When I watched the first teaser for Netflix’s upcoming Korean series “Trigger,” it immediately piqued my interest, and now that the full trailer has dropped, I’m even more intrigued.
Set to premiere on July 25, “Trigger” looks like an intense thriller with something to say, and plenty of action to keep you watching.
I wrote about the teaser a few weeks ago when it first surfaced, mostly because the concept of illegal firearms suddenly flooding a country where guns are almost entirely banned was instantly compelling (and different). But this new trailer dives much deeper into the chaos.
It introduces us to a former military sniper turned detective and a mysterious arms dealer with a dual identity, as they both move through a society on the brink of collapse.
Visually, it looks incredibly stylish, and narratively, it’s seems packed with striking moments like backroom deals, anonymous packages, and a city gripped by fear. The tone falls somewhere between “Vincenzo” and “Squid Game,” but with obvious political undertones. I’ll definitely be binge-watching this on day one.
A tension filled Trigger trailer
The new trailer opens with glimpses of illegal firearms being quietly distributed to different parts of South Korea, though the source remains a mystery. Tension escalates quickly as the video cuts between multiple shootings that send waves of fear through the public.
We also see shadowy deliveries being made, including weapons arriving in plain packages to those willing to pay, with stacks of cash exchanged in back rooms and alleys.
At the heart of the story is Lee Do, a police officer played by Kim Nam-gil, and Moon Baek, a mysterious figure portrayed by Kim Young-kwang. As the two cross paths, they inch closer to the truth at the center of this increasingly dangerous case.
‘Trigger’ looks like an intense watch worth tuning into
“Trigger” is already shaping up to be something more layered than your typical genre series. The story takes place in South Korea, a country where gun ownership is practically non-existent, and explores what happens when illegal firearms begin to circulate.
That setup alone brings a fresh tension to the narrative, with chaos unfolding as people from very different walks of life suddenly find themselves armed.
And while it has the hallmarks of a gripping action series, the trailer and poster hint that it’s aiming for something deeper. The tagline, “If everyone had a gun in their hands” is compelling on its own.
Not to mention that the story emphasizes the people involved more than the weapons themselves. Director Kwon Oh-seung told Netflix: “It is a story about a situation that we all have imagined at least once. This series explores guns from a different perspective, putting them at the center of the story.”
Since it’s a limited series, I’m really looking forward to binge-watching “Trigger” without any waiting around. There’s something satisfying about powering through a thriller all in one go, and I know I’ll appreciate getting that full adrenaline rush from start to finish.
I was already sold on the premise, but the full trailer adds more emotional weight, more tension, and a stronger sense of what the characters are really up against.
You can stream “Trigger” on Netflix starting July 25. In the meantime, see what's new on Netflix in July 2025.
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