Fooled by the Trailer? The Birth of a Hero Movie Beyond Light Comedy When I first saw the trailer for the Netflix drama Cashero, I thought it was just a small comic drama that I could laugh at and enjoy lightly. The setting itself, "You need money to use superpowers," seemed somewhat absurd, and the scenes showed mostly petty tricks using small change. I played the first episode expecting a common B-grade comedy or a slice-of-life sitcom without much expectation. However, Cashero pleasantly missed my expectations. While carrying the humorous atmosphere of the beginning, the expanding scale and heavy action as the story progressed proved that this drama is not a simple comedy but a properly made "Hero Blockbuster." It was a pleasant sense of betrayal that made me immerse myself in an instant after watching it with my guard down.
The 'Modern Hero' Shown by Lee Jun-ho, Even More Charming Because He's Cynical The acting transformation of Lee Jun-ho, who plays the main character Kang Sang-woong, is one of the biggest viewing points of this drama. Usually, heroes burn with a sense of justice or have a tragic beauty, but Kang Sang-woong is completely different. He is consistent with a cynical expression and dry tone as if everything in the world is bothersome. Even the moment he uses his superpowers, a realistic worry of "Do I really have to do this while spending my own money?" flashes across his face rather than acting cool. Lee Jun-ho perfectly digested this petit bourgeois aspect of Kang Sang-woong with his unique sly acting. Even looking at just the first episode, the appearance of the extremely realistic and pathetic hero he shows approaches viewers with a different charm. The sight of him wearing a stretched T-shirt instead of a cool suit makes you want to cheer for him even more.
An Ordinary Civil Servant Dreaming of 'Buying a Home', A Terribly Realistic Setting Kang Sang-woong is an ordinary civil servant working at a community center. He lives with his girlfriend and cohabitant Kim Min-sook (played by Kim Hye-jun), and their greatest goal in life is solely "buying their own home." However, reality is harsh. Even if they save every penny of their salary, buying an apartment to lay their bodies in under the Seoul sky is close to impossible, and they are frustrated every time due to a lack of points when aiming for housing subscription lotteries. While the drama deals with fantasy material, the underlying base is the terribly realistic problem of housing insecurity and economic poverty suffered by young people. The appearance of those who are more afraid of loan interest than defeating villains is like a self-portrait of the youth generation living in Korea, regardless of whether they have superpowers or not, evoking a bitter sympathy.
A Sudden Call from Father, and a 10,000 Won Legacy Just when he was worrying about whether he should get married and aim for a special supply for newlyweds, his father in the countryside suddenly calls Sang-woong. At the words "I have something to give you," he expected perhaps a hidden inheritance, but there was nothing his father could offer in their poor household. Just as he was about to be disappointed, his father suddenly asked Sang-woong for 10,000 won, held his hand, and performed an unknown ritual. At that moment, a strange current flowed through Sang-woong's body, and the family secret was transferred. Not a prelude to a grand destiny, but a superpower succession ceremony performed with a single 10,000 won bill on the floor of an old country house delightfully shows the identity of "life-friendly fantasy" that this drama aims for.
Cash Only! Extraordinary Abilities Spawned by Capitalism The legacy left by his father was none other than "superpowers that are only exerted when possessing money." The mechanism of this ability is very unique and capitalist. Credit cards or bank transfers do not work; only physical "cash" is accepted. Furthermore, the magnitude of power changes depending on how much is in the pocket. If you have 100 won, your finger strength gets a bit stronger, but if you have 1 million won, you can lift a car. This effectively translates the so-called "Pay-to-Win" (Hyunjil) concept from games—spending money to buy items—into physical stats in the real world. It can be said to be a setting that expresses the metaphor that "Money is Power" most intuitively and most ridiculously.
No Money, No Power: The Sorrow of a Poor Hero He gained the ability, but the problem is that Sang-woong has no 'capital' to maintain that ability. For someone who barely scrapes by, carrying cash to use superpowers is close to a luxury. Moreover, the fatal drawback of this superpower is that every time the ability is used, the cash in possession literally evaporates. Using superpowers means that his bank account becomes empty. Seeing through this, his girlfriend Kim Min-sook gives a strict order: "Absolutely do not use your powers." Since he is on the verge of bankruptcy just trying to implement justice, Sang-woong also pledges to seal his powers and live as quietly as possible. The irony that he has the strongest power in the world but cannot use it because money is too precious induces laughter.
A 30 Million Won Jump! Burning His Entire Fortune for Justice No matter how much he tries to hide his ability, the fate of a hero does not leave him alone. Sang-woong, who held back and even ran away after seeing injustice, witnesses a desperate crisis on a bridge one day. A situation where a bus breaks through the railing and is about to fall into the Han River. At the sound of people's screams, Sang-woong eventually cannot turn away and throws his body. Coincidentally, his pocket contained 30 million won that his mother had given him as a nest egg to add to the house deposit. Sang-woong uses that precious entire fortune as fuel to exert tremendous jumping power and superhuman strength to save the bus. The appearance of Sang-woong screaming while watching the 30 million won scatter and disappear into the air, along with the relief of saving people, is tragic yet comic, and on the other hand, tearful.
Genre Shift, Superpowered People Revealed to the World The bus rescue incident completely changes Sang-woong's life. As his exploits are broadcast live nationwide through social media and news, he rises to stardom overnight, called by nicknames like 'Han River Hulk' or 'Cashero'. However, fame comes with danger. In the world, there was a secret organization of people with superpowers besides Sang-woong, and conversely, there were evil forces trying to hunt and eliminate them. The moment Sang-woong reveals his ability, he is thrown as a target into the center of this huge fight. The atmosphere, which seemed like a small daily comic in the beginning, changes rapidly from this point into a hero movie with suspenseful chases and flashy action, providing genre pleasure.
The Power of the Original Kakao Webtoon, Unstoppable Immersion This drama is based on the popular Kakao Webtoon of the same name. As the original work's brilliant imagination and solid storyline were adapted into a drama, it was reborn as a richer spectacle. I, who intended to lightly taste only the first episode, found myself naturally pressing the 'Play Next Episode' button by the time the ending credits rolled. The burden-free length of a total of 8 episodes and the fast development without superfluity raise the immersion to the highest level. It is a perfect work to binge-watch during the weekend or the year-end holidays. In particular, I want to evaluate it as a masterpiece that satisfies both original fans and drama fans, as the exaggerated direction unique to webtoons and the reality of drama are properly harmonized.
A Cheerful Question Thrown at a World Ruled by 'Money' Cashero goes beyond a simple smashing action hero movie and contains satire and humor about capitalist society. The setting that "you need money to save people" pinches the bitter cross-section of modern society where you can do nothing without money. However, Kang Sang-woong's choice to save others even while blowing away his entire fortune paradoxically shows what value is more important than money. A story of a poor hero without a penny saving the world by betting his everything (money). The subject matter is interesting, the development is refreshing, and the message is warm. Cashero, which captures laughter, emotion, and action all at once—if you haven't watched it yet, I strongly recommend adding it to your watch list right now.
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