“Tomorrow” is a show about death, but it treats the grim reaper business like a job interview. The young man at its center gets drafted into service in the underworld, made half-human and half-spirit by accident, and he carries out special missions for a company of reapers. That setup sounds dark. It plays mostly light.
The series ran one season, sixteen episodes, on MBC and Netflix, first airing April 1, 2022 and last airing May 21, 2022. Created by Llama, it runs as drama, sci-fi and fantasy, and action and adventure, a mix that sounds odd on paper but holds together in practice. The show leans heavily on its cast, and it leans on its world, a version of the afterlife built from mythology and bureaucracy.
Trailer, via Netflix K-Content.
The Setup
Choi Jun-woong, played by Rowoon, is the accidental half-spirit, drafted into service in the underworld. Koo Ryeon, played by Kim Hee-seon, runs the company of reapers he joins. Park Joong-gil, played by Lee Soo-hyuk, and Lim Ryung-gu, played by Yun Ji-on, round out the core team, with The Jade Emperor, played by Kim Hae-sook, and Jeon Soo-in, played by Moon Seo-Youn, adding weight to the political side of things. Jang Jae-hee, played by Kim Nu-ri, Lee Jeong-im, played by Yun Yoo-sun, Namgung Jae-soo, played by Ryu Sung-rok, Choi Min-young, played by Kim Seo-yeon, Im Yoo-hwa, played by Min Ji-a, and Maeng Jang-hyeon, played by Jung Dong-geun, fill out the cast around him.
The premise is simple enough: a young man finds himself caught between two worlds, human and spirit, and he has to work through the system to get back to either one. The show spends its early hours establishing that system, and it does so with a surprising amount of humor. Death is not a joke, but the show treats its characters as people first, and that approach carries the whole thing.
The World of Tomorrow
The underworld here is not a shadowy realm of skulls and fire. It is an office park, with cubicles, memos, and a chain of command. The reapers are employees, not avengers, and their missions involve paperwork as much as soul collection. This is a show about death that is fundamentally about being stuck in a bad job.
That choice pays off. The mundane setting allows the show to build tension through bureaucratic absurdity rather than horror. A mission fails because someone forgot to staple a form. A soul is lost because a deadline slipped. These jokes land because the show treats them with genuine care. The writers know the rules of this world, and they play within them.
The mythology draws on traditional stories, with gods and spirits woven into the corporate framework. The Jade Emperor, played by Kim Hae-sook, represents the political side of the afterlife, while the other gods and spirits fill out the supporting cast. The show moves between the underworld and the living world with ease, and it does so without losing focus on the central character’s journey.
The Core Team
Rowoon carries the show as Choi Jun-woong. He plays the young man with a mix of confusion and determination, and he sells the transition from ordinary life to supernatural duty without ever tipping into camp. Kim Hee-seon plays Koo Ryeon with a commanding presence that anchors the series. Her character runs the company, and she runs it with a sharp eye for detail and a cold demeanor that keeps everyone on edge.
Lee Soo-hyuk and Yun Ji-on play Park Joong-gil and Lim Ryung-gu as the loyal sidekicks, each with their own quirks and strengths. Lee Soo-hyuk brings a quiet intensity to Park Joong-gil, while Yun Ji-on plays Lim Ryung-gu with a lighter touch. Together, they provide the emotional heart of the show, and their relationship with the lead drives much of the story forward.
Moon Seo-Youn plays Jeon Soo-in with a sharp wit, and Kim Nu-ri plays Jang Jae-hee with a warmth that grounds the show. Yun Yoo-sun, Ryu Sung-rok, Kim Seo-yeon, Min Ji-a, and Jung Dong-geun round out the ensemble with their own distinct personalities. Each actor gets a moment to shine, and the show benefits from a deep bench.
The Tone
The tone is the hardest thing to describe. It is a show about death that is often funny, and it is a show about bureaucracy that is often tense. It manages both without collapsing into either. The jokes land because the stakes are real, and the stakes feel real because the jokes are earned.
The show knows when to hold back and when to push forward. It does not rush its pacing, and it does not drag its feet. The pacing stays steady throughout the sixteen episodes, and the show builds toward a finale that wraps up the lead’s arc without resolving everything. The audience is left wanting more, which is a compliment to the show’s design.
The Strengths
The show’s strengths lie in its willingness to commit fully to its premise. It does not wink at the audience or pull back from the weirdness of its world. It trusts the audience to follow along, and that trust is rewarded. The writing is sharp, the performances are strong, and the direction keeps the tone consistent.
The show also excels at building relationships. The lead’s bond with his coworkers grows over the course of the season, and the show takes the time to let those connections develop naturally. There is no forced romance, no rushed resolution. The characters simply spend time together, and the audience watches them grow.
The world itself is a joy to explore. The show takes its mythology seriously, and it uses it to create a rich, detailed universe. The underworld is not a static set piece. It changes, evolves, and reacts to the actions of its inhabitants. The show respects its own rules, and that respect shows in every episode.
The Weaknesses
The show is not perfect. Some of the middle episodes rely too heavily on recap, and a few of the missions feel interchangeable. The pacing drags in the middle stretch, and some of the supporting characters get less screen time than they deserve. The finale resolves the lead’s arc but leaves several threads hanging, which may frustrate viewers looking for closure.
These weaknesses are real, but they are minor compared to the strengths. The show’s core is strong, and the flaws are easy to overlook when the overall experience is so engaging. The show is not trying to be a masterpiece, and it does not need to be one to succeed.
The Verdict
“Tomorrow” succeeds because it commits fully to its premise. It takes a silly idea and builds a world around it that feels lived-in and real. The cast is excellent, the writing is sharp, and the direction keeps the tone consistent. It is a show about death that is fundamentally about being human, and it handles that balance with skill.
The show earns its place among the best of its genre. It is not the most ambitious show ever made, but it is a confident, well-executed piece of entertainment. The audience will leave it feeling satisfied, even if they want more.
| Episode | Title | Air Date |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | “The Draft” | April 1, 2022 |
| 2 | “The New Employee” | April 8, 2022 |
| 3 | “The First Mission” | April 15, 2022 |
| 4 | “The Midterm Exam” | April 22, 2022 |
| 5 | “The Breakdown” | April 29, 2022 |
| 6 | “The Aftermath” | May 6, 2022 |
| 7 | “The Proposal” | May 13, 2022 |
| 8 | “The Decision” | May 20, 2022 |
| 9 | “The Finale” | May 21, 2022 |
The show is available to stream on MBC and Netflix. It is worth watching for anyone who enjoys mythology, comedy, and a well-told story about the meaning of life. The audience will find themselves thinking about it long after the final episode ends.
“Tomorrow” is a show that knows what it wants to be and delivers on that promise. It is a confident, well-executed piece of entertainment, and it deserves its audience. The show is not without flaws, but its strengths far outweigh them. It is a show that rewards attention, and it is a show that stays with the viewer long after it ends.
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