Wavve’s ‘The Deal’ to expand into 200 countries

Wavve announced Wednesday that its upcoming mystery thriller, “The Deal” is scheduled to be released in some 200 countries, including South Korea, Taiwan and more.

Domestically, “The Deal” will be released on Wavve. Overseas, Taiwan-based streaming platform FriDay and global streaming service Rakuten Viki will offer the eight-part crime thriller.

Adapted from a popular 2021-webtoon series of the same title by author Woonam20, the show tells the story of a reunion between three high school friends in a local restaurant.

After the three spend the night drinking together, Jun-sung (played by Yoo Seung-ho) and Jae-hyo (played by Kim Dong-hwi), suddenly decide to kidnap their friend Min-woo (played by Yoo Su-bin) and make his mother come up with 10 billion won ($73.96 million) as a ransom payment.

The upcoming show is actor Yoo Seung-ho's first streaming service project in his 24-year acting career. Yoo is returning to the small screen for the first time in two years since KBS' period romance drama "Moonshine" (2021).

“The Deal” was invited to this year’s Busan International Film Festival, which started on Wednesday and runs through Oct. 13.

The crime series made its world premiere at CGV Centum City and Lotte Cinema Centum City in Busan, releasing two of its eight episodes Thursday.

"The show will officially be released on both Wavve and FriDay on Friday. The exact date of release for Rakuten Viki is yet to be decided," a Wavve official told The Korea Herald on Thursday.