Meet Korea's 'trauma cleaners' in new K-drama 'Move to Heaven'

MANILA, Philippines — Death on TV is often tackled in passing, as a crucial turning point, or a trigger that creates a character.

Forensic experts in crime dramas or time-traveling characters have been used quite some time in shows that talk about death. But has anyone ever heard about trauma cleaners?

Trauma cleaners, according to Wikipedia, are those involved in crime scene cleanup, "a term applied to forensic cleanup of blood, bodily fluids and other potentially infectious materials."

"It is also referred to as biohazard remediation, and forensic cleanup, because crime scenes are only a portion of the situations in which biohazard cleaning is needed. Incidents which may require this type of cleanup include accidents, suicide (or attempted suicide), homicides and decomposition after unattended death, as well as mass trauma, industrial accidents, infectious disease contamination, animal biohazard contamination (e.g. feces or blood) or regulated waste transport, treatment and disposal," the Wikipedia definition continued.

"Signal" star Lee Je-hoon plays as Sang-gu, who starts a trauma cleaning business with a young man named Geu-ru, played by Tang Jun-sang, in the Netflix drama "Move to Heaven." He finds himself being the guardian of the young man with Asperger's syndrome.

Netflix released the official trailer of its original Korean drama that puts the focus on trauma cleaners. It will start streaming on May 14.

"'Move to Heaven' is an inspiring story based on a nonfiction essay 'Things Left Behind' written by Kim Sae-byul who is also one of the first trauma cleaners in Korea. Director Kim Sung-ho and writer Yoon Ji-ryun team up to present diverse stories left behind of those who passed away, told from the honest and unbiased perspective of Geu-ru who has Asperger’s syndrome," reads the press release for the drama.

The upcoming series also features Hong Seung-hee as well as Ji Jin-hee and Lee Jae-wook who make special appearances. — Video from Netflix via YouTube