Ryu Jun-yeol is stepping into unfamiliar territory in Netflix’s upcoming Korean thriller Mousetrap.
The new mystery series, premiering on August 28, follows a reclusive novelist whose life begins to unravel after a mysterious figure known as “The Rat” appears to take over his identity. His name, money and even his ability to prove who he is begin slipping away, forcing him into an unlikely alliance with a ruthless loan shark.
For Ryu, the series brings a new challenge: his first dual role.
At the show’s August 20 press event, Ryu said he plays both the real Moon-jae and the mysterious figure who steals his life. Rather than relying on dramatic visual differences between the two characters, he focused on smaller details such as their expressions, personalities and tones of voice.
The story itself draws inspiration from the old Korean folktale of the rat that becomes a person after eating someone’s clipped fingernails. Mousetrap reimagines that unsettling idea as a modern mystery thriller centered on identity, suspicion and the question of who is real.
Ryu stars alongside Sul Kyung-gu, who plays Noja, a loan shark pursuing Moon-jae before becoming his unexpected ally. Lee Kyoo-hyung plays detective Sun-yong, who is also searching for the mysterious “Rat.”
Directed by Kim Hong-sun and written by Lee Jae-gon, Mousetrap is based on the webtoon Field Mouse. Netflix describes the series as a Korean mystery thriller built around psychological tension, pursuit and a stolen identity.
With Ryu Jun-yeol taking on two versions of a life that may not belong to either of them, Mousetrap turns a familiar fear into its central question: if everyone around you believes someone else is you, how do you prove that you are real?
Mousetrap premieres exclusively on Netflix on August 28.