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Train to Busan” director Yeon Sang-ho is to direct a Korean, live action series adaptation of hit Japanese manga “Parasyte: The Grey.” Netflix is the exclusive distributor worldwide.

The story is about unidentified parasitic life-forms that live off human hosts and strive to grow their power. As they start to disrupt society, a group of humans wage war against the rising evil.

Korean stars Jeon So-nee, Koo Kyo-hwan, Lee Jung-hyun have been confirmed to head the cast. The series is being produced on behalf of Netflix by Climax Studio and Wow Point.

The series is adapted from a hit manga series created by Iwaaki Hitoshi about invasive life-forms that seize and control human bodies. Published by the Kodansha company in its Morning Open Zkan and its Monthly Afternoon magazine from 1988 to 1995, it sold over 25 million copies in over 20 territories and countries.

The story, which mixes up fantasy and philosophical themes, spawned an animated series and two live action films. Toho released the two films in 2014 and 2015, grossing $9.6 million and $12.8 million respectively.

The Netflix adaptation will be co-scripted by Yeon and Ryu Yong-jae, the screenwriter of Netflix’s Money Heist: Korea – Joint Economic Area. Yeon’s credits include two zombie-themed hits “Train to Busan” its sequel “Peninsula” and hit Netflix series “Hellbound.”

Jeon (“Scripting Your Destiny,” “When My Love Blooms” “Encounter) plays a woman who falls victim to a parasite. And when it fails to take over her brain, she enters a bizarre coexistence with it. Koo (“Peninsula,” “Ashin of the North” plays Seol Kang-woo who tracks down parasites in order to find his missing sister.
Lee (“The Admiral, Roaring Currents”) portrays the leader of Team Grey, a task force battling parasites. Having lost her husband to these invasive life-forms, she devotes herself to their demise.

“Yeon has created a universe of his own marked by his uninhibited and awe-inspiring imagination. Given his incisive insight into human nature when people are faced with chaotic world order, many are curious to see how he will translate the world portrayed in Parasyte with Korean twist,” said Netflix in a prepared statement.