| Num Episodes: | 12 |
| Company: | Take One Company H House |
| Network: | tvN |
| Language: | Korean |
| Executive Producer: | Kim Ryun-hee |
| Country: | South Korea |
| Director: | Kim Hong-seon |
| Screenplay: | Cheon Seon-il |
| Creator: | Production plan |
| Producer: | Jung Min-chae Park Jong-hak |
L.U.C.A.: The Beginning (Hangul: 루카: 더 비기닝; RR: Ruka: Deo Bigining) is a South Korean television series starring Kim Rae-won and Lee Da-hee. It aired on tvN from February 1 to March 9, 2021.[1] [2]
Zi O (Kim Rae-won) has a special power and a secret, but he doesn't know who he really is. He is chased by mysterious figures while he tries to find answers to numerous questions that surround him.
Ha Neul-ae-goo-reum (Lee Da-hee) is a detective. When she decides on a course of action, she won't change her mind no matter what. Her parents disappeared when she was only a young child. Goo-reum chases after the truth behind her parents' disappearance. She meets Zi O, and her life changes.
A man who has a secret power and is wanted by Human Tech. He doesn't remember anything after waking up from a major happening. He decides to find out who he really is after being chased by unknown people, while understanding that he is not a normal person.
A detective in the Violent Crimes unit 1st team in Juan Metropolitan Police Station. She was originally from the Major Crimes unit, but was demoted. Her parents went missing when she was a kid, and for nine years she never stops looking for them.
A former Special Forces soldier. He was sentenced to life imprisonment for having accidentally killed 9 people during a tactical training, when he threw a grenade instead of a flare. He was offered by Cheol-soo to work for him, and lead a chasing team to capture Zi O. He had lost his entire right arm in a past attempt to capture Zi O, and Human Tech had to install an artificial one for him.
A secret influential figure from the National Intelligence Service. He supports Joong-kwon and the project in order to get very rich if it succeeds, and will do anything in order to make the project successful.
The director of Human Tech and the scientist who oversaw the only success in the project. In the past, he was forced out of the academia for defying the research ethics of "artificial human enhancement". He was subsequently imprisoned for embezzlement of research funds. After that, Cheol-soo supported him in order for the latter to create the most perfect human being.
The founder of Human Tech. She is the leader of a cult, but believes in scientific theories rather than the words of God. She is well-connected and rich, but doesn't know what she can use them for, until she finds her target in creating new lives.
Team leader of the Violent Crimes unit 1st team. He ranks last in the police station for conviction rate, as he is always given the most difficult cases to handle. When Goo-reum first joins his team, he detests her, but he later takes care of her like family.
A detective of the Violent Crimes unit 1st team. He believes in Jin-hwan more than anyone else, and takes care of his juniors delicately. He worries about Goo-reum being persistent in investigating the case surrounding Ji Oh, but is willing to help her till the end.
A detective of the Violent Crimes unit 1st team.
Part of Lee Son's chasing team to capture Ji Oh. She was sentenced to life imprisonment for having accidentally killed 5 people during a tactical training, when she fired real bullets instead of blanks, and lost her right foot in the same accident. She was offered by Cheol-soo to work for him under Lee Son.
Part of Lee Son's chasing team to capture Ji Oh. An extremely loyal person who executes missions without question.
Part of Lee Son's chasing team to capture Ji Oh. He is a network technician who was discharged due to corruption.
A professor working under the National Forensic Service. He was close friends with Joong-kwon during their college days, but after the latter crossed the line that scientists should not cross, he led people to force Joong-kwon out of the academia.
Zi O's friend. He is the only person who knows about Zi O's power, and in the past he used it for mischief.
Goo-reum's father who is currently missing. He is the co-founder of Human Tech, and the co-researcher for the L.U.C.A. Project.
Zi O's colleague in Dagyeong Resources. (Ep. 1)
The chief inspector of National Intelligence Service's inspection team, working with Jung-ah under the pretext of antibodies. (Ep. 8-12)
| L.U.C.A.: The Beginning OST | |
| Type: | Soundtrack |
| Artist: | Various artists |
| Genre: | Soundtrack |
| + Average TV viewership ratings | |||||||
| Original broadcast date | Average audience share (Nielsen Korea)[6] | ||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Nationwide | |||||||
| 1 | February 1, 2021 | 5.371% | 6.099% | ||||
| 2 | February 2, 2021 | 5.802% | 6.782% | ||||
| 3 | February 8, 2021 | 5.794% | 6.596% | ||||
| 4 | February 9, 2021 | 5.811% | 6.392% | ||||
| 5 | February 15, 2021 | 6.237% | |||||
| 6 | February 16, 2021 | 5.676% | 6.301% | ||||
| 7 | February 22, 2021 | 5.670% | |||||
| 8 | February 23, 2021 | 6.118% | |||||
| 9 | March 1, 2021 | 6.228% | 6.535% | ||||
| 10 | March 2, 2021 | 6.939% | |||||
| 11 | March 8, 2021 | 5.491% | 6.173% | ||||
| 12 | March 9, 2021 | 5.974% | 6.328% | ||||
| Average | |||||||