That serious prosecutor investigating the murder in Netflix’s new thriller The Price of Confession looks very familiar. If you have been watching global hits from South Korea, you have almost certainly seen actor Park Hae-soo before. The actor, who plays the determined Baek Dong-hun, is one of the most recognizable Korean stars on television today, thanks to a series of major roles on Netflix.
Park Hae-soo’s new character is a prosecutor deeply involved in a complex case. The story follows Ahn Yoon-soo, an art teacher played by Jeon Do-yeon, who is accused of murdering her husband. In prison, she meets a mysterious inmate named Mo-eun, played by Kim Go-eun, who offers a shocking deal: a confession in exchange for a murder. Park Hae-soo’s Baek Dong-hun is the prosecutor convinced of Yoon-soo’s guilt, driving the intense investigation forward.
From Global Phenomenon to Determined Prosecutor
For millions of viewers around the world, the answer to where they’ve seen Park Hae-soo is simple: Squid Game. The actor’s breakout global role was as Cho Sang-woo, Player 218, in Netflix’s massive 2021 hit. His character, a brilliant but corrupted banker, starts as the childhood friend of the main character but becomes a cold and calculating rival in the life-and-death contests. Park Hae-soo’s performance was so powerful it earned him an Emmy nomination, cementing his status as an international star.
This role in the world’s most popular series is why his face is immediately familiar to a global audience. The intensity and complexity he brought to Sang-woo are now channeled into Prosecutor Baek Dong-hun, another man navigating a high-stakes, morally complex world.
The Foundational Role in Prison Playbook
Long before the green tracksuit of Squid Game, Korean drama fans first came to know Park Hae-soo through his first leading role. In 2017, he starred as Kim Je-hyuk in the acclaimed series Prison Playbook.
This character was a famous baseball pitcher who enters prison after defending his sister. Je-hyuk was portrayed as a kind, quiet, and sometimes socially clumsy man, a role that showcased Park Hae-soo’s wide acting range. The dramatic difference between the gentle Kim Je-hyuk and the ruthless Cho Sang-woo proved his exceptional talent and versatility to audiences early on.
A Specialist in Netflix Thrillers
Following Squid Game, Park Hae-soo became a sought-after actor for high-profile Netflix projects, often in dark and intense thrillers. This experience directly prepared him for the tense atmosphere of The Price of Confession.
He starred as Berlin, the meticulous and dangerous mastermind, in Money Heist: Korea – Joint Economic Area in 2022. That same year, he took on the role of undercover agent Choi Chang-ho in the crime series Narco-Saints, a man risking his life to infiltrate a drug cartel. These roles, often involving high pressure and psychological complexity, established him as a go-to actor for gripping stories. Prosecutor Baek Dong-hun, a man driven by personal conviction as much as the law, fits perfectly within this filmography.
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The Star-Studded Cast of The Price of Confession
Park Hae-soo’s compelling performance is just one part of a powerhouse cast in The Price of Confession. The series is led by two of South Korea’s most celebrated actresses.
Jeon Do-yeon, an award-winning veteran, plays the accused wife, Ahn Yoon-soo. Her co-star is Kim Go-eun, who plays the enigmatic inmate Mo-eun, known as “the witch” for her ability to read people. The cast also includes Jin Seon-kyu as Jang Jeong-gu, a former boxer turned lawyer who fights to prove Yoon-soo’s innocence.
The series was released globally on Netflix on December 5, 2025. It consists of 12 episodes, each exploring the twisted deal and the shocking truths behind the murder.
A Career Built on Complex Characters
From a gentle baseball player to a desperate game participant and a mastermind thief, Park Hae-soo has built a remarkable career by choosing complex, memorable roles. He excels at portraying men under extreme pressure, facing impossible choices. This skill is on full display in The Price of Confession, where Prosecutor Baek Dong-hun must navigate a case where truth is elusive and motivations are hidden.
His presence is a very good reason to watch The Price of Confession.
For fans of his previous work, seeing him take on the role of a determined prosecutor is a new chapter in his career. For new viewers, discovering the man behind the familiar face introduces them to one of the most compelling actors in contemporary Korean television.
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