# The Veil (검은 태양) (South Korean TV series)
**The Veil** (검은 태양; *Geomeun Taeyang*, literal title "Black Sun") is a 2021 South Korean spy-action thriller television series broadcast on MBC, directed by Kim Seong-yong and written by Park Seok-ho, starring Namgoong Min, Park Ha-sun, Kim Do-hyeon, and [Kim Ji-eun](https://www.edgepedia.org/kim-ji-eun).[1](https://content.mbc.co.kr/program/drama/3601187_64285.html) • [2](https://content.mbc.co.kr/program/drama/3601187_64284.html) It ran for 12 episodes from September 17 to October 23, 2021, airing Fridays and Saturdays at 22:00.[3](https://asianwiki.com/The_Veil)
| Key fact | Detail |
|---|---|
| Native title | 검은 태양 (*Geomeun Taeyang*, literal "Black Sun")[3](https://asianwiki.com/The_Veil) |
| Network and run | MBC, September 17 – October 23, 2021, Fridays and Saturdays at 22:00[3](https://asianwiki.com/The_Veil) |
| Episodes | 12 in the main run; Viki's listing shows 14, apparently counting the two-episode spin-off[3](https://asianwiki.com/The_Veil) • [4](https://www.viki.com/tv/38055c-the-veil?locale=ko) |
| Credits | Director Kim Seong-yong, writer Park Seok-ho[1](https://content.mbc.co.kr/program/drama/3601187_64285.html) |
| Lead cast | Namgoong Min (Han Ji-hyuk), Park Ha-sun (Seo Soo-yeon), Kim Do-hyeon (Ha Dong-gyun), Kim Ji-eun (Yoo Je-yi)[1](https://content.mbc.co.kr/program/drama/3601187_64285.html) • [2](https://content.mbc.co.kr/program/drama/3601187_64284.html) |
| Ratings | AGB Nielsen nationwide range 7.2% (premiere) to 9.8% (episode 3); finale 8.8% nationwide, 9.2% in Seoul[3](https://asianwiki.com/The_Veil) |
| Awards | 2021 MBC Drama Awards Grand Prize for Namkoong Min, plus three other acting awards[3](https://asianwiki.com/The_Veil) |
## Premise and plot
MBC's official synopsis describes a man who was once a top agent of the National Intelligence Service (NIS) confronting a huge monster behind the organization as he searches for the internal traitor who dropped him into the abyss, a process that requires him to erase his memory.[1](https://content.mbc.co.kr/program/drama/3601187_64285.html)
The backstory begins a year before the main story, when Han Ji-hyuk is accused of involvement in the leak of a list of NIS agents in China, an incident that put the entire Foreign Intelligence Unit in danger.[1](https://content.mbc.co.kr/program/drama/3601187_64285.html) Viki's Korean synopsis adds that Ji-hyuk, an ace agent of the NIS Foreign Intelligence Bureau who had never failed a mission, goes missing during an operation in Liaoning Province, China, near the [North Korea](https://www.edgepedia.org/north-korea)–China border, and reappears a year later with his memory lost.[4](https://www.viki.com/tv/38055c-the-veil?locale=ko) OnDemandKorea's synopsis states that he had been classified dead before suddenly appearing at the Korean mission in Shenyang; the two streaming synopses differ on whether this was the Korean embassy or the Korean consulate.[4](https://www.viki.com/tv/38055c-the-veil?locale=ko) • [5](https://www.signup.ondemandkorea.com/ko/program-landing/the-veil-drama) The series follows his search for the traitor within the agency and his reckoning with the organization that discarded him.
## Cast and characters
- **Han Ji-hyuk** (Namgoong Min) is a top NIS field agent nicknamed "the Grim Reaper," an ex-Navy UDU operative who looks strong and cold but has suffered from PTSD for a long time and takes strong doses of antidepressants and painkillers.[1](https://content.mbc.co.kr/program/drama/3601187_64285.html)
- **Seo Soo-yeon** ([Park Ha-sun](https://www.edgepedia.org/park-ha-sun)) is team leader of the Criminal Intelligence Center Unit 4 and a former international journalist.[1](https://content.mbc.co.kr/program/drama/3601187_64285.html)
- **Ha Dong-gyun** (Kim Do-hyeon) is the previous Black Sun team leader of Criminal Intelligence Center Unit 1, who embezzled NIS intelligence funds and holds a grudge against Ji-hyuk.[1](https://content.mbc.co.kr/program/drama/3601187_64285.html)
- **Yoo Je-yi** (Kim Ji-eun) of the field support team joined the NIS at age 21 after her father, an ANSP agent on a North Korea operation in China, went missing.[1](https://content.mbc.co.kr/program/drama/3601187_64285.html)
## Production and broadcast
MBC's English and Korean program pages credit Kim Seong-yong (김성용) as director and Park Seok-ho (박석호) as writer, with Namgoong Min (남궁민), Park Ha-sun (박하선), Kim Do-hyeon (김도현), and Kim Ji-eun (김지은) starring.[1](https://content.mbc.co.kr/program/drama/3601187_64285.html) • [2](https://content.mbc.co.kr/program/drama/3601187_64284.html) The series aired on MBC from September 17 to October 23, 2021, in the Friday–Saturday 22:00 slot, for 12 episodes.[3](https://asianwiki.com/The_Veil)
Episode counts differ across platforms: MBC-era listings and Prime Video's KOCOWA listing give 12 episodes for the main run, while Viki lists 14, a figure that appears to include the two-episode spin-off *Moebius: The Veil*.[3](https://asianwiki.com/The_Veil) • [6](https://www.primevideo.com/detail/0MF8AWO9PV9XV7KLT15RKO5DLS) • [4](https://www.viki.com/tv/38055c-the-veil?locale=ko) Prime Video's listing also presents the series as two seasons, which conflicts with the single continuous MBC run documented elsewhere.[6](https://www.primevideo.com/detail/0MF8AWO9PV9XV7KLT15RKO5DLS) • [3](https://asianwiki.com/The_Veil)
## By the numbers
Per AGB Nielsen figures compiled by AsianWiki, nationwide ratings opened at 7.2% for episode 1 and peaked at 9.8% for episode 3. The finale on October 23, 2021 drew 8.8% nationwide and 9.2% in Seoul, ranking 3rd in its time slot.[3](https://asianwiki.com/The_Veil) The cited Viki and Prime Video listings report user ratings.[4](https://www.viki.com/tv/38055c-the-veil?locale=ko) • [6](https://www.primevideo.com/detail/0MF8AWO9PV9XV7KLT15RKO5DLS)
## Reception and awards
At the 2021 MBC Drama Awards, held December 30, 2021, [Namkoong Min](https://www.edgepedia.org/namkoong-min) won the Grand Prize (대상) for his role as Han Ji-hyuk. The series also took Excellent Actress (Jang Young-nam), Best Supporting Actor (Kim Do-hyun), and Best New Actress (Kim Ji-eun).[3](https://asianwiki.com/The_Veil) The 9.8% Nielsen peak described above provides an audience-rating measure.[4](https://www.viki.com/tv/38055c-the-veil?locale=ko) • [6](https://www.primevideo.com/detail/0MF8AWO9PV9XV7KLT15RKO5DLS) • [3](https://asianwiki.com/The_Veil)
## Distribution and follow-ups
The series is available on Prime Video through KOCOWA, on Rakuten Viki, and on OnDemandKorea.[6](https://www.primevideo.com/detail/0MF8AWO9PV9XV7KLT15RKO5DLS) • [4](https://www.viki.com/tv/38055c-the-veil?locale=ko) • [5](https://www.signup.ondemandkorea.com/ko/program-landing/the-veil-drama)
A two-episode spin-off, *Moebius: The Veil* (모비우스: 검은 태양), followed the main series on October 29, 2021, focusing on Kim Ji-eun's character Yoo Je-yi.[3](https://asianwiki.com/The_Veil)
## References
1. [The Veil :: MBC Global Media](https://content.mbc.co.kr/program/drama/3601187_64285.html)
2. [검은태양 (The Veil) :: MBC Global Media](https://content.mbc.co.kr/program/drama/3601187_64284.html)
3. [The Veil – AsianWiki](https://asianwiki.com/The_Veil)
4. [검은 태양 | Rakuten Viki](https://www.viki.com/tv/38055c-the-veil?locale=ko)
5. [검은태양 | The Veil | OnDemandKorea](https://www.signup.ondemandkorea.com/ko/program-landing/the-veil-drama)
6. [The Veil – Prime Video (KOCOWA)](https://www.primevideo.com/detail/0MF8AWO9PV9XV7KLT15RKO5DLS)
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*Topic: Encyclopedia › Arts and culture › Screen and stage › Film and television › Series and fictional screen worlds › International serial drama and telenovelas › East Asian drama series › Korean contemporary drama › Thriller, crime, and mystery series › Spy and action thrillers*
*Initially written Sep 17, 2026 · Reviewed: Sep 18, 2026; Sep 30, 2026; Oct 25, 2026 · Edited: Sep 18, 2026; Sep 30, 2026; Oct 25, 2026 · Last review: Oct 25, 2026*
*Copyright 2026 EdgeChat AI, a subsidiary of Biostate AI.*
License: Edgepedia Community License 1.0, https://www.edgepedia.org/edgepedia/license