Cashero review: Is the Netflix superhero drama worth watching?

Netflix has released its new South Korean superhero drama Cashero (캐셔로) on December 26, 2025. It consists of 8 episodes, with all releasing simultaneously.

The series is directed by Lee Chang-min and penned by writers Lee Jae-in and Jeon Chan-ho. The cast features Lee Jun-ho, Lee Chae-min, Kim Hye-jun, Kim Byung-chul, Kim Hyang-gi, and Kang Han-na.

Based on the Kakao webtoon by Lee Hoon and No Hye-ok, Cashero tells the story of Sang-ung, an ordinary man who suddenly acquires superhuman strength. He joins forces with a lawyer who gains power from alcohol and a psychic whose abilities increase with food, as they take on a mysterious organization hunting people with extraordinary powers.

Cashero is worth watching for the strong performances of the entire cast, particularly Lee Jun-ho and Kang Han-na, as well as its polished visual effects. However, weak writing, uneven pacing, and underdeveloped conflicts may make the series feel tiring at times.

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Cashero review: Netflix’s superhero drama delivers strong performances but falters in storytelling

Disclaimer: The views and opinions expressed in this review are solely those of the author. They are based on personal interpretation and viewing experience and do not represent the opinions, beliefs, or positions of any other individual, organization, or platform.

Cashero is a Netflix superhero drama that follows Kang Sang-ung, an ordinary man whose life changes overnight after inheriting a strange family power. The ability grants him immense physical strength, but only in proportion to the cash he carries.

Every time he uses that strength, the money disappears, paid out in 500 won coins. His father, who passes the power on to him, warns that the pockets of their family are always destined to be empty.

As Sang-ung struggles to understand his new reality, he crosses paths with others like him. Lawyer Byeon can move through solid walls, drawing power from alcohol. Bang Eun-mi gains superhuman strength through eating.

Together, they are pulled into a conflict with a shadowy organization named Mudang Vanguard that hunts people with supernatural abilities. What begins as a personal burden slowly turns into a larger battle against a corporation threatening social order.

At its core, Cashero is a conventional superhero story with a Korean twist. It mixes familiar genre elements such as inherited powers, moral responsibility and self sacrifice with themes of money, class and drug abuse.

Sang-ung embodies the idealistic hero who refuses to stop helping people, even when doing so pushes him further into debt. Despite growing up poor and facing real concerns about marriage, housing and financial stability, he consistently prioritizes doing good over personal security.

The drama benefits greatly from its casting. Lee Jun-ho fits the role of Sang-ung well, bringing charm and sincerity to a character driven by unwavering morality. His performance grounds the story, even when the writing falters. Kim Hye-jun delivers a convincing portrayal of Min-suk, Sang-ung’s fiancée and later wife, balancing emotional vulnerability with realistic financial anxieties.

Kim Byung-chul and Kim Hyang-gi are well suited to their roles as Attorney Byeon and Bang Eun-mi, adding personality to the supporting cast. Kang Han-na stands out as the antagonist Anna, commanding attention whenever she appears and at times overpowering even the lead in confrontational scenes.

Visually, Cashero is polished. The cinematography, lighting and visual effects are sleek and glossy, effectively supporting the supernatural premise. The action sequences look clean and stylized, and the overall production quality remains consistently high throughout the eight episode run.

Where the drama struggles most is its writing and pacing. The narrative often feels overstuffed with twists that are introduced rapidly but resolved in shallow or illogical ways.

By episodes 5 and 6, the story becomes tiring to watch. The pacing of the drama feels uneven, moving slowly in the early episodes and becoming exhausting toward the end as problems pile up without meaningful resolution until the finale.

The central concept of money as power initially feels compelling, but the drama fails to explore its consequences convincingly. Despite repeated emphasis on Sang-ung’s financial struggles, he rarely seems to truly run out of money.

Loans appear conveniently and support from his partner arrives just in time, weakening the tension the premise promises. The scale of his battles that supposedly requires excessive amount of money also raises questions about how a civil servant could realistically sustain such expenses.

The action sequences, another core element of any superhero storytelling, are largely underwhelming. Most fights lack urgency or excitement, with only the final confrontation offering some intensity. Even then, the payoff feels muted.

Character writing is similarly inconsistent. The main antagonist, Nathan, played by Lee Chae-min, is positioned as a major threat but is given little meaningful action, reducing his impact despite the actor’s strong screen presence.

Sang-ung remains largely one dimensional, defined almost entirely by his moral resolve. Min-suk’s practical concerns are valid, but the script frames her as nagging for much of the story, only shifting her stance abruptly near the end. The police subplot also feels ineffective, with repeated arrests od Sang-ung that lead to no real consequences.

Overall, Cashero is a mixed experience. It offers solid performances, strong visuals, and an interesting premise, but suffers from weak storytelling, poor pacing, and underdeveloped conflicts. However, while it may not stand out as a memorable superhero drama, it remains watchable for a single viewing, particularly for fans of Lee Jun-ho, whose performance carries much of the series despite its flaws.

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All episodes of Cashero is streaming on Netflix.

Edited by Adrija Chakraborty