Premiering September 26, 2025, exclusively on Disney+, The Murky Stream (Korean title: 탁류) is a sweeping historical action drama set in the waning years of the Joseon Dynasty — an age of corruption, chaos, and survival.

From director Choo Chang-min (Masquerade) and writer Chun Sung-il (The Pirates), this powerful reimagining fuses political intrigue, gangster myth, and moral reckoning into a world where justice is bought, loyalty bleeds, and truth sinks beneath the surface.

Plot Overview

Once clear and life-giving, the Gyeonggang River has turned dark and polluted — a haunting reflection of a kingdom collapsing under greed and decay. Amid this turmoil, three souls are caught in its relentless current:

Jang Si-yool (Rowoon) — a feared gangster from Mapo Ferry, both respected and despised for his brute strength and fractured humanity.

Choi Eun (Shin Ye-eun) — a brilliant merchant and the head of Joseon’s most powerful trading guild, whose sense of justice clashes with a world driven by deceit.

Jeong-cheon (Park Seo-ham) — an idealistic police officer desperate to cleanse the rot of corruption and restore balance to a crumbling order.

Their fates intertwine in a merciless struggle between power, loyalty, and redemption, as each must decide what they are willing to sacrifice to survive.

Why It’s Generating Buzz

Based on Takryu, the celebrated novel by Chae Man-sik.

Directed by Choo Chang-min, the visionary behind Masquerade — one of Korea’s most acclaimed historical blockbusters.

Merges gangster legend, political conspiracy, and brutal realism into a single, relentless narrative.

Set in Mapo Ferry, the bustling heart of Joseon’s trade and corruption.

“In Joseon’s darkest waters, only the bold survive.”