Jirisan (TV series)

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Jirisan
Promotional poster
Also known as
  • Cliffhanger[1]
  • Mountain Jiri[2]
Hangul
지리산
Hanja
智異山
Literal meaningMount Jiri
Revised RomanizationJirisan
Genre
Created byKim Je-hyeon (tvN)[3]
Developed byStudio Dragon
Written byKim Eun-hee
Directed byLee Eung-bok
Starring
Narrated byRyu Seung-ryong
ComposerGaemi (Music manager)
Country of originSouth Korea
Original languageKorean
No. of seasons1
No. of episodes16
Production
Executive producers
  • Joo Jae-hyun
  • Choi Ho-seong (CP)
  • Kwak Ji-sang (CP)
Producers
  • Lee Sang-baek
  • Kim Young-gyu
  • Park Ho-sik
  • Kim Ki-yoon
  • Jo Do-yeon
Production locationJirisan National Park
Editor
  • Kim Woo-seol
Running time60–90 minutes
Production companies
Budget₩32 billion[5][6]
(~US$27.4 million)
Original release
NetworktvN
ReleaseOctober 23 (2021-10-23) –
December 12, 2021 (2021-12-12)

Jirisan (

South Korean television series starring Jun Ji-hyun and Ju Ji-hoon. It is named after the eponymous mountain in South Korea and has been promoted as "tvN's 15th Anniversary Special Drama".[7][1] It premiered on tvN on October 23 to December 12, 2021, and aired every Saturday and Sunday at 21:00 (KST). The series is available for streaming on iQIYI worldwide, and on Viki and Netflix in selected territories.[8]

Synopsis

Set against the backdrop of towering views of Mount Jiri, it depicts the story of rangers and other employees of the Jirisan National Park who climb through the mysterious and unexplored regions of the mountain, trying to rescue the survivors and lost trekkers. The drama is centered around a mystery surrounding the mountain's many visitors - those who come to kill, and those who come to end their lives.

Cast and characters

Main

Nicknamed "Mountain Ghost God" and "Devil Seo" by her colleagues, she is the park's top ranger, who instinctively knows how to navigate the trails of the mountains. Her experience has made her knowledgeable enough to track down a lost hiker based on just a single leaf or blade of grass. In spite of this, she views the mountain as a dreadful place and had yearned to leave, but eventually stayed for her grandmother. Her cynical view of the mountain begins to change after she meets rookie ranger Hyun-jo, to whom she becomes a partner and confidante. She is 35-38 years old through the series.
A military academy graduate who once rose to the rank of a captain. He harbors a deep secret that he cannot tell anyone. After encountering an incident on Mount Jiri, he began to see incomprehensible visions of deaths occurring on the mountain. Believing this is the mountain's calling for him to save them, he becomes a ranger. As he travels the mountains with senior ranger Yi-kang, they become true partners to the extent of entrusting each other with their own lives. He later discovers something terrifying hidden in Mount Jiri, and this begins to alter his view of the beautiful mountains, and the people there. He is 34-37 years old through the series.

Supporting

Haedong Branch and Bidam Shelter

The head of the branch office of the park who has spent most of his life working as a park ranger. He is honest to a fault and has a strong sense of duty for his job. Despite being widely respected as a ranger, he had failed to be there for his family when they needed him. His family eventually left him, and the mountain is all he is left with. So he further dedicates his life to rescuing others and sees the lives of his subordinates as his responsibility.
An extremely realistic ranger who lives by the motto, "I need to take care of myself before I can take care of others". As such, he makes sure to take all his vacation days, does his job right on the clock and disappears right before he's dismissed. Under the surface, he has a good heart and has a deep camaraderie with the other rangers.

Jeonbuk
Office

People in Haedong Village

  • Kim Young-ok as Lee Moon-ok, Yi-kang's grandmother and owner of a restaurant in the village.[10]
  • Jeon Seok-ho as Kim Woong-soon, a police officer.[10]
  • Han Dong-ho as Park Soon-kyung

Extended

Special appearances

Production

Development

Jirisan is created by director Lee Eung-bok and writer Kim Eun-hee. Writer Kim Eun-hee based the story of Jirisan on her interviews with national park workers. Kim said in an interview, "When I wrote Jirisan at the beginning, it didn't focus on rangers. I was more interested in stories about mountaineers. However, I was more intrigued about their work after interviewing them."[25]

Casting

On March 3, 2020, it was reported that Jun Ji-hyun was in talks to star in Kim Eun-hee's new television series.[26][27] On September 4, it was officially confirmed that Jun would star alongside Ju Ji-hoon.[28] Sung Dong-il and Oh Jung-se officially joined the main cast on September 10.[29]

Filming

Principal photography for the drama began on September 18, 2020, at Sannae-myun in Namwon, Jeonbuk.[30] The first outdoor shoot was held on October 29.[31] Production was halted from December 8 to 20 due to the rise in COVID-19 cases in South Korea.[32] Filming was completed in June 2021.[33] Jirisan is the first television series to be filmed at Jirisan National Park.[1]

Broadcasting

Jirisan was filmed with a budget of ₩32 billion (~US$27.4 million).[34] In 2020, iQIYI attained its overseas distribution rights for over ₩25 billion, around 80% of the production costs.[35][36] On September 25, 2021, tvN announced the series would air from October 23, on Saturdays and Sundays at 21:00 (KST).[7]

Original soundtrack

Jirisan
Soundtrack album by
Various Artists
Released2021
GenreSoundtrack
Language
Label

All credits were adapted from Melon.

Part 1

Released on October 24, 2021 (2021-10-24)[37]
No.TitleLyricsMusicArtistLength
1."Destiny"
  • Lee Jun-hwa
  • Gaemi
  • Lee Jun-hwa
Kim Feel3:37
2."Destiny" (Inst.) 
  • Gaemi
  • Lee Jun-hwa
 3:37
Total length:7:14

Part 2

Released on October 30, 2021 (2021-10-30)[37]
No.TitleLyricsMusicArtistLength
1."Memories"
  • Gaemi
  • Lee Jun-hwa
  • Gaemi
  • Lee Jun-hwa
Gaho3:26
2."Memories" (Inst.) 
  • Gaemi
  • Lee Jun-hwa
 3:26
Total length:6:52

Part 3

Released on November 6, 2021 (2021-11-06)[37]
No.TitleLyricsMusicArtistLength
1."Falling" (시간의 틈 사이로)Shim Hyeon-boGaemiKim Jong-wan (Nell)4:00
2."Falling" (Inst.) Gaemi 4:00
Total length:8:00

Part 4

Released on November 7, 2021 (2021-11-07)[37]
No.TitleLyricsMusicArtistLength
1."Yours"
  • Gaemi
  • JIDA
GaemiJin (BTS)4:24
2."Yours" (Inst.) Gaemi 4:24
Total length:8:49

Part 5

Released on November 14, 2021 (2021-11-14)[37]
No.TitleLyricsMusicArtistLength
1."In Color" (물들인다)Gadeul
  • Gaemi
  • Park Jeong-hwan
Lee So-ra3:49
2."In Color" (Inst.) 
  • Gaemi
  • Park Jeong-hwan
 3:49
Total length:7:38

Part 6

Released on November 20, 2021 (2021-11-20)[37]
No.TitleLyricsMusicArtistLength
1."Stay"JIDAGaemiO3ohn3:40
2."Stay" (Inst.) Gaemi 3:40
Total length:7:21

Part 7

Released on November 21, 2021 (2021-11-21)[37]
No.TitleLyricsMusicArtistLength
1."Our Road"GadeulGaemiRothy3:41
2."Our Road" (Inst.) Gaemi 3:41
Total length:7:22

Part 8

Released on November 28, 2021 (2021-11-28)[37]
No.TitleLyricsMusicArtistLength
1."Little Garden" (나의 작은 정원)Lee Joo-hyeong (MonoTree)
  • Gaemi
  • Lee Joo-hyeong (MonoTree)
  • Jun.p (MonoTree)
Taeyeon4:09
2."Little Garden" (Inst.) 
  • Gaemi
  • Lee Joo-hyeong (MonoTree)
  • Jun.p (MonoTree)
 4:09
Total length:8:18

Part 9

Released on December 4, 2021 (2021-12-04)[37]
No.TitleLyricsMusicArtistLength
1."Always With You" (늘 곁에서 지금처럼)Paul KimGaemiPaul Kim3:26
2."Always With You" (Inst.) Gaemi 3:26
Total length:6:52

Part 10

Released on December 5, 2021 (2021-12-05)[37]
No.TitleLyricsMusicArtistLength
1."I′m Coming Home"
  • Gaemi
  • Gadeul
GaemiJukjae4:06
2."I′m Coming Home" (Inst.) Gaemi 4:06
Total length:8:12

Part 11

Released on December 11, 2021 (2021-12-11)[37]
No.TitleLyricsMusicArtistLength
1."Valley of the Shadow"Kim EanaGaemiLee Seung-yeol3:38
2."Valley of the Shadow" (Inst.) Gaemi 3:38
Total length:7:16

Part 12

Released on December 12, 2021 (2021-12-12)[37]
No.TitleMusicArtistLength
1."Harmony of Leaves"
  • Gaemi
  • Leto
Henry feat. Park Jin-woo3:28
Total length:3:28

Viewership

A 9.1% viewership rating was recorded nationwide for the series' first episode, making it the highest premiere rating on the network for a series on its first season, and the second overall after Hospital Playlist 2.[38]

Jirisan : South Korea viewers per episode (millions)