SEOUL, Aug. 20 (Yonhap) -- The upcoming Netflix original series "Mousetrap" draws inspiration from a Korean folktale in which a rat turns into a person by eating that person's clipped nails, while weaving in a chase to track down the rat-turned-human, its director said Thursday.

Based on the webtoon "Field Mouse," it follows Moon-jae (Ryu Jun-yeol), a reclusive writer who finds himself robbed of his identity and becomes embroiled in a high-stakes hunt to track down the "rat" that seems to know him even better than he knows himself.

The 10-episode series also features Sul Kyung-gu as Noja, a loan shark who teams up with Moon-jae to track down the rat, and Lee Kyoo-hyung as a police detective involved in the mysterious case.

The stars of the upcoming Netflix original series "Mousetrap" – (L to R) Sul Kyung-gu, Ryu Jun-yeol and Lee Kyoo-hyung -- pose for a photo during a publicity event in Seoul on Aug. 20, 2026. (Yonhap)

"It is a story inspired by the traditional folktale of a field mouse who eats clipped nails," director Kim Hong-sun said at a press conference. "It is a thriller in which a person whose life has been completely taken away seeks to regain his identity."

To differentiate the series from other works that explore themes of stolen identities and truth, Kim said he made the process of tracking down the rat central to the plot.

While the story does not feature heroes with superpowers, the lead actors said they were drawn to the plot of losing and regaining one's identity and questioning what is real in the process.

"The characters are not superheroes, they are actually very normal people. The plot centers on the uneasiness, the fear and doubt the characters go through, exploring what it means to be true, to be real," Sul said.

The stars of the upcoming Netflix original series "Mousetrap" -- Sul Kyung-gu (L), Ryu Jun-yeol (2nd from L) and Lee Kyoo-hyung (R) -- along with director Kim Hong-sun -- pose for a photo during a publicity event in Seoul on Aug. 20, 2026. (Yonhap)

Ryu, who said he read the webtoon before reading the full script, said the original work asks readers how a person's identity can be understood and proven.

"The original webtoon is very deep and philosophical. I think what it wanted to ask was how we can be defined and proven, whether that is our true self and whether the people we see are also their true selves," he said.

The actor, who took on his first dual role, said he focused on portraying the two versions of Moon-jae through subtle differences, instead of making the two characters dramatically different.

"I thought deeply about how I could convince audiences, since they know very well that the same actor is playing both roles," he said. "The conclusion was to differentiate the two characters through subtle differences in their personalities and gazes. The most noticeable difference is the voice."

"Mousetrap" is set to premiere Friday next week.