The Korea Herald

지나쌤

Paramount+ to present Tving’s ‘Bargain’ in 2023

By Lee Si-jin

Published : Nov. 4, 2022 - 15:00

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Jin Seon-kyu plays a middle-aged man who haggles the price for sex in Jin Seon-kyu plays a middle-aged man who haggles the price for sex in "Bargain." (Tving)

Tving's latest original series “Bargain” is scheduled to premiere globally via Paramount+ in 2023, the local streaming service announced Friday.

The six-part thriller will be Tving and Paramount+’s second shared series, following director Lee Joon-ik’s sci-fi series “Beyond the Memory,” widely known by its Korean title “Yonder.”

Paramount+ landed in South Korea as a free-to-view addition to Tving in June.

As to why the series is being released later than the Korean premiere last month, a Tving official said the release schedules are different because Tving and Paramount have individual plans and strategies for content.

“Global viewers can enjoy ‘Bargain’ with English subtitles. We plan to provide subtitles in other languages if needed,” the official told The Korea Herald.

Adapted from the short film of the same title by filmmaker Lee Chung-hyun, “Bargain” revolves around people who gather at a remote motel to bargain for sex. That takes a turn, however, as the characters struggle to survive after an unexpected earthquake.

Lee's 2015 short film won multiple awards -- best film at the 15th Mise-en-scene Short Film Festival in 2015 and the special jury award of the 14th Asiana International Short Film Festival’s Korean competition in 2016.

The TV series adaptation has been faring well, ranking at No. 4 on the streamer's chart as of Friday.

The first three episodes were released Oct. 28, and the remaining episodes become available on Tving from 4 p.m. on Friday.