Skip to main content
  1. Home
  2. Culture

The Manual may earn a commission when you buy through links on our site.

First Apple+ Korean Language Release, ‘Dr. Brain,’ Is a Sci-Fi Thriller

By
Sun-kyun Lee in “Dr. Brain,” premiering globally on Apple TV+ Nov. 4.
Sun-kyun Lee in “Dr. Brain,” premiering globally on Apple TV+ Nov. 4. Image used with permission by copyright holder

“You’re saying that we can access a person’s memories and thoughts? Why would we need to do this?” an assistant queries.

The dark trailer for Dr. Brain soon reveals why.

Recommended Videos

From visionary filmmaker Kim Jee-Woon (I Saw the Devil), brilliant brain scientist Sewon (Parasite’s Lee Sun-Kyun) suffers a horrific personal tragedy, losing both his wife and his son. Desperate to uncover how and why this happened, Sewon conducts “brain syncs” with the dead to access their memories for clues. The results are not good.

Apple TV+’s first trailer for its first Korean language release get tense and trippy very quickly. While Sewon pops in and out of visions that may or may not be his, we find that this brilliant scientist may not only be losing his mind, but might be the prime suspect in a murder investigation. 

“The memories of the deceased are all tangled in my head,” Sewon intones.

The six-episode Korean thriller series is based author Hong Jac-ga’s popular Korean webtoon of the same name. To unravel his family’s mysterious accident, Sewon must perform “brain syncs,” which will allow him to see the memories of the dead. Despite the obvious downsides to this plan, Sewon will stop at nothing to find the answers he’s seeking.

Sewon postulates that he might be seeing hallucinations from someone else’s head. In addition to the obvious pain that this is causing him, there are roach hordes spreading on the street, climbing up his leg and some sort of water octopus monster manifesting, as just some of the visions Sewon confronts. 

Related Guides

If the trailer’s action indicates anything, Dr. Brain promises to be an armrest-clenching thrill ride that may or may not contain an easy narrative ending. This is one of those shows that may have to be examined a few times for clues missed the first time through. Apple TV+’s first foray into Korean television suggests the streaming service is going to be supporting some deep dives and complex drives through the human psyche.

Dr. Brain will premiere globally on Apple TV+ on Nov. 4. Brand-new episodes will be released weekly through Dec. 10. Check out the trailer below.

Read More: New Cowboy Bebop Clip

Matthew Denis
Matthew Denis
Former Digital Trends Contributor
Matt Denis is an on-the-go remote multimedia reporter, exploring arts, culture, and the existential in the Pacific Northwest…
The 10 best comedy movies on Netflix
From Netflix Originals to much older comedy classics, these are the best you can stream on Netflix
Monty Python and the Holy Grail

 

Finding a great movie on Netflix is hard enough, but it can sometimes feel like finding the best comedy movies on Netflix is nearly impossible. While Netflix certainly makes plenty of comedies of all stripes to choose from, they're often less than excellent. We're not here to judge, of course, but if you're looking for a comedy that has actual production value and some decent jokes, you may need to get just a little bit choosier. Thankfully, we're around to help you find the best comedy movies that Netflix has to offer.

Read more
Hugh Jackman on playing Wolverine again: ‘It literally doesn’t matter how I answer this’
Hugh Jackman isn't sure whether he'll be back as Wolverine
Hugh Jackman and Ryan Reynolds in Deadpool & Wolverine.

Deadpool & Wolverine's arrival in theaters is imminent, and with it, the return of Hugh Jackman's Logan. Jackman has been playing some version of Wolverine since all the way back in 2000. In 2017, it seemed like he had hung up his claws for good with the critically acclaimed Logan, which sees the character meet what seems to be a permanent end.

Seven years later, though, he was drawn right back into the fray. In a recent interview with Collider, Jackman was asked whether he would be playing Wolverine again, and he seemed to understand that fans could no longer take him at his word.

Read more
Steven Spielberg is to blame for the lack of kissing in ‘Twisters’
Steven Spielberg wanted to keep things professional for the Twisters leads
The cast of Twisters.

Fans of disaster movies are relishing in the news that Twisters made more than $80 million in its opening weekend. The decades-later sequel to Twister had an opening weekend that wildly exceeded expectations, and left many wondering whether we may eventually get another sequel.

For all of the movie's critical and commercial success, though, some notice that this disaster romance was lacking something that the first Twister was sure to include. Namely, the movie ends without Glen Powell's Tyler and Daisy Edgar Jones's Kate sealing their new relationship with a kiss. Some people naturally wondered why there was no kiss in the film, and it turns out that legendary director Steve Spielberg is the one to blame.

Read more