. They demanded a substantial payment in Bitcoin if BF Group wanted their files back. Meanwhile, stories were circulating in the media the BF cultured meat was full of germs.

Yun Ja-Yu and Woo Chae-Woon have backstories.

• Yun Ja-Yu was accompanying the South Korean president on a trip along with several influential CEOs. The president made a surprise visit to the troops and the CEOs were told to wait on the plane. The CEOs stayed on the plane and while the president was out among the troops there was an explosion. The president lost his legs, but he lived. However, he could no longer serve as president. None of the CEOs were hurt.
• Woo Chae-Woon is trusted by the former president and visits him at his home. The president wants to know if he has found the terrorist responsible for the explosion and then tells Woo Chae-Woon that he suspects Yun Ja-Yu was responsible for the blast.

Yun Ja-Yu had asked the president to change the law about identifying “genetically modified foods”. The president refused. Is it a coincidence that the leader who replaced him now supports and receives support from the BF Group CEO?

Yun Ja-Yu’s research about Woo Chae-Woon indicates that he has the background, knowledge, and skills that could be very useful in exposing the hacking group known as CitizenX. She wants to ask for his help, but wonders if he will be Friend or Foe.

Woo Chae-Woon does not blindly accept what the former president said about Yun Ja-Yu. But he aims to get at the truth. “Someone” was behind the explosion that crippled the former president. If not Yun Ja-Yu, then who?

Main Characters:

• BF CEO and Founder Yun Ja-Yu (played by Han Hyo-Joo, “Love, Lies”, “Cold Eyes”, “Happiness”, “W: Two Worlds Apart”)
• Woo Chae-Woon (played by Ju Ji-Hoon, “Along with the Gods 1 and 2”, “Hyena”)

Where to Watch

Viewership and Rating:

• IMDb: 7.8 out of 10 stars
• My Drama List: 8 out of 10 stars
• Outlook India: 4 out of 5 stars

My personal rating is the same as My Drama List: 8 out of 10 stars.

I am already skeptical and suspicious about genetically modified foods. “Blood Free” did not do anything to build my faith and alleviate my fears. I mean … think about this.

• A person who is promoting cultured meats so we don’t have to slaughter animals for food. But that person is under suspicion for organizing a terrorist act that slaughtered human beings?

Can you wrap your head around that? (O.o)

I know it’s fiction.  But it could be real; especially when a lot of money is involved.  “The love of money is the root of all evil.”

I get that people want to stop animal cruelty, butchering cattle, etc. But I don’t want to get sick and die just to save the cows. Come up with all the PROs and CONs you want. I’m not buying into it. OK! Sorry. But that’s how I feel.

• Genetically Modified Foods: What are the Pros and cons of GMO foods: Health and environment | Medical News Today

LINKS OF INTEREST:

• Blood Free Review: This is Something Brand New  | Geeks
• ‘Blood Free’ On Disney+ Hotstar Review: Han Hyo-joo, Ju Ji-hoon Starrer Delivers A Futuristic Tale With Jaw-Dropping Visuals | Outlook India
• ‘Blood Free’: gripping mystery elevated by veteran actors’ performances | The Korea Herald
• Disney+ K-drama Blood Free: Ju Ji-hoon, Han Hyo-joo lead sci-fi series that looks like it’s dumping its big ideas already | South China Morning Post
• Stream It Or Skip It: ‘Blood Free’ on Hulu, A Korean Drama With Miracle Meat, Corporate Intrigue, And Dangerous Secrets | Decider

TRAILERS/TEASERS:

Disney+ Singapore. “Blood Free | Teaser Trailer | Disney+ Singapore.” YouTube Video. YouTube, March 14, 2024. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FjXcv4L2KEo.‌