Lee Bo-Young Stars in Korea's First Assisted Dying Drama "Mary Kills People" - MBC 2025
South Korea tackles taboo subject as veteran actress returns to MBC after 13-year hiatus with controversial medical thriller
MBC's upcoming drama "Mary Kills People" premieres August 1, 2025, marking the first Korean series to directly address assisted dying. The show is a Korean adaptation of the Canadian black comedy series that aired from 2017-2019, featuring Lee Bo-Young as emergency doctor Woo So-Jung who secretly provides euthanasia to terminally ill patients, while Lee Min-Ki plays detective Jo Hyun-Woo tracking her illegal activities.
Director Park Joon-Woo, known for "Taxi Driver" and "Crash," helms the 12-episode series alongside writer Lee Soo-Ah. The cast includes:
- Lee Bo-Young as Dr. Woo So-Jung, an ER physician leading a double life
- Lee Min-Ki as Jo Hyun-Woo, a terminal brain tumor patient who is also an undercover detective
- Kang Ki-Young as Dr. Choi Dae-Hyun, a former plastic surgeon assisting with the illegal operations
- Kwon Hae-Hyo as Father Yang, a Catholic priest
Lee Bo-Young revealed deeply personal motivations for choosing the project: "As we age, we think about our future and old age. When I received this script, I thought this is a topic we should bring up and discuss".
The actress shared seeing news about an elderly foreign couple who chose assisted dying together, leading to conversations with her husband about whether "that wouldn't be bad" when considering becoming a burden to children or making choices while mentally sound.
However, she emphasized the complexity: "I can't say whether this is 'right' or 'wrong.' Considering the feelings of those left behind, social perceptions, and thoughts of children, you can't say which is right".
Currently, assisted dying remains illegal in South Korea and is considered a crime against life. However, recent surveys show over 80% of South Koreans support legalizing physician-aided death for terminal patients, while 84% believe legal assisted suicide is needed.
In 2022, a proposed amendment to expand South Korea's current "Well-Dying Law" to include physician-assisted suicide was introduced in the National Assembly, reflecting changing public sentiment in the country's rapidly aging society.
The series will air with a 19+ rating for all episodes, making it the first MBC drama since "Black Sun" to receive this classification throughout its entire run. Reruns will be restricted to late-night hours only.
The original Canadian series starring Caroline Dhavernas earned critical acclaim with a 100% rating on Rotten Tomatoes and was sold to more than 110 territories worldwide.
"Mary Kills People" airs every Friday and Saturday at 10 PM KST on MBC, replacing "Casino Season 1" in the network's prime time slot. International audiences can watch on Netflix.
The drama promises to spark important conversations about end-of-life care in South Korea's aging society, where the elderly population already exceeds 14% and is expected to reach 20% by 2025.
