Nine Puzzles, Disney+’s 2025 Korean hit, follows quirky profiler Yoon E-na solving murders tied by puzzles, haunted by her past. Gripping, stylish, and twisty.
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| 'Nine Puzzles', Courtesy of Disney |
Disney+’s Nine Puzzles exploded onto screens on May 21, 2025, and in just nine days, it became the platform’s biggest Korean hit of the year. Directed by Yoon Jong-bin, the guy behind gritty flicks like War on Crime, this psychological crime thriller hooked fans across Asia and beyond with its quirky lead, twisty plot, and a cast that’s basically a K-drama all-star team. In a chill chat with The Hollywood Reporter, Yoon dished on what makes the show tick, why Kim Da-mi’s profiler is such a vibe, and whether we’ll get a second season.
The show centers on Yoon E-na, played by Kim Da-mi, a super-smart but socially awkward profiler who’s been obsessed with her uncle’s unsolved murder since she was a teen—and yeah, she was briefly a suspect. Now grown up, she teams up with a gruff detective, Kim Han-saem (Son Suk-ku), to solve a string of murders tied together by creepy puzzle pieces. Yoon calls it a mix of Seven’s dark vibes and a “mystery cartoon,” with E-na’s impulsive, almost cartoonish energy stealing the show. “She’s like a cartoon character dropped into the real world,” he said, and Kim Da-mi nails the balance of intense and quietly complex.
Yoon went all out, pulling in heavy hitters like Hwang Jung-min, Park Sung-woong, Ji Jin-hee, and Lee Sung-min for guest spots, each tying into a new episode’s mystery. It’s like a party where every guest brings a wild story. Fans on Reddit can’t stop buzzing about the show’s vibrant colors, clever clues, and E-na’s fresh take as a female lead who’s not your typical stoic cop. One fan called it “refreshing,” while another was all about the “top-notch actors.”
Disney+ had a rough go with other Korean shows, such as Unmasked, but Nine Puzzles was a slam dunk, topping viewership charts in places like Taiwan and Singapore. Yoon’s cinematic style, paired with writer Lee Eun-mi’s knack for dropping “rice cakes” (Korean slang for juicy plot hints), kept everyone glued to their screens. The 11-episode run ended on June 4 with E-na nabbing a killer way closer to home than she expected, leaving just enough dangling threads to get fans hyped for more.
So, what about season two? Yoon’s playing it coy, saying it’s up to Disney+ and Kakao Entertainment, but with the show outshining even Moving in some markets, it’s hard to imagine they’ll stop here. “E-na and Han-saem have more to explore,” he teased, hinting at new puzzles to solve. For now, Nine Puzzles is proof that Disney+ is killing it with Korean thrillers. With its bold visuals, gripping story, and a lead who’s equal parts genius and goofball, it’s no shock that fans are already begging for round two. All episodes are streaming on Disney+, so dive in and get lost in the mystery.
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