Jang Hyuk, Jo Bok-rae, Song Jae-hee, Moon Joo-yeon, 'Apartment: The World of Ripley' Set to Release in the First Half of 2026!

The film 〈Apartment: The World of Ripley〉 is gaining attention as a movie that will change the paradigm of theaters, with its release confirmed for the first half of 2026 and an intriguing cast announced. 〈Apartment: The World of Ripley〉 is an interactive thriller film set in 2080, where the 'mind upload' memory preservation system has been commercialized. It follows a detective who enters the memories of a boy who is the only witness to an unsolved murder case from 2009 and has fallen into a coma, as he uncovers the truth behind the boy's distorted memories caused by the 'Ripley Syndrome'.

〈Apartment: The World of Ripley〉 is an interactive cinema project designed for the audience to enter the boy's memories, find the true culprit, and choose the truth. It is the work of director Chae Soo-ung, who returns to Venice after six years. It is the only Korean work among the 26 films officially invited to the immersive competition section of the 81st Venice International Film Festival, showcasing a new innovation in K-content and gaining international competitiveness in both technology and narrative. The film has received praise for providing an innovative viewing experience that connects all processes where the audience influences the work in real-time with all the viewers in the theater.

Jang Hyuk, Jo Bok-rae, Song Jae-hee, Moon Joo-yeon, Jo Yoon-seo, and Q will play the main characters that fill the unique worldview and narrative. Actor Jang Hyuk, with a deep acting spectrum and solid trust, takes on the role of the 'detective' who enters the boy's memories. As he gets closer to the reality of the case, he faces confusion within the boy's distorted memories and the 'Ripley Syndrome', providing intense immersion. Actor Jo Bok-rae, known for his flexible acting skills and character absorption, plays 'Dr. Kim Nam-jun', who developed the 'mind upload' technology, serving as the central axis of the worldview exploring the afterlife through the Ripley project. Song Jae-hee, who adds weight to the film with his heavy presence, plays a 'neuroscientist' who continues the research of 'Dr. Kim Nam-jun', who opened the unknown realm of the afterlife, adding depth to the film's worldview. Moon Joo-yeon, who delivered impressive performances in 〈Revelation〉 and [Parasyte: The Gray], plays a 'psychology doctor' researching the 'Ripley Syndrome', leaving a chilling impression as she explores clues to the unsolved murder case through the memory preservation system 'mind upload'.

Actor Jo Yoon-seo, who has infinite potential, takes on the warm and cozy role of the boy 'Si-hyuk's' mother, actively participating at the boundary of truth and memory. Jo Young-eun, who has shown impressive performances as a model and in SBS [The Girl Who Sees Smells] and Netflix [Physical: 100], appears as 'Ari', a high-performance robot nurse developed by 'Dr. Kim Nam-jun', making a strong impression. Q, who is making his first acting challenge as a member of The Boyz, plays 'Ji Chan-seong', an idol trainee and the neighbor of 'Si-hyuk'. He will leave a strong impression as a character who takes care of 'Si-hyuk' like a friend and sometimes like a mother. They will be the main axis leading the complex genre narratives of thriller, mystery, and drama, as well as audience participation in the work filmed for interactive cinema, immersing the audience into the screen. The combination of actors with credibility, presence, and freshness elevates the film's worldview to a more three-dimensional level.

Furthermore, 〈Apartment: The World of Ripley〉 is attracting great interest both inside and outside the film industry as the first film to be released simultaneously in both interactive and 2D formats. 〈Apartment: The World of Ripley〉 is a feature film planned and filmed for the purpose of implementing interactive cinema, setting a new milestone in the Korean film industry. In particular, the fact that audiences can experience both the interactive cinema version, where they directly decide the development, and the 2D film format, where they can fully enjoy a complete narrative, will attract diverse viewing audiences and create a fresh response among viewers. The story's intrigue, as well as the innovative fun that interactive cinema must have, will provide a new experience never experienced anywhere else, expanding the cinematic landscape of 〈Apartment: The World of Ripley〉, drawing everyone's attention.