The Manipulated

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The Manipulated
1.15
Promotional poster
Hangul
조각도시
Hanja
彫刻都市
Lit.Sculpture City
RRJogakdosi
MRChogaktosi
Genre
Based onFabricated City
by Park Kwang-hyun
Written byOh Sang-ho [ko]
Directed by
Starring
Music byKim Tae-seong[1]
Country of originSouth Korea
Original languageKorean
No. of episodes8
Production
Production companies
Budget₩35 billion
Original release
NetworkHulu (Disney+)
ReleaseNovember 5, 2025 (2025-11-05) –
present

The Manipulated (Korean: 조각도시) is an ongoing South Korean revenge action crime thriller television series written by Oh Sang-ho [ko], directed by Park Shin-woo and Kim Chang-ju, and starring Ji Chang-wook, Doh Kyung-soo, Kim Jong-soo, Jo Yoon-su, and Lee Kwang-soo. It depicts the story of an ordinary man whose life is abruptly shattered for being wrongly accused of a major crime, but returns to pursue a bloody vengeance after discovering it was a fabrication. The series premiered with 4 episodes on Disney+ as a Hulu original series on November 5, 2025,[2] as the Star content hub was replaced by Hulu on October 8, 2025.[3]

Synopsis

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It follows an ordinary man, Park Tae-jung, whose life takes a drastic turn when he is wrongfully accused of a heinous crime and sent to prison. After discovering that everything was orchestrated by An Yo-han, he sets out on a path of revenge.[4]

Cast and characters

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Main

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A man who lived an ordinary life but was falsely accused of committing a heinous crime, and was sentenced to life.
The CEO of an exclusive security service who designed the incident that led to Tae-jung's imprisonment.
Tae-jung's benefactor in prison.
Yong-sik's daughter.
Yo-han's VIP client.

Supporting

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Guan Prison

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The most influential person in Guan Prison.
  • Kim Jae-chul as Yang Chul-hwan
A prison officer of Guan Prison.
A fellow inmate in Guan Prison, and the fierce rival of Deok-su.
  • Lee Jae-kyoon as Koo Ji-yong
Tae-jung's cellmate in Guan Prison.
The warden of Guan Prison.

Others

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  • Kim Joong-hee as Kim Sang-rak
A public defender of Kim Sang-rak Law Office.
Tae-jung's younger brother.
  • Kwon Da-ham as Woo-jong
Tae-jung's friend.
Tae-jung's friend.
  • Lee Suk-hyeong as Dae-hoon
Tae-jung's friend.

Special appearances

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Tae-jung's girlfriend.
  • Lee Jong-hyun as a sports car driver
  • Lee Jae-won as a prosecutor
  • Bae Na-ra as a killer working for Yo-han

Production

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Development

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The series was developed by the film division of CJENM, It was produced by Studio Dragon and Simplex Films with a production budget of 35 billion won. It was written by Oh Sang-ho [ko] , who also wrote the series Taxi Driver. It is based on the film Fabricated City, which Oh Sang-ho co-wrote.[8][5] In November 2024, Disney+ announced official English name for the series.[10]

Casting

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The Manipulated cast at the press conference on November 3, 2025

On November 13, 2023, Ji Chang-wook and Doh Kyung-soo were confirmed to be cast in the roles of the main characters.[5]

Jo Yoon-su announced her casting in series on September 2024.[7] In October 2024, news outlets revealed that Pyo Ye-jin was cast as Ji Chang-wook's love interest.[9] In November same year, Lee Kwang-soo's agency King Kong by Starship confirmed his appearance in series as Baek Do-kyung.[8]

Release

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The Manipulated was released with 4 episodes on November 5, 2025 on Disney+ under the Hulu on Disney+ label.[11] Subsequently, 2 episodes per week would be released on every Wednesday, with the final 2 episodes on December 3.

References

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  1. ^ Kim, Tae-seung (September 5, 2024). 조각도시에 합류합니다! [Join the city of sculptures!]. Kim Tae-seong & Monopole. Archived from the original on April 22, 2025. Retrieved May 25, 2025.
  2. ^ Baek, Seung -hoon (May 23, 2025). 현빈이 끌고 강동원이 민다...디즈니+의 야심찬 콘텐츠 플랜 [종합] [Hyun Bin leads, Kang Dong-won leads... Disney+'s ambitious content plan [Comprehensive]]. MBC (in Korean). Retrieved May 25, 2025 – via Naver.
  3. ^ Moss (October 2, 2025). "Hulu Becomes Global General Entertainment Brand on Disney+ on Oct. 8". The Walt Disney Company. Retrieved October 2, 2025.
  4. ^ Jeon, Hyeong-hwa (November 21, 2024). 누명 쓴 지창욱X설계자 도경수 "'조각도시' 몰입감 넘쳐" [디즈니 쇼케이스] [Ji Chang-wook, who was falsely accused X Designer Do Kyung-soo, "'Sculpture City' is overflowing with immersion" [Disney Showcase]]. Sports Chosun (in Korean). Retrieved May 25, 2025.
  5. ^ a b c d Jeon, Hyeong-hwa (November 13, 2023). [단독] 도경수 vs 지창욱, 350억 '조각도시'서 핏빛 연기대결 [종합] [[Exclusive] Do Kyung-soo vs. Ji Chang-wook, Bloody Acting Showdown in 35 Billion Won 'The Manipulated' [Comprehensive]]. Ilgan Sports (in Korean). Retrieved May 25, 2025 – via Naver.
  6. ^ Jeong, Hee-yeon (October 28, 2025). '맑눈광' 도경수, 악역되더니 살벌하네 '소름' (조각도시) [Clear-eyed Do Kyung-soo, now a villain, is terrifyingly creepy (The Manipulated)]. Sports Dong-a (in Korean). Retrieved November 6, 2025 – via Naver.
  7. ^ a b Park, A-reum (September 24, 2024). [단독]'괴물신인' 조윤수 '조각도시' 여주, 지창욱 도경수 만난다 [[Exclusive] 'Monster Rookie' Jo Yoon-su, female lead for 'The Manipulated', Ji Chang-wook meets Do Kyung-soo]. Newsen (in Korean). Naver. Retrieved May 25, 2025.
  8. ^ a b c Ahn, Byeong-gil (November 21, 2024). [단독]'괴물신인' 조윤수 '조각도시' 여주, 지창욱 도경수 만난다 [Lee Kwang-soo's 'The Manipulated' is on the rise]. Kyunghyang Shinmun (in Korean). Retrieved May 25, 2025.
  9. ^ a b Moon Jiyeon (October 17, 2024). [단독] 원톱 주연→'모범택시' 열일 中..표예진, '조각도시' 지창욱의 여자 된다 [[Exclusive] Top Leading Role → 'Taxi Driver' in the Works... Pyo Ye-jin Becomes Ji Chang-wook's Woman in 'Piece City']. Sports Chosun (in Korean). Retrieved May 25, 2025.
  10. ^ Merican, Sara (November 20, 2024). "Disney+ Unveils Upcoming Korean Slate, Including 'The Murky Stream,' 'The Manipulated' — Disney APAC Showcase". Deadline Hollywood. Retrieved November 21, 2024.
  11. ^ Disney+ PH [@disneyplusph] (September 22, 2025). "Ji Changwook VS Doh Kyungsoo. #TheManipulated is coming to #DisneyPlusPH November 5!" (Tweet). Retrieved September 22, 2025 – via Twitter.
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