Cashero

"Money is power"

Ca$hero gave a slightly different twist to the superhero genre. The titular character was given a super boost by having Lee Jun Ho portray him. He imprinted on me with Rain or Shine/Just Between Lovers early in my drama experience with that scratched up, beaten face so this portrayal hit that sweet spot with me. Was it perfect? No, but most superhero dramas and tv shows aren’t and I’ve watched my fair share. I found it watchable despite numerous plot holes and dangling story lines.

Kang Sang Ung and Kim Min Suk have been together for 9 years. Kim decides it’s time to get married for a variety of reasons, not least of which is in order to fair better in the apartment lottery. Housing is expensive and cash is king in real estate and life. When Kang’s father calls him home, he passes on the family inheritance—superhero powers. Giving his son only the sketchiest of guidelines, Kang wanders home confused and perturbed. The biggest drawback to having powers? Every time he uses them, he loses money and they only work with money in his pocket. Practical Kim is not pleased. A disgruntled fiancé is the least of his worries as he discovers a dark syndicate working against the supers.

The premise was interesting, if confusing. Kang meets two other supers. One has to drink alcohol to activate his powers, the other has to eat. I thought there might be a stronger societal commentary on the three sources other than—money, alcohol, food must be used in moderation. With the RoK’s housing and employment issues, the money aspect felt like it became downplayed as the drama went on. The dangers of the drinking culture were completely glossed over as was the pervasiveness of women being held to rigid definitions of beauty and weight. I was also disappointed that the other supers were not given, if not more, better use of their screen time. The villains were thinly drawn. Rich family evil. Got it. Though in today’s political climate I’m more willing to accept that.

Jun Ho managed to convey the shakily written concept of a man going from not truly caring about the people around him to being willing to sacrifice for others. Kim Hye Joon as Kim Min Suk had the rather thankless job of being the partner who planned ahead and knew what needed to be done to succeed in life. While Kang didn’t give much thought to finances, Min Suk knew they’d have to save every penny/won in order to attain better living conditions. She also had to have a lightbulb moment in order to embrace their new lifestyle. Sadly, the chemistry wasn’t very strong between the two, partly due to the writing.

My biggest complaint in the drama was Kang’s dad. He handed over the powers without any real guidelines and the advice he did give only led to more problems. I was hoping for more resolution to their rocky relationship, but found myself disliking the dad more as it went along. *

As I mentioned before, despite the plot holes and dangling story lines I enjoyed this drama for the most part. At least the hero didn’t need episodic pep talks and forget he had powers when chasing down bad guys. And at heart, I have a soft spot for cheesy stories about people with super powers who are willing to sacrifice for the greater good even when they (and the writers) stumble.

31 December 2025

*Spoilery comments below











The pernicious gods who handed out these powers punished heroes if they didn't use their powers and if they used their powers. Not exactly a paradigm I was fond of. I was truly hoping that Kang's dad at his retirement would get a financial karmic rebound regaining all the wealth he lost with interest. Why he never told his wife was a mystery that bothered me. And his whole situation with the loan shark...could have used a few sentences to clear that up.

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Money Does Buy Happiness

This is a pretty unique concept on superheroes ... each needing something to sustain their power. Money, alcohol & food is the fuel for our heroes to thrive.
Jun Ho is great, as always. He gives just the right touch of humor and drama to make it work. I think if you're watching this to be a marvel comic story like series, you'll be disappointed. This is more of a "down to earth" superhero story with many complications along the way. The one big problem being money! Sang Ung needs money to give him his powers, but unfortunately he's always flat broke. So a recurring part of the drama his having him find cash just when he needs his powers the most.
As usual, you have your share of antagonists trying to stop the protagonists throughout the series. Chae Min, as the extremely evil villain, works into the story with perfection. He's so good at being so bad, you can't help but despise him as you get deeper into the episodes. There's many other people to hate, but he's definitely the strength of the supporting cast.
I think the only thing I found to be a bit much was a large chunk of the final episode. I think it went on a little too long. There was a certain point the story could have ended ... but just when you thought it was finished, it started up and began all over again. I think it was over the top. I also wish we had more of Bo Ah. She was just a flash in a few scenes, but it should have been more.
That being said, overall this was a really "good feel" drama/comedy with a very satisfying ending. Jun Ho adds another enjoyable series to his career.

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Would you sacrifice 30 million won to save a bus full of people?

Another superhero drama this year; however, compared to ‘Twelve’, it’s way, way better. With only 8 episodes, it’s definitely a binge-watch. As it’s about superheroes, you can’t take it too seriously. Yes, it often doesn’t make sense. And yes, the superpower seems useless since Sang Ung needs money in order to use it. But, superheroes don’t make sense in general. So what? If you don’t expect too much from it, it’s quite fun.

What makes Sang Ung’s power dramatic is that it does come with a price (literally and metaphorically) - he has to use his own money. That’s where the calculation comes into play, and Sang Ung faces countless difficult choices. Sacrificing his hard-earned money and so giving up on his dreams partially, just to save innocent people, proves his pure heart, making him a true superhero.

The character that intrigued me the most was the mysterious shark loan lady. Was she really a villain? What was her deal? And who was she really?

The ending with people cheering for Sang Ung, giving him their money (even the police!), so that he can defeat Nathan once and for all. That was actually touching. Also, Sang Ung showing Nathan the middle finger - hilarious.

I also liked the going back in time part - it was a better plot choice than Sang Ung miraculously surviving on his own or something like that.

As for Sang Ung's father - he was just the worst. Didn't explain anything, just let Sang Ung roll with his new circumstances. Also, if he's retired now and actually able to save money then idk maybe pay off your debt instead of having Sang Ung deal with it?? Pissed me off...

Overall, it's a decent drama. Definitely not something special, but it's not as bad as people make it out to be. I've seen far worse this year alone.

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Gaudy..........

Was the 1st thought that came to mind after watching the #1. Taking in EP 2, the production and aura vibes had me liken this to the feel of Strong Girl Nam Soon. That's not good considering that Nam Soon was and is one of the worst dramas of all time.
3, 4, and 5 softened my stance. Looking at the limitations and the real world effects of what was needed to renew and sustain powers, the feel switched to that of Atypical Family. That was an enjoyable drama for me. The real world implications were completely understandable in that drama and the same principles were used here to a point. From there to the end, it was an easy watch.
There were so many morales about $$$ stuffed into every single episode, that was abit annoying. The blood bath in the final ep was a big surprise that caught me off guard. The story was definitely creative but whimsical as well. One troupe I'm absolutely sick of seeing 24/7 is the rich kids of rich ppl having the worst stupid idiotic pointless psychological problems due to w/e. Dramas automatically get a downgrade from me for lack of originality in that department.
This wasn't made to win awards or push moral compass and all of that.........or maybe all the money quotes were supposed to do that........but the piece was entertaining enough to float by and catch my attention. I think it's a solid mid, nothing more and nothing less~

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SOME PEOPLE ARE JUST HATERS

The series follows Kang Sang Ung, an ordinary government employee who gains superhuman strength, but there's a catch. His power is directly proportional to the amount of cash he has on his person. This literalizes the phrase 'money is power', creating a unique tension where the hero must constantly balance his desire to do good with his personal financial stability.

Moreover, unlike typical heroes who draw power from the sun or a laboratory accident, the Cashero universe links abilities to economic concepts. This creates high-stakes scenarios where a hero's greatest enemy isn't just a villain, but an empty ATM. The series utilizes vibrant, comic-book-inspired cinematography that contrasts beautifully with the drab, grey offices of the Korean civil service. At the core, the show is about the struggles of the working class. It explores the guilt of spending money on oneself versus the necessity of survival, making Snag-Ung one of the relatable protagonists in recent K-drama history.

However, like many webtoon adaptations, the middle episodes can feel slightly repetitive as the 'monster of the week' formula takes over, momentarily stalling the broader plot development. The show occasionally lunges from slapstick comedy to intense emotional melodrama quite abruptly, which might be jarring for viewers. looking for a consistent mood.

Lastly, Cashero is successful because it understands that for most people, the scariest isn't a world-ending alien, it's the balance on a bank statement. It is a heartfelt, funny, and visually engaging watch that proves you don't need a billion dollars to be a hero, though a little extra pocket change certainly helps. IT'S A MUST-WATCH.

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Cheesy cartoon "makjang" but with some deep meaningful messages

The drama is JunHo-centric, showing him as a "nobody" good bland small guy who turns into a superhero, something like Superman. Also he narrates the video, and that is where a lot of comedy is, to see the discrepancy between his thinking and his actions LOL and the content of his thoughts LOL

Also, this is a supernatural makjang, so do NOT expect perfectly executed fights and crispy technicalities. Frankly, it is absolutely irrelevant. The messages are about very deep issues of life, this is really a psychological melodrama /thriller / comedy.

Until ep 6, I was just wondering wth I was watching, what the messages are, and where the catch is. The ML is a rather bland guy, a good, dumb guy, complacent, lazy, selfish, not a bad guy but not a great guy with integrity... He is under the slipper of his girlfriend, who is very smart and materialistic and forces him into that mold. This is 100% opposite from the typical kdrama plot.... our "superhero" is a very real life guy..... He and she do not communicate, she just gives him orders... They are consumers trying to move up the social ladder. They are driven by cash but have little of it :)

Ep 6 and on, there is growth and change, and some profound messages about life in general. I really enjoyed the subtle and obvious messages. I am not going to spill the beans. The jist of it: the small people win by individually conquering their own demons and by working together. It is not sugar coated - for example, if you have only heart, but no cash, you cannot fight and you die LOL

But since this is a cartoon, you can come back to life by magic tricks :)

The plot is cheesy but this is a cartoon..... so the plot does NOT have to be super tight and is, imo, ok to have a loose plot in a supernatural fantasy cartoon ..... so be it. For example. the scene of hanging out in church fire for like 10 minutes drove some audience insane bc of it's unrealness, BUT this is not a drama about reality. It is really a cartoon, where our heroes can do all kinds of stuff and get out unscratched :)
Also, loan shark, etc were not really explained but ... who cares, right?

Now imo a serious complaint:
I disliked that the villains go to a Buddhist shrine and the good guys are working under a Christian agenda. Someone is pushing christian churches into kdramas. That is quite rotten.

The music was ... sooooo... bad. I really disliked it. The singer cannot sing well... adn the words... fell by the side....

The acting is ok for most part. JunHo seems to "act" the same in all his dramas, hopefully his idol life will wear out and he will be able to relate to many more expressions from "real life"..... right now, he is ok as a "sweet guy" ... He is quite physical so he acts "action scenes" quite well.

and the young villain dude is the same in every drama - the same face, th same acting... and the same type of role... and he is not even good at it. I suggest trying more varied roles and really trying to ACT.

Overall summary: I enjoyed the experience of getting to know the characters and their stories and I learned somethng from it, and I thank the drama crew for it.

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Cashero is not your typical hero drama

Unlike most stories where heroes gain unlimited powers to fight villains, Cashero shows a hero whose strength is restricted by money, a rare and realistic twist. It highlights not only the battles against villains who fight like crazy to get what they want, but also the struggles of sacrifice, kindness, and the heavy cost of helping others. The drama shows that sometimes good deeds don’t always lead to better outcomes or rewards. They can even make us suffer mentally and physically. Despite these struggles, the hero always chooses kindness through helping others. It may not always lead to a great result, but it leaves a long-lasting imprint on the heart of the person he has helped.

This drama also shows how money can strengthen people, making them proud and feel superior to others.

It may have loopholes and unanswered questions in the plot, but it is still a great drama. This is the first time I have encountered this kind of restriction for a hero. For justice to prevail, someone’s health, money, and time have to be sacrificed. It may look like a “useless power” to other people, but it’s realistic enough to show that true heroism is not about invincibility—it’s about sacrifice, compassion, and the courage to keep helping even when the cost is heavy.

MY RATING | ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ ⭐⭐⭐⭐
Acting & Cast: 10
Storyline & Writing: 8
Directing & Pacing: 9
Cinematography & Visuals: 10
Music/OST & Sound Design: 10
Overall: 9.4

PS: It was supposed to be 9.0 but I love this drama so, I made it 9.5✨

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Flawed but fun

Cashero is less about superpowers and more about the people behind them, with all their strengths, flaws, choices, and limitations.

What works best about the drama is how human the male lead feels. He is not overly righteous or driven by some grand, world saving ideology. He is not trying to be larger than life. He is just an average person who gets thrust into a different world and tries to do the best he can with what he is given. He is selfish, greedy, kind, and rude, sometimes all at once, and that is exactly what makes him believable. Lee Jun-Ho plays this role earnestly, as he always does, and remains cute and charming like in his other projects. That said, with Typhoon Family and Cashero airing less than a month apart, I do feel like I have seen a bit too much of Lee Jun-Ho in such a short span.

Unlike many superhero dramas that take themselves too seriously, this one embraces a lighter and sometimes downright ridiculous tone. That approach works in its favour and makes the story feel more approachable and human.

One of the strongest aspects of the show is how the male lead’s power being fuelled by money acts as a constant critique of capitalism. It highlights how even good people are left with no real choices when those with power and wealth abuse the system. Money controls everything, including opportunities, morals, and justice. The poor are always prey to the rich, and the show does not shy away from that message.

I also enjoyed seeing familiar and well known actors in supporting roles. Their presence adds a sense of comfort and credibility, and they consistently deliver solid performances.

With only eight episodes, Cashero stays short, fast paced, and engaging. There are no unnecessary characters, irrelevant subplots, or dragged out drama. The story gets straight to the point and maintains a tight narrative throughout, making it an easy binge watch.

Unfortunately, the show falters in several other areas. The female lead did not work for me at all. She looks far too much like a high schooler, and I could not shake that feeling throughout the show. More importantly, her purpose in the story felt unclear. She mostly existed as a damsel in distress, which was disappointing. Not every drama needs a romance, and if you are going to pursue one, it needs to be done well. The couple lacked chemistry and felt more like siblings than romantic partners.

The villains are easily the weakest part of the drama. The exaggerated evil background music whenever Kang Han-Na appeared was unintentionally funny and made her character feel cartoonish. Han-Na herself was completely wasted. She is a talented actress reduced to a one dimensional villain with nothing meaningful to do. Her character existed solely to be evil, with no depth or development, and even her styling did not help. This issue extends to all the antagonists, who feel more like cartoon villains than fully realised characters.

Lee Chae-Min was badly miscast. Not for a single moment did he feel like a real threat or a convincing villain. He came across more like a kid holding a remote control rather than someone meant to command fear or authority. At the risk of sounding like a hater, he is simply not a good actor. Throughout the show, he had the same two expressions, regardless of the situation. There was no range, no nuance, and not even the slightest sense of originality in his performance, which made it impossible to take his character seriously.

The show strongly resembles a Korean take on X-Men. I am not complaining, it is clearly a major inspiration. It also feels like Netflix saw the success of Disney’s Moving and decided to make one of its own. Unfortunately, Cashero falls short. It lacks the same intensity, compelling action, interesting powers, mystery, and layered backstories.

Cashero does not reinvent the superhero genre, but it has enough charm and sincerity to make it worth a watch.

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A Different Kind of Superhero Story

The cast of Cashero was pretty good, and they played their roles well. Each actor fit their character naturally, which made the story more enjoyable to watch.

The drama is about superheroes, but it approaches the theme in a different way than usual. Instead of flashy action, it focuses more on characters and situations, which makes it feel unique. Because of that, it might be a bit out of everyone’s choice not everyone will connect with this style of superhero story.

Overall, Cashero is a decent watch with strong performances, especially for viewers who enjoy something different from typical superhero dramas.

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I didn't add that many spoilers afterall.

I feel like this drama belongs on the "peculiar" Netflix k-dramas category that for me it's kind of hard to rate because when the ending credits of ep8 rolled I couldn't tell if I had liked it or not.

What I liked:
1. The acting. Even with the most over the top roles, this drama has an all-star cast that is a pleasure to see them act all together.

2. The concept of the money in the story, I think I liked it. Esp in ep1 there's a scene where he avoids helping people in fear of spending his money.
It reminded me of how a lot of times no matter how giving one would want to be, if you don't have enough money you end up struggling with the need to keep yourself afloat while wanting to help others too.
Although I wouldn't say the series delved that deep into this concept. lol

3. I actually liked how over the top of an evil man Jo Nathan was. And he was played really well by its actor!

4. I really liked the female lead's character. She is a smart woman (a lot smarter than the male lead which is something I found quiet interesting) and a go-getter. Shout out to the actress that played her bc she did so well, esp in the emotional scenes.

What I didn't like:

1. I wasn't crazy about the music. With the amount of money they spent on special effects and sets they could have easily done better on the bgm and ost department.

2. The son-father relationship should had been explored more and in general the script should have had more depth.

3. Some cringe lines that made me think "who wrote this? Is this once again a web-comic adaptation?"

Conclusion:
It's a really weird drama compared to most k-dramas. It gave me the feeling that a lot of people will either drop it or dislike it altogether, however there's some freshness in it that makes it worthy of a try.

Now that it's been a few hours since I finished it:
Was it a fun watch for me? Yes, I think it was.

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A Fight against Capitalism in the form of superhero.

As a 90 kid, Cashero reminds me of the old superhero movies we watched in that era. A ORDINARY man suddenly has superpower and it is his fate to fight against the greater evil. [It has a human soul rather than VFX enhanced fighting battles.]
The one twist is his power costs him money when he uses it. The irony is Sang ung's power is the greatest (because his power levels up with the amount of cash he holds) as well as the weakest (he is powerless when he doesn't have money) . So his power is limitless which is yet to be tested because our superhero has limited amount of money.
This drama tackles 'Greater Good Vs Own well being' and 'Capitalism' in its own way. Sang Ung has to fight evil using money out of his own pockets (The rule is he can't use other money to use his power.) ,which leads to dilemma of using his powers when he is a middle class struggling civil servant who is soon to be married.
Here,my opinion is greatly different from those who think his GF/wife Min Seok is annoying. For me, she is the most relatable character.
Those who thinks her of annoying> I would like to ask you how many of you will donate money to welfare centres if it is going to cost your homes you live in. So, Min Seok character is realistic as a girlfriend who is soon to be married . Also, the fact I love is I can see her support & trust towards Sang Ung in later parts of the drama in spite of her initial reaction towards his power.

Min Seok & Sang ung relationship is also true to a 9 year old relationship, they are comfortable with each other. They are not shooting 'Love Eyes' to each other every 5 seconds like a new couple in a Rom Com. When they are hot, they will have Sex. They trust each other when they need to fight their separate battles. My favorite moments are their (comedic) make out sessions, when Sang Ung proposed to MS with a ring on the roof, Min Seok believing in Sang Ung though he is late to their (wedding) family meeting, their final moments of saving each other.

Back to the superhero plot self, Sang Ung dilemma of saving his money over people is explored well through his inner monologue. And the superhero team slowly bonding over their missions are pretty heart warming.

The performances are pretty great coming from all Baeksang winning casts . Lee Junho plays an introverted civil servant here, his Sang Ung is 180 degree different from Kang Tae Poong (Typhoon Family) who is an extroverted ex-rich son character. People call actors great when they play completely different characters on scripts. (Like a psychopath and a nice character) but playing ordinary characters and make them different,is also a great acting .

I wouldn't say 'Cashero' is the greatest drama of all time, but it is pretty fun for a one time watch as a chaotic superhero team fighting against the greater evil & Capitalism. It has a great ending (As a hero who is working for greater good with his own money, people cheering for him and giving him 'Their money' so that he can continue fighting ,is heart warming . Also , he is back to his daily life with his wife after the battle. What's so bad about this ending.

And if I have to mention drawbacks, this drama suffers from short episode formats. It is action & plot driven than character driven in some areas. If they have more episodes, we can dive more into Sang Ung & Min Seok life before the big change, and our lawyer life and Eunmi friendship before the drama. Also, the villains story. And of course, a better VFX would greatly elevate the viewing experience.

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relatable in a way that no superhero movie ever was, loved it!

I watched all the episodes in one sitting and thoroughly enjoyed my time! Wonderful, witty, reflection-involving series with amazing performances by all the actors. The premise of the story seemed absurd and silly at first when I read about it, but when watching, it surprisingly made the heroes so much more relatable - the tension of financial vulnerability is real. We always focus on power - what you get, but so rarely attend to what you have to give. I was rooting for the lead couple in a way that I never imagined. Yes, there were some glitches in storytelling here and there, but overall, ironically, this is one of the few K-dramas where suspending my belief didn't make me feel silly about myself. It was super enjoyable, and I hope the actors get the credit they deserve. Lee Jun-ho and Kim Hye-jun were a joy to watch.

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