Badland Hunters Cast & Character Guide

Warning: This article contains SPOILERS for Badland Hunters.

The Netflix movie Badland Hunters includes a mix of established and new actors who help create vivid characters within a post-apocalyptic world. This South Korean action film explores the post-apocalyptic world in Seoul, Korea, after an earthquake destroys the city, turning it into an anarchical wasteland. The plot follows a retired hunter named Nam-san who comes out of retirement to help find a teenager who gets kidnapped by a corrupt doctor running a cult. The Concrete Utopia sequel leaned into action and zombies, making Badland Hunters equal parts gripping and suspenseful.

While the concept was good on its own, the incredible casting contributed significantly to the Badland Hunters‘ success. The casting director selected a good mix of new talent – like Lee Han-Joo – and extremely practiced actors – like Ma Dong-seok. These actors give depth and meaning to the post-apocalyptic world. Additionally, their incredible acting made Badland Hunter’s ending extremely satisfying to watch.

Ma Dong-seok As Nam-san

Actor: Ma Dong-seok, who also goes by the stage name Don Lee, was born in South Korea and started acting in 2005. He got his first role playing a North Korean soldier in the action comedy movie Cheon Gun. Two years later, he got his big break playing Nam Seong-shik in the Korean romance TV series H.I.T. Ma gained international recognition for playing Sang-hwa in the zombie movie Train to Busan, for which he won Best Supporting Actor at the KOFRA Film Awards.

Notable Movies & TV Shows: Train to Busan (2016), The Outlaws (2017), Unstoppable (2018), Eternals (2021), and The Roundup (2022)

Character: Throughout Badland Hunters, Ma Dong-seok plays Nam-san, a resilient wasteland hunter who tries to scavenge any resources that he can for his village. When Su-na gets kidnapped, the hunters go on a mission to find and save her from Dr. Yang Gi-su.

Lee Hee-joon As Dr. Yang Gi-su

Actor: Lee Hee-joon is a South Korean actor who got his first professional acting role in a 2006 short drama film titled Wooyeonhan Yeoljeong-Eu-Ro Norae Bu-Reuda-Bomyeon. Though he took on many smaller roles in between, he made his big break into the industry playing Gong Chil Goo in the romantic K-drama The Princess’ Man. Since then, he’s been cast as the leading man in some of the best K-dramas.

Notable Movies & TV Shows: The Princess’ Man (2011), Unexpected You (2012), Jeon Woo Chi (2012-2013), Legend of the Blue Sea (2016-2017), The Man Standing Next (2020), and Mouse (2021)

Character: In Badland Hunters, Lee Hee-joon plays a doctor named Dr. Yang Gi-su, the rogue scientist who is responsible for creating the mutants. He kidnaps teenagers in order to do experiments on them so that he can find the key to immortality.

No Jeong-ee As Han Su-na

Actor: No Jeong-ee, who previously went by the stage name Roh Jeong-Eui, was born in South Korea and started acting onscreen in 2011. She got her first role as Young Tae-in in the TV show Bachelor’s Vegetable Store. In 2014, she broke out big into the industry playing Kwon Ha-eun in Drama Special, a TV program with a different story every episode. Since then, she’s had consistent work in movies and TV shows.

Notable Movies & TV Shows: Drama Special (2014), The Phone (2015), 18 Again (2020), Our Beloved Summer (2021-2022), and Dear. M (2022)

Character: Throughout Badland Hunters, No Jeong-ee plays Han Su-na, a plucky teenage girl who lives with her grandmother. She gets kidnapped by the corrupt Dr. Yang Gi-su, which sets the plot of the movie in motion.

Related

Top 20 Badass Female Leads From K-Dramas

While K-dramas are often enjoyed for their sometimes-saccharine romances and dramatic plots, there are more than a few iconic female leads, as well.

Lee Joon-young As Choi Ji-wan

Actor: Lee “Jun” Joon-young is a singer-actor who started his career as a part of the Korean boy band U-KISS. He got his first acting role in 2017, playing Lee Soo-gyeom in the K-drama Avengers Social Club – a performance that propelled his acting career. He’s best known for playing Jung Gook Hee in the romantic dramedy Please Don’t Date Him.

Notable Movies & TV Shows: Avengers Social Club (2017), Goodbye to Goodbye (2018), Good Casting (2020), Please Don’t Date Him (2020-2021), and D.P. (2021-2023)

Character: Lee Joon-young plays Choi Ji-wan, the brave and loyal sidekick of Nam San, in Badland Hunters.

Ahn Ji-hye As Lee Eun-ho

Actor: Ahn Ji-hye is a relatively new South Korean actress who started acting when she played Hyun-joo in the 2018 movie Our Body. She got her big break in the industry playing Cha Yeon-hee in the action movie Slate. While she doesn’t have much professional experience in the industry prior to Badland Hunters, her performance in the post-apocalyptic film shows her dramatic acting skills.

Notable Movies & TV Shows: Our Body (2018), Was it Love (2020) Slate (2020), and Project Wolf Hunting (2022)

Character: In Badland Hunters, Ahn Ji-hye plays Lee Eun-ho, a special forces sergeant who works to keep some sort of order in the world as it’s collapsing.

Lee Han-Joo As Lee Joo-ye

Actor: Lee Han-joo is a new South Korean actor whose first professional credit is her role in Badland Hunters. Her strong performance as Lee Joo-ye shows a lot of potential.

Notable Movies & TV Shows: Badland Hunters (2024)

Character: Throughout Badland Hunters, Lee Han-joo plays a teenage girl who gets kidnapped by Gi-su, subjected to medical testing, and indoctrinated into a cult. She makes friends with Su-na on the way to Dr. Yang’s safe haven.

Badland Hunters Supporting Cast & Characters

Jang Young-nam as Teacher: Throughout Badland Hunters, Jang Young-nam plays Teacher, one of the volunteers leading people to Dr. Yang’s safe haven. Jang was born in South Korea and got her first role in 1997. She stopped acting after this and picked back up in 2004. She got her big break in 2007, playing Ji-Joong’s ex-wife in Dal Ja’s Spring. She’s best known for her roles in My Girlfriend is an Agent (2009), A Werewolf Boy (2012), Mother Vengeance (2012). Jang also plays Park Haeng Ja in the popular K-drama It’s Okay to Not Be Okay (2020).

Park Hyo-joon as Tiger: In Badland Hunters, Park Hyo-joon plays Tiger, Nam Sam’s biggest rival hunter who is on a path to redemption. Park was born in South Korea and got his first acting role in 2004, acting as Hamburger in the action movie Once Upon a Time in High School: the Spirit of Jeet Kune Do. One year later, he took on his first big role in the romance K-drama Loveholic. Park is best known for his roles in A Dirty Carnival (2006), Bad Guys (2014), The Bad Guys: The Movie (2019), and Our Blooming Youth (2023).

Sung Byoung-sook as Su-na’s Grandmother: Sung Byoung-sook plays Su-na’s kindhearted grandmother who struggles with mobility in Badland Hunters. Sung is a South Korean actress who got her first professional acting role in 2007, playing Jin-su’s mom in Le Grand Chef. She’s best known for her roles in Tidal Wave (2009), Secret Garden (2010-2011), Entertainer (2016), and The Uncanny Counter (2023).

Kim Young-sun as Lee Joo-ye’s Mother: Kim Young-sun plays Lee Joo-ye’s Mother in Badland Hunters. Kim was born in South Korea and got her first role in 2006, playing Court Lady in the Korean mystery/thriller Hanbando. She immediately hit the ground running, getting cast in four movies her first year. Kim is best known for her acting in The Chaser (2008), I Saw the Devil (2010), and You Are the Best! (2013). She also played a one-off role in the cast of Squid Game season 1 (2021) – the role for which most international audiences will recognize her.

Badland Hunters

Release Date

January 26, 2024

Director

Heo Myung-haeng

Cast

Ma Dong-seok , Lee Hee-joon , Lee Jun-young , Roh Jeong-eui

Runtime

107 Minutes

Writers

Kim Bo-Tong , Kwak Jae-Min

Studio(s)

Climax Studio , Big Punch Pictures , Nova Film

Distributor(s)

Netflix