Actor Yoo Ah-in has officially confirmed his return to active film production with director Jang Jae-hyun’s upcoming occult movie ‘Vampyr.’ The project has completed its first script reading, and filming is set to begin this month.
The film’s main cast includes Yoo Ah-in, Lee Sung-min, Lee Joon-hyuk, Yoon Kyung-ho, Choi Hyun-wook, and newcomer Doi. The cast and production team have also held a ceremony ahead of filming as they prepare to begin work on the movie.
‘Vampyr’ follows an unidentified contract killer who is hired by a priest and becomes involved in a hunt for a mysterious cult.
Yoo Ah-in will play the contract killer, a strong character who stays calm under pressure but begins to change after encountering strange beings. Lee Sung-min will portray a priest who crosses certain lines for his beliefs. Lee Joon-hyuk plays a cult member who seeks eternal life, while Doi takes on the role of a mysterious girl, MaeilBusiness reported.
Yoon Kyung-ho will appear as a smuggling broker connected to the cult, and Choi Hyun-wook will play a U.S. Army lieutenant whose purpose is unclear.
Yoo Ah-in’s casting is drawing particular attention because the film marks his first active production since his legal case involving drug use.
Yoo Ah-in’s ‘Vampyr’ Casting Becomes Official
His involvement in ‘Vampyr’ had been rumored for months. In December last year, director Jang Jae-hyun denied that Yoo Ah-in had been cast, saying that nothing had been decided.
Distributor NEW also said in July that the actor’s appearance had not been confirmed at that time. The situation changed with the release of the official cast information and script-reading photos.
Yoo Ah-in was seen sitting with Jang Jae-hyun and fellow cast members, confirming that the long-running casting reports had finally become reality.
The actor had already made his first official public appearance in about a year and a half when he attended a VIP screening of ‘Hope’ in Seoul last month. Although he did not appear on the photo wall, his presence at the event quickly led to fresh talk about a possible comeback.
According to AllKPop, Yoo Ah-in was sentenced by the Supreme Court last July to one year in prison, suspended for two years, and a fine of 2 million won in connection with charges including habitual use of controlled substances.
Two films he had completed earlier, ‘The Match’ and ‘Hi.5,’ were released last year, but both had finished filming in 2021.
‘Vampyr’ is directed by Jang Jae-hyun, who previously made ‘The Priests,’ ‘Svaha: The Sixth Finger,’ and ‘Exhuma.’ The new film continues his work in the occult genre and is planned for theatrical release in 2028.