It was with disappointment that I realized that the sci-fi period drama Joseon X-Files (aka Secret Investigation Record) wasn’t premiering today, but rather next week. Dagnabit! Not gonna lie, I am anticipating this drama a wee bit (or maybe a lot) more than I should. (Not that I’m expecting it to be bad, but cable programs can be erratic, quality-wise, and this one in particular is a bit of a fusion experiment.)

Two previews are out, and they’re short and to the point. They also look pretty great, in my humble opinion. A strange flying object is seen and recorded, but for some reason the incident is covered up by the royal court. Kim Ji-hoon sets out to uncover the truth, and along the way encounters a shadowy secret organization headed by the mysterious Kim Gab-soo.

The premise is very clear-cut and we can probably anticipate some of the big plot points (especially since the drama seems to be hewing so close to the American X-Files), but for a k-drama this mix is intriguing. I also really like Kim Ji-hoon, and have truthfully been a bit disappointed in his choices; he hasn’t lived up to my expectations for him since first seeing him in Flowers For My Life, but I like that he’s taken this project. Fingers crossed!

Both Episodes 1 and 2 will air next Friday, August 20, on cable channel tvN.

Here’s trailer #1:

 
In the second clip, the first title screen tells us that a strange object was seen in the sky. Kim Ji-hoon wonders what “they’re” up to, then Kim Gab-soo warns him to stop inquiring. The second title screen reads, “The one who tries to cover up the truth / The one who tries to reveal the truth.” Kim Ji-hoon then demands, “The people of an entire village have disappeared. What the hell are you hiding?!”

RELATED POSTS

• Joseon X-Files premieres next week on tvN
• Sci-fi mystery series Joseon X-Files on tvN
• Kim Ji-hoon cast in sci-fi mystery sageuk