A new Taiwanese production is poised to capture global attention, exploring the darkest depths of grief, motherhood, and the desire for revenge. Originally titled “回魂計,” this Netflix original series is shaping up to be a suspenseful thriller that weaves together crime drama and supernatural elements, asking a fundamental question: how far will a mother go to avenge her daughter’s suffering?
Drama, suspense, and the supernatural define this new thriller. Based on the theme of vengeance, the series seeks to push beyond the boundaries of reality, crossing into the mystical to achieve the goals of two mothers willing to do anything to get their revenge.
An Unprecedented Alliance: Vengeance and Motherhood in The Resurrected
The story centers on two grieving mothers who, consumed by pain and a thirst for justice, form an alliance to carry out an act that defies logic and morality. Their goal is to avenge their daughters, who were victims of a kidnapping and fraud ring. However, their method transcends conventional retribution: they decide to bring the mastermind of the criminal plot—a man who has already been tried, sentenced to death, and executed—back to life.
This resurrection, achieved through a “mysterious ritual,” drives the series’ thematic exploration. By bringing the culprit back to the world of the living, the protagonists are not seeking a new legal trial but a personal and visceral form of justice, intending to subject him to a punishment inflicted by their own hands. This act establishes the series’ tone as a “dark thriller of suspense and revenge” that puts its characters through a profound psychological test of hatred and redemption.
The decision to merge a crime drama, rooted in the tangible reality of fraud and kidnapping, with a supernatural element allows the narrative to operate on a more metaphorical level. The villain’s resurrection becomes the physical manifestation of the mothers’ inability to overcome their hatred, forcing a direct confrontation that the formal justice system could not provide. The plot constantly questions whether revenge can truly lead to salvation or if it only opens the door to an even deeper moral abyss, where the line between victim and executioner becomes dangerously blurred.
The Anatomy of Vengeance
To contain this intense saga of retribution, the creators have built their own world: the fictional city of “Benkha.” The series delves into themes with great contemporary resonance. Although the catalyst is a case of fraud and kidnapping, the story expands to touch on “the weak points of Taiwanese society,” such as rampant fraud, financial exploitation through cults or religious groups, the inherent limitations of legal justice, and the indelible trauma suffered by victims and their families. In this world of deception and manipulation, the protagonists are forced not only to confront an external enemy but also their own inner demons, compelled to make “heartbreaking decisions” that push them to their limits.
The city of Benkha becomes a thematic battleground. It is a place where the formal justice system has proven insufficient, as suggested by the ironic revelation that the criminal viewed the death penalty not as a punishment but as a “reward and a release.” This failure of institutional justice is what legitimizes, in the eyes of the protagonists, their extraordinary and transgressive actions. The setting itself justifies the premise, creating an environment where the only possible justice seems to be the one taken into one’s own hands.
The Cast and Their Characters
The prestige of The Resurrected is immensely reinforced by a cast of world-class actors, whose selection seems designed to deepen the series’ thematic complexities.
The Avenging Mothers: Shu Qi and Lee Sinje
Leading the cast are two of the most celebrated actresses in Asian cinema: Shu Qi and Lee Sinje. This production marks the first time both internationally acclaimed stars have headlined a Mandarin-language series for Netflix, representing a milestone in their respective careers.
Shu Qi, in her long-awaited return to a leading television role, plays Wang Huijun. Her character is described as a mother who “walks on the edge of morality,” internally torn between holding on to hatred and finding a way to let it go. The actress, who has no children herself, noted the challenge of accurately capturing the complex and tormented psyche of a mother in such extreme circumstances.
Lee Sinje, an icon of Asian horror cinema for her role in The Eye, takes on the part of Zhao Jing. The actress describes this character as “extremely dark,” a role unlike anything she has played before, which made her feel “unfamiliar to herself” during filming. The collaboration between Shu Qi and Lee Sinje has generated great anticipation, especially among genre film fans, who see it as a reunion of the stars from the influential horror films The Eye and The Eye 2.
The Architect of Pain and the Voice of the Law
The central antagonist, Zhang Shikai, the resurrected mastermind of the scam network, is played by Fu Meng-po. The actor confessed that this is the first time he has embodied a character so “extremely evil” and “extreme”—a challenge that was demanding both physically and mentally but proved immensely gratifying due to the intensity of the dramatic conflict.
Completing the main quartet, the multi-award-winning actress Alyssa Chia makes a special appearance as Huang Yizhen. Her character is crucial: she is a lawyer and, at the same time, the mother of one of the girls involved in the case. This dual role positions her as a fundamental thematic counterpoint, representing the formal and legal justice system that the other two mothers have decided to abandon. Her internal conflict, caught between her professional duty and her pain as a mother, promises to be one of the pillars of the series’ dramatic tension. Chia herself has highlighted the “dramatic tension” of each character, admitting she was reluctant for the shoot to end.
A Cast of Depth and International Scope
The supporting cast adds additional layers of complexity and talent. Zhong Xin-ling plays a “cold religious mother” whose seemingly benevolent smile hides a chilling calculation. The cast also features respected Taiwanese actors like Cheng Jen-shuo as Wang Huijun’s husband, with whom she has a tense relationship due to their daughter’s vegetative state; and Lee Ming-chung as a police officer who becomes a key ally to the mothers in their revenge plot.
They are joined by emerging stars such as Patrick Nattawat Finkler (also known as Yin Hao-yu), who plays a young man who, after losing a loved one, joins the mothers’ alliance and uses his charms in their plan of retribution; and Fang Yu-ting, who plays Lee Sinje’s daughter in highly emotional scenes.
The project’s international dimension is strengthened by the special participation of Thai superstar Sukollawat Kanarot. He plays the owner of a small neighborhood shop, a seemingly simple character who actually possesses a deep knowledge of the intricacies of the entire case, adding an element of mystery and external observation to the plot.
Behind the Camera
The creative credibility of The Resurrected is anchored by a top-tier directing team. The series is co-directed by Leste Chen and Hsu Chao-jen, two filmmakers with distinctive yet complementary styles. Leste Chen is known for his work on genre films with a strong psychological component and a refined visual aesthetic, such as the acclaimed Eternal Summer, The Great Hypnotist, and Battle of Memories. His expertise in building suspenseful atmospheres is essential for the series’ high-concept premise and dark tone.
Meanwhile, Hsu Chao-jen is a director who has won multiple Golden Bell Awards—Taiwanese television’s highest honor—and is celebrated for character-driven dramas with great emotional resonance, such as The Making of an Ordinary Woman and Tears on Fire. His ability to draw out naturalistic performances and explore the complexities of human relationships provides the emotional grounding necessary for a story about grief and motherhood. The union of these two directors, who have collaborated on previous projects, suggests a symbiotic fusion of styles, indicating that the series aims to be both a visually striking genre piece and a deeply moving human drama.
The creative team is rounded out by producers Yang Tingkai and Duan Mengna, and screenwriters Shen Yang, Yi Shuaijie, and Luo Xiaorui, who together shape this complex narrative.
Premiere and Global Release
The first two episodes of The Resurrected premiered at the 30th Busan International Film Festival on September 18, 2025. The series will be available for worldwide viewing on Netflix starting October 9, 2025.
