Hwayugi
A 2017 South Korean fantasy romance produced by tvN that reimagines the legend of Journey to the West in modern-day Seoul.
A Korean Odyssey (화유기／Hwayugi) is a fantasy romance drama that aired on Korea's tvN weekend slot from December 23, 2017, to March 4, 2018. Spanning 20 episodes, it was written by the Hong sisters (Hong Jung-eun and Hong Mi-ran) and directed by Park Hong-gyun. Set in modern-day Seoul, the story features Lee Seung-gi as the Demon King Sun Wukong, who is sealed in the human realm; Cha Seung-won as the Bull Demon King (Woo Ma-wang); Oh Yeon-seo as Chen Shan-mei, a real estate CEO who entered into a contract with Wukong as a child; and Lee Hong-ki as Zhu Bajie. Born with the ability to see ghosts, Chen Shan-mei is prophesied to be the "Tripitaka" whose physical body can grant eternal life. Sun Wukong struggles between upholding his promise and his longing for immortality, while a bracelet acting as a "Tight Fillet" becomes the contractual token that forces him to fall in love. Blending elements of Taoism, Buddhism, and Korean folklore, the series reimagines the motifs of Journey to the West within the framework of a romantic comedy. During production, the show faced broadcast delays following an apology for an on-set accident. The drama is regarded as a representative work of the Hong sisters' "fantasy romance" style, modernizing classical Chinese mythology.