"Cashero": Lee Jun-ho is a superhero who goes broke every time he saves the world

Forget billionaires like Batman or Iron Man. Netflix’s new hero is an office worker who has to break his piggy bank and spend his wedding funds just to use his powers.

On December 26, “Cashero” arrives—the new Korean original series starring Lee Jun-ho (2PM)—promising to completely flip the superhero genre with a dose of brutal economic reality and plenty of humor.

At the press conference held this Monday in Seoul, the cast and director revealed why these are the “saltiest” and most relatable heroes you’ll see on screen.

The Plot of Cashero: “Pay-to-Win” Powers

Based on the popular webtoon of the same name, the story follows Kang Sang-woong (Lee Jun-ho), an ordinary public servant struggling to save up for marriage and buy a house. Suddenly, he inherits a superpower with a cruel condition: his physical strength increases in direct proportion to the amount of cash he holds in his hands (and which he spends while using it).

It is the ultimate millennial dilemma: Save the world or pay rent?

“It’s a realistic hero story about an ordinary person using superpowers to protect their daily life. I wanted to differentiate this from existing hero stories; rather than epic battles, it’s an ordinary person fighting with their abilities,” explained director Lee Chang-min.

Lee Jun-ho cashero kdrama netflix cast — Lee Jun-ho, Cashero, Netflix

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A Very Peculiar Team of Heroes

Sang-woong (Lee Jun-ho) is not alone in this financial struggle in Cashero. He joins other “superheroes” whose powers also depend on vices or daily expenses:

Bang Eun-mi (Kim Hyang-gi): Her power is telekinesis, but it only activates based on the calories she consumes.
- Fun Fact: Her nickname is “Bbangmi” (Bbang = Bread) because she is always eating bread to recharge energy. “I tried to make sure my lines didn’t sound strange while I was busy eating bread,” joked the actress.
Byeon Ho-in (Kim Byung-chul): A lawyer whose power activates when he drinks alcohol.
- The actor’s comment: “I thought viewers might worry: ‘Can this guy actually carry out a mission? Or will he just end up passed out on the street?'”

Lee Jun-ho: “I prefer the eating power”

During the conference, Lee Jun-ho confessed that, in real life, he would hate to have his character’s power.

“To be honest, I’m not a fan of my own superpower. I’m serious. The one I like most is Bang Eun-mi’s. If eating were my superpower, I would spend my entire fortune on it. I love eating that much,” he said with a laugh.

However, he highlighted the emotional depth of the role: “He is someone who needs to save money, but every time he uses his strength for someone else, money leaves his hands. He lives with that dilemma every day.”

The Villains and the Message of Cashero

On the opposing side of this K-drama are the villainous siblings Jonathan (Lee Chae-min) and Joanna (Kang Han-na), chaebol heirs who use their overwhelming capital to suppress these working-class heroes.

The final message of the series, according to Lee Jun-ho, is personal discovery: “The character doesn’t gain superpowers by choice… In the end, he realizes that what truly drives him is his own state of mind and his sense of justice, not the money.”

Lee Chae-min kdrama cashero cast netflix — Lee Chae-min, Cashero, Netflix

YOU CAN ALSO READ K-drama Bon Appetit Your Majesty, conquista Netflix con romance, historia y cocina

Premiere

“Cashero” will consist of 8 episodes and premieres exclusively on Netflix this Friday, December 26. It is designed to be a “binge-worthy” series (perfect for watching in one sitting).

🧐 FAQs: Everything You Need to Know Before Watching “Cashero”

Here we answer the key questions about this peculiar series so you can arrive at the premiere as an expert.

1. What exactly does the term “Salty Hero” mean in Korea?

They are called “salty heroes.” In Korean slang, this comes from “Jjan-nae” (salty smell/sweat), which is used to describe situations so pathetic or poor that they make you want to cry. Unlike Iron Man who is rich, these heroes are “salty” because their lives are precarious: they represent the young generation struggling to make ends meet.

2. Who are the protagonists of Cashero and what are their powers?

Lee Jun-ho (Sang-woong): Physical strength proportional to the cash he spends.
Kim Hyang-gi (Bang Eun-mi): Telekinesis that depends on how many calories she eats (she always carries bread).
Kim Byung-chul (Byeon Ho-in): Abilities that activate upon drinking alcohol.
Kim Hye-jun (Min-sook): Sang-woong’s realistic girlfriend, who handles the numbers and common sense.

3. Is it a Webtoon adaptation?

Yes, it is based on the popular webtoon of the same name (Cashero). The adaptation maintains the original premise of criticizing capitalism and modern life through the metaphor of superpowers that “cost” something personal (money, health, diet).

4. When does Cashero premiere and how many episodes does it have?

The K-drama premieres on Friday, December 26, 2025, on Netflix. The series has a total of 8 episodes, and they will all be released simultaneously, ideal for binge-watching.

5. Who are the villains of Cashero?

The antagonists are a mysterious organization called Beominhoe, led by siblings Jonathan (Lee Chae-min) and Joanna (Kang Han-na). Unlike the heroes who suffer for money, they are rich heirs who use their capital to oppress them, creating a literal clash of social classes.

Lee Jun-ho is a superhero in the latest netflix kdrama cashero — Lee Jun-ho, Cashero, Nerflix

6. What is the curious connection between the two male leads and Yoona?

This is the coincidence that has K-Drama fans going wild. Both the hero and the villain have been the most recent fictional partners of Im Yoon-ah (Girls’ Generation):

Lee Jun-ho broke global records with her in King the Land.
Lee Chae-min (the villain Jonathan) comes from starring alongside her in the drama Bon Appétit, Your Majesty. Basically, Cashero pits Yoona’s two “ex-boyfriends” from the drama universe against each other.

7. Who is the actor on the “meteoric rise” everyone is talking about?

It is Lee Chae-min (who plays the villain Jonathan). His career has been explosive: he went from being an MC on the music show Music Bank and having supporting roles in Crash Course in Romance, to leading his own drama (Bon Appétit…) and now being the main antagonist of a Netflix blockbuster, all in record time. He is considered the next big star of the Korean “Gen Z.”

8. Is there a cast reunion in this show?

Yes! The villains already know each other very well. Lee Chae-min and Kang Han-na (who play the evil siblings Jonathan and Joanna) just worked together in the aforementioned Bon Appétit, Your Majesty. In that drama, Kang Han-na had a historical antagonistic role, and now they repeat the dynamic but as a chaebol family in the modern era.

9. Why does the humor of the series feel so familiar?

If the ridiculous situations remind you of something, it’s because the director is Lee Chang-min, the genius behind the cult comedy “Welcome to Waikiki.” He is an expert at mixing the characters’ misfortune with hilarious physical humor, which fits perfectly with the premise of a hero who goes broke saving the day.

10. How faithful is the series to the original Webtoon?

Team Beom’s original webtoon is famous for its simple drawing style and sharp social criticism. The series maintains the essence of the powers and economic precariousness, but it has visually “glamourized” the villains (making them more sophisticated) and expanded the action scenes to take advantage of the Netflix budget, something that was more schematic in the original drawing.

11. Does Kim Byung-chul always play eccentric characters?

It is his specialty. The actor playing the lawyer with alcohol powers is a “scene-stealer” legend. You might remember him as the strict father in SKY Castle, the zombie villain in All of Us Are Dead, or the cheating husband in Doctor Cha. His participation in Cashero guarantees that the character will have very solid layers of dark comedy.

12. Is this the first time Lee Chae-min plays a bad guy?

Yes, this is the first villain role in Lee Chae-min’s career. The actor is known for being the sweet MC of Music Bank or the model student in Crash Course in Romance. Seeing him as a ruthless chaebol who “hunts” heroes is a radical change of register for the rising star.

cashero cast press conference netfix kdrama — Par of the Cashero cast at the press conference, Netflix

13. How does Lee Jun-ho close his 2025 with Cashero? Lee Jun-ho has had an intensely busy and successful working year. Cashero marks his return to Netflix just months after starring in “Typhoon Company” (Typhon Family). With this premiere, the actor seeks not only to consolidate his title as “King of Romantic Comedies” but also to continue expanding into action and dark fantasy, which suits him just as well.