Hunter with a Scalpel (2025) is a gripping South Korean psychological thriller that slices into the anatomy of trauma, inheritance, and moral ambiguity. Directed by Lee Jung-hoon and led by a haunting performance from Park Ju-hyun, the series follows Seo Se-hyun, a forensic pathologist whose clinical detachment and razor-sharp intellect conceal a deeply fractured past. When evidence from a murder case unexpectedly points to her father—a man long thought dead—Se-hyun is thrust into a nightmarish spiral that blurs the line between investigator and fugitive.
Se-hyun has made a name for herself in the medical examiner’s world, her antisocial personality disorder giving her both an emotional buffer and an unflinching precision. But her control fractures the moment she recognizes her father’s signature in a recent autopsy report. Yoon Jo-gyun, once a notorious serial killer, vanished from her life under horrific circumstances. Now, he’s resurfaced—not just alive, but killing again. Determined to end what began in childhood, Se-hyun embarks on a hidden manhunt, concealing her personal connection while staying one step ahead of the police.
Unbeknownst to her, the case has also captured the attention of Detective Jung Jeong-hyun, the principled and quietly observant leader of the Violent Crimes Unit. As he begins tracing the patterns behind the murder, his path begins to converge with Se-hyun’s. Their dynamic becomes a tense psychological standoff—each pursuing the same killer, each hiding truths of their own. The deeper the investigation cuts, the more it reveals about Se-hyun’s unresolved trauma, her ethical limits, and the dangerous legacy her father left behind.
Thematically, Hunter with a Scalpel delves into the corrosive bonds of family, the psychological cost of surviving violence, and the complex relationship between science and justice. The series paints its world in cold, clinical tones—morgues, interrogation rooms, and mental shadows—highlighting the emotional sterility of its protagonist. Yet beneath the scalpel’s edge lies a fragile human question: Can a daughter stop the man who shaped her before he destroys what remains of her?
Premiering June 16, 2025 on Disney+, the series has already generated global buzz after being selected for the Canneseries Festival. With a chilling atmosphere, cerebral storytelling, and a lead character as unsettling as she is compelling, Hunter with a Scalpel promises to be one of the year’s most psychologically rich thrillers—where every cut reveals something deeper, and nothing stays buried for long.