The new series “Don’t Stand Watching” arrives on Netflix, a psychological thriller that tells us about friendship, guilt and revenge. Set in an elegant but ruthless Korea, the story asks us how far two women are willing to go to free themselves from the ghosts of the past and the violence that oppresses them. An intense and disturbing work, which wants to leave its mark on the K-drama panorama, establishing itself as a mature and daring product.
Don’t stand by and watch: the plot
Eun Su works as a sales assistant in a luxury boutique. Despite his impeccable smile, he hides a childhood trauma he has never overcome. Her only true friend is Hui Su, a children’s book writer who has seen every dream fade away, trapped in an abusive marriage with Jin Pyo, a cruel and possessive man. When yet another attack pushes Eun Su to the limit, the woman decides to rebel against fate and save her friend, even at the cost of getting her hands dirty. The two devise an extreme plan: kill Jin Pyo and regain their freedom. But their secret attracts the attention of Jin So Baek, powerful CEO of the Jingang Firm, who discovers the truth and decides to help them – perhaps out of convenience, perhaps out of compassion. What begins as a liberation mission turns into a dangerous game of alliances, blackmail and survival.
“Don’t Stand By” is the Korean adaptation of the Japanese novel “Naomi and Kanako” by Hideo Okuda (2014), already brought to the small screen in Japan in 2016. The Netflix version rereads the story with an entirely Korean sensitivity and accentuates the themes of female solidarity, domestic violence and the search for personal justice.
Don’t stand by and watch: the cast
In the role of the tormented Eun Su we find Jeon So Nee. Lee You Mi plays the fragile but determined Hui Su. Jang Seung Jo takes on the role of the violent Jin Pyo. Lee Moo Saeng gives face to the mysterious Jin So Baek, the businessman who decides to intervene in the fate of the two protagonists.
Don’t wait and watch: when it comes out on Netflix
The series debuts on Netflix on Friday, November 7, 2025. The first two episodes have already premiered at the 30th Busan International Film Festival on September 18, 2025.
Don’t stand by and watch: the Italian trailer
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