“Drug Sentencing Prison Time” Actor Yoo Ah-in Returns After 3 Years… Jang Jae-hyun’s New Film “Vampire” Casts Him

Yoo Ah-in “Vampire” Casting Spotted… His First Screen Return in 3 Years Is Real

Director Jang Jae-hyun joins the mystery occult project, with casting confirmed including Lee Sung-min and Lee Joon-hyuk, and a target theatrical release the year after next

A Clash Between a Priest Who Breaks a Taboo and a Group of Heretics, Foretelling a New Occult Syndrome Set to Take Over the Screen

Actor “Yoo Ah-in”, who received a judicial ruling over repeated drug use allegations, is set to return to the screen. His return after three years comes in “Mudit”, and the director behind “Mudit” that drew 10 million viewers, “Jang Jae-hyun,”’s next work “Vampire.”

Distributor “NEW” on the 18th unveiled the script reading site for “Vampire”, and officially confirmed a solid lineup that runs from “Yoo Ah-in” at the front to “Lee Sung-min” and “Lee Joon-hyuk.” The new film is a mystery occult genre in which an unidentified contract killer takes on a priest’s request to track down a mysterious group of heretics.

“Yoo Ah-in”’s acting activities had been strictly halted since drug-related allegations involving repeated use of propofol surfaced in 2023. He endured a painful hiatus, including stepping down from Netflix “Hellbound Season 2,” as well as having the releases of films “The Match” and “High Five” pushed back indefinitely. The Supreme Court last year upheld a lower court ruling that sentenced him to one year in prison, suspended for two years, along with a fine of 2 million won. The opening he chose after escaping the grip of the law ultimately turned out to be acting—his main profession.

In the story, “Yoo Ah-in” plays a contract killer who relentlessly hunts heretics. Observers expect him to depict, with high density, the psychological tremors he faces as a bold figure who never wavered in any variable confronts the reality behind a strange case.

The cast lined up to stand opposite him—or as potential allies—also looks formidable. “Lee Sung-min” takes on the role of a priest who breaks taboos to carry out his beliefs, expressing the anguish of walking a tightrope between responsibility and guilt. Along with “Lee Joon-hyuk” as the heretic who longs for eternal life, “Doi,” “Yoon Kyung-ho,” and “Choi Hyun-wook” also join the project, heightening the tension across the film.

With director “Jang Jae-hyun”’s uniquely distinctive mystery occult universe, film industry eyes are focused on what kind of visual narrative the movie will deliver this time. The production team says it is beginning full-scale filming this month, with a target of hitting theaters in the year after next.