CAST: Ju Ji Hoon, Han Hyo Joo, Lee Hee Joon, Lee Moon Saeng, Park Ji Yeon,

DIRECTOR: Park Chul-hwan

Cultivated meat, also known as cultured meat, is genuine animal meat (including seafood and organ meats) that is produced by cultivating animal cells directly. This production method eliminates the need to raise and farm animals for food. Cultivated meat is made of the same cell types that can be arranged in the same or similar structure as animal tissues, thus replicating the sensory and nutritional profiles of conventional meat.

Decades of accumulated knowledge in cell culture, stem cell biology, tissue engineering, fermentation, and chemical and bioprocess engineering preceded the field of cultivated meat.

The manufacturing process begins with acquiring and banking stem cells from an animal. These cells are then grown in bioreactors (known colloquially as cultivators) at high densities and volumes. Similar to what happens inside an animal’s body, the cells are fed an oxygen-rich cell culture medium made up of basic nutrients such as amino acids, glucose, vitamins, and inorganic salts, and supplemented with growth factors and other proteins.

cultivated meat will use significantly fewer resources and can reduce agriculture-related pollution and eutrophication. One study showed that cultivated meat, if produced using renewable energy, could reduce greenhouse gas emissions by up to 92% and land use by up to 90% compared to conventional beef. Additionally, commercial production is expected to occur entirely without antibiotics and is likely to result in fewer incidences of foodborne illnesses due to the lack of exposure risk from enteric pathogens.

Yoon Ja Yoo is the CEO of Blood Free, a company that produces cultured meat. As their market share increases, it hurts stock breeders who revolt against her and her company.

Some protest, others threaten her with her life.

As she presents her new products at a conference in Seoul, a hacker outfit holds ransom all the files in their lab and asks them to pay ransomware to get the files unlocked.

On her way back from the conference, a stock breeder decides to commit suicide by jumping off a building on top of her car.

In this situation, she increases security around her by hiring an ex-marine, Woo Chae Woon, who is competent to help protect her. He is trained not only in physical protection but also helps her figure out the people around her as she tries to dig deeper into who tried to hold her work at ransom.

But she does not know yet that Woo Chae Woon has an ulterior motive in working with her too.

This thriller is edge-of-the-seat roller coaster as Ja Yoo and Chae Woon start eliminating people known and unknown to figure out who is at counter-interest to Blood Free and what exactly are they after.

“Blood Free” streams on Hulu every Wednesday. It will have 10 episodes.