The Korean drama Climax arrives on Disney+ and ENA this March 2026, bringing together an impressive lineup of South Korea’s most talented actors. The series follows a prosecutor and his actress wife who form a marriage built on ambition rather than love, willing to step on anyone who gets in their way as they chase power at the highest levels. With its all villains concept and intense power struggles, the show has already generated significant buzz before its premiere. Here is a complete look at the main cast and the characters they play in this upcoming political survival drama.
The Star Power Behind This Drama
Climax marks the first television drama from director Lee Ji-won, who won the Best New Director award at the 55th Baeksang Arts Awards for her film The Apology. The production comes from Hive Media Crop, the company behind hit movies like The Man Standing Next and 12.12: The Day. The series consists of 10 episodes and will air every Monday and Tuesday starting March 16, 2026 at 10 PM KST on ENA, with streaming available on Disney+ and Genie TV.
Ju Ji-hoon as Prosecutor Bang Tae-seop
Ju Ji-hoon takes on the role of Bang Tae-seop, a prosecutor who rises from humble beginnings to become a rising star in politics. Born into poverty, Tae-seop worked harder than everyone else to pass the bar exam and become a prosecutor, only to discover that the prosecutor’s office runs on money and connections rather than justice. His nickname becomes the Doberman of the Seoul Central District Prosecutors’ Office, reflecting his sharp, aggressive approach to cases.
Tae-seop’s life changes dramatically when he marries top actress Chu Sang-ah, which immediately makes him a celebrity prosecutor. His campaign slogan “Believe in Change, Lead the Future” shows his political ambitions. He willingly enters a marriage of convenience, knowing that his wife’s fame and connections can help him climb the political ladder faster than any case he could win in court.
At the drama’s press conference on March 10, 2026, Ju Ji-hoon explained what drew him to this role. He said the script attracted him because it openly shows desires that people usually hide. He admitted he doesn’t know much about politics or the prosecutor system personally, but the script clearly explained these complex power relationships in a way that even ordinary viewers can understand.
The most appealing part was how it doesn’t hold back in showing desires that everyone knows about but no one actually says out loud. Even for someone like me who isn’t familiar with politics or prosecutorial work, the script made it easy to understand. It felt like it was scratching an itch I didn’t even know I had.
Director Lee Ji-won specifically wanted Ju for this part. She described him as having the face that can hold desire better than any active actor today. When the script described Bang Tae-seop as a Doberman, she immediately thought of Ju because of his sharp and slightly dangerous presence, especially since people in the industry already call him Joo Black.
Ha Ji-won as Chu Sang-ah
Ha Ji-won, returning to television after a four-year break, plays Chu Sang-ah, a former top actress who married Bang Tae-seop at the height of her career. Sang-ah dominated the entertainment industry with her charm and unmatched presence. But after marriage, public perception shifts, and people start labeling her as a fading star whose best days are behind her.
What drives Sang-ah isn’t fame or money from acting anymore. Her real ambition focuses on making her prosecutor husband the president of South Korea. She understands that her marriage serves as a transaction—he uses her fame and connections, and she uses his political power to keep herself from fading into obscurity. She would rather shatter spectacularly than slowly wither away as shown in the drama’s promotional materials.
For Ha Ji-won, playing an actress proved unexpectedly challenging because she had to completely remove any trace of herself as a person to become the character. She revealed that she has been thinking about questions like “Who am I?” and “Why did I become an actress?” for the past seven or eight years, which helped her connect with a character who fears becoming irrelevant despite reaching the top.
This marks the first time Ju Ji-hoon and Ha Ji-won act together, though they were originally supposed to star in another drama called Prometheus back in 2018. That project fell through due to scheduling conflicts. Their long-awaited collaboration finally happens with Climax, and fans eagerly wait to see how their chemistry plays out.
At the press conference, Ju Ji-hoon mentioned that Ha Ji-won brings a calming presence to the set. He noted that in situations that can easily become tense and stressful, she has a way of making everyone feel comfortable. He learned from her that even when facing difficult scenes, you don’t have to become sharp and aggressive—you can still get everything done while staying steady.
The two actors developed an interesting dynamic regarding how they address each other. Reporters noticed Ju Ji-hoon consistently calling Ha Ji-won noona (older sister in Korean). When asked about it, he joked that if they were in America, he would probably call her Ji-won directly, but because Korean culture respects seniority, he sticks with noona for older female actors. He added with humor that it hurts his heart to have to call her that.
Nana as Hwang Jeong-won
Former After School member Nana (Im Jin-ah) plays Hwang Jeong-won, a character described as the game changer in the power structure. Jeong-won’s life turned upside down the day her mother died. She got accused of murdering her father and faced prosecution, meeting prosecutor Bang Tae-seop during that difficult time. After serving her sentence, she lives a low-profile life until Tae-seop finds her again. Recognizing her intelligence and ability to get things done, he recruits her as his informant.
Nana revealed that she wanted to take on this role because the script’s honest and bold style appealed to her. She believes audiences today want to see direct and intense stories like this one. For this character, she cut her hair short and shows more emotional outbursts compared to her previous roles. However, because the plot involves so many twists, she has been careful about spoiling anything. During the press conference, she kept looking at the director to check if her answers might reveal too much about the story.
When asked whether the incident where she subdued an intruder who broke into her home helped with any action scenes in the drama, Nana laughed and said the drama does have some action sequences but focuses more on other aspects. She mentioned that even though she trains regularly, dealing with a real situation differs completely from acting, so she doesn’t think that event directly helped her performance.
Oh Jung-se as Kwon Jong-wook
Oh Jung-se, widely recognized as one of Korea’s most reliable supporting actors, plays Kwon Jong-wook, the eldest son of the WR Group, South Korea’s third-largest conglomerate. Jong-wook naturally expected to take over as the successor until his father remarried Lee Yang-mi, which threw his position into uncertainty. Despite appearing refined and elite, he frequently slips up when he speaks, revealing that his sophistication has limits.
Jong-wook finds an ally in Bang Tae-seop since both want to remove Yang-mi from the picture. They form a partnership based on mutual benefit—Jong-wook wants to secure his inheritance, and Tae-seop needs the resources and connections that come with aligning with a powerful chaebol family.
At the press conference, when asked which cast member he had the best chemistry with during filming, Oh Jung-se humorously pointed to the Doberman dog named Petit that appears in the drama. He even looked directly at the camera to thank the dog for their scenes together, drawing laughter from everyone present.
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Cha Joo-young as Lee Yang-mi
Cha Joo-young takes on the role of Lee Yang-mi, the second wife of the WR Group chairman and the head of WR Hotel and Entertainment. Yang-mi sits at the intersection of South Korea’s power elite and entertainment industry, maintaining strong connections in both worlds. Her position allows her to influence both political decisions and entertainment business dealings.
Everything seems to be going according to Yang-mi’s plans until an unexpected event threatens to destroy everything she built. The promotional material shows her stating that she hates being led around by anyone, indicating her strong-willed nature. Her character serves as the primary obstacle for both Bang Tae-seop and Kwon Jong-wook, creating the central conflict of the series.
How to Watch Climax
Climax premieres on March 16, 2026 with new episodes releasing every Monday and Tuesday. In South Korea, the drama airs on ENA at 10 PM KST and streams on Genie TV and Disney+. For viewers in Taiwan, friDay影音 holds exclusive streaming rights. Hong Kong, Singapore, Malaysia, Thailand, and Indonesia audiences can watch on Viu. The complete series runs for 10 episodes.
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