Fans wanting more prestige drama from the mind behind Beef are in luck. Emmy-winning writer and director Lee Sung Jin has launched his own production banner, Lila Pictures, locking in two brand-new television series directly with Netflix under his renewed multi-year overall pact.
The move reunites Lee with longtime creative partner Ali Wong, who took home an Emmy for her lead role in the first season of Beef.
Lila Pictures derives its name from the Sanskrit term for divine play. The banner will serve as the hub for Lee to write, direct, and produce original film and television titles while championing emerging writers. Former TeaTime Pictures creative executive Hyunji Ward joins the company as Senior Vice President of Film and Television.
“I’m excited to launch Lila Pictures with the support of my creative home at Netflix and the help of Hyunji Ward, our new SVP of Film and TV,” Lee said in a statement. “In Sanskrit, lila can be interpreted as ‘the divine play,’ and I’m grateful to reflect that through film and television, alongside close friends and collaborators like Ali Wong and Gene Hong. This is just the beginning. There will also be merch.”
Ali Wong Steps Into The World Of Olympic Archery
The flagship title under the new setup is The Only Child, a limited drama series that puts Wong back on screen in an intense new role.
Wong will star in and produce the project, playing the mother of an elite professional archer preparing to shoot for her first gold medal.
Read more: ‘Beef’ Season 2 Interview: Lee Sung Jin on Why Anger Is the Ultimate Social Equaliser
Screenwriter and playwright Ava Wong Davies (Industry) joins the writing team. The project marks Wong’s return to dramatic series work after her celebrated run opposite Steven Yeun.
True-Crime Obsession Drives Citizen’s Arrest
The second series in development is Citizen’s Arrest, created by Beef producer and writer Gene Hong (Magnum P.I.).
The drama follows two longtime friends and neighbours living in a quiet community. When a local crime rattles their area, their amateur investigation spirals into an all-consuming obsession that shields them from confronting the personal crises unravelling in their own homes.
Both projects remain in active development at Netflix, with casting notices and release schedules to follow.
Lee keeps a busy schedule outside the streaming giant, recently co-writing Marvel Studios’ upcoming X-Men feature with Joanna Calo and executive producing the indie film Lurker.
