Ji Chang-wook Gets Trapped by Do Kyung-soo’s Twisted Plot in "The Manipulated"

riya siddacharjee
Oct 3, 2025
2 min read

Ji Chang-wook is back on our screens, and this time he’s serving rage, heartbreak, and straight-up action hero energy in the Disney+ drama The Manipulated.

The teaser trailer just dropped, and it's serving as the revenge saga of the year!

Ji Chang-wook’s Ordinary Life Explodes Into Chaos in The Manipulated

The story follows Tae-Joong (played by Ji Chang-wook), a hardworking delivery guy who’s just out here hustling and chasing dreams.

He is a decent guy who picked up a stray phone and handed it back, but his life goes completely off the rails. Suddenly, Tae-Joong isn’t just unlucky; he’s accused of something horrible and locked behind bars. Brutal doesn’t even cover it.

Enter Yo-Han (played by Doh Kyung-soo, aka D.O. from EXO), the puppet master pulling strings from the shadows. He’s cold, calculated, and rocking a smile that makes you throw your phone across the room.

Ji Chang-wook in The Manipulated (Credits: Disney+) — Ji Chang-wook in *The Manipulated* (Credits: Disney+)

The twist? Every single piece of Tae-Joong’s downfall has been Yo-Han’s plan from the start.

The Manipulated deals with explosions, car chases, and vengeance

The teaser is pure chaos in the best way. Massive explosions tear through the screen, high-speed car chases.

In one scene, the protagonist delivers gut-punch emotion in prison as he whispers, “I don’t even know why this is happening to me.”

On the flip side, Doh Kyung-soo leans fully into his villain era, flashing a wicked grin as he says, “Good thing you called me.” It’s haunting, it’s intense, and it’s exactly the kind of cat-and-mouse drama fans are obsessed with.

And then comes the line that seals the deal: “I don’t know his face. I don’t know his name. But I’ll find him.”

The teaser ends with Tae-Joong spitting pure fire: “Just wait. I’m coming for you.” Meanwhile, Yo-Han just smirks like he already knows he’s won.

The Manipulated casting

Apart from Ji Chang-wook, the cast also includes Kim Jong-soo, Jo Yoon-soo, and Lee Kwang-soo, who are set to bring even more chaos, tension, and synergy to the mix.

Did you know The Manipulated is inspired by Fabricated City?

The drama takes cues from the 2017 hit movie Fabricated City (Jojakdwen Doshi), but it’s not just a retelling; it’s a whole new story, as per Asianwiki.

Fun fact: Ji Chang-wook, who’s starring in the series, teamed up again with screenwriter Oh Sang-ho, who worked on the original film.

Mark your calendars: The Manipulated premieres November 5 on Disney+. Four episodes drop on day one, with two episodes rolling out weekly. In total, 12 episodes.