‘Inside Men: The Birth of Villains’ (working title) — Ha Jung-woo, Ahn Bo-hyun, Park Hae-joon and Jung Sung-il cast

〈Inside Men〉, the highest-grossing R-rated film of all time in South Korea and a box-office and critical success that won Best Picture, Best Screenplay and Best Planning at the 53rd Daejong Film Awards and Best Picture at the 37th Blue Dragon Film Awards, returns after 11 years on an even larger scale. 〈Inside Men: The Birth of Villains〉 (working title) is set in the late 1980s and depicts the origins of the “insiders” within a vast cartel born of the media, capital and political power. The official prequel to 〈Inside Men〉 will shed light on how the forces at the center of immense power first emerged.

Ha Jung-woo plays Lee Kang-hee, a newspaper reporter who dreams of breaking a major corporate corruption story but is sidelined by outside pressure. With dogged reporting and a sharp eye, he becomes a key figure in creating the power cartel that drives South Korea. Ha Jung-woo has demonstrated a broad acting range across genres in films including 〈Hijacking〉, 〈Unofficial Operation〉, 〈Ashfall〉, 〈The Chaser〉, 〈Along with the Gods〉, 〈1987: When the Day Comes〉, 〈Assassination〉, 〈The Terror Live〉 and the Netflix series [Narcos-Saints]. He has established himself as one of Chungmuro’s leading actors after surpassing 100 million cumulative moviegoers in the shortest time ever among lead actors. Audiences are eager to see how Ha Jung-woo, known for making a powerful impression in every project, will portray Lee Kang-hee, a man driven by both ambition and cold calculation, in 〈Inside Men: The Birth of Villains〉 (working title).

Ahn Bo-hyun takes the role of Ahn Sang-goo, the head of an entertainment agency who rises from the bottom and pursues success and revenge on his own terms. Ahn Bo-hyun has proven his ability to fully inhabit characters across genres in films including 〈Pretty Crazy〉 and 〈I, the Executioner〉, as well as the dramas [Flex x Cop], [Spring Fever], [See You in My 19th Life] and [Yumi’s Cells]. As Ahn Sang-goo, he portrays a man burning with the desire to become the best so he can protect what matters to him in the ruthless entertainment industry. He will engage in intense cooperation and conflict with Ha Jung-woo’s Lee Kang-hee, heightening the drama’s tension. In particular, he is expected to add depth to the character’s story by portraying the younger Ahn Sang-goo, played by Lee Byung-hun in 〈Inside Men〉, with his trademark rough energy and detailed performance.

Park Hae-joon plays Jang Pil-woo, a first-term National Assembly member who has just entered politics after ending his career as a prosecutor. Park Hae-joon has captivated audiences by fully embodying forceful characters in every project, including 〈12.12: The Day〉, 〈Yadang: The Snitch〉, 〈HUMINT〉 and 〈Believer〉, as well as the Netflix series [Everyone Is Fighting Their Own Worthlessness] and [When Life Gives You Tangerines]. As Jang Pil-woo, an ambitious man seeking to rise to the heart of power through dangerous deals with a powerful media organization, he is expected to lend the film weight with his signature charisma.

Jung Sung-il takes the role of Oh Hyun-soo, the chairman who built Mirae Group by any means necessary. Jung Sung-il has commanded attention with his nuanced acting and captivating presence in every project, including the Disney+ original series [Made in Korea], the Netflix series [The Glory] and 〈War and Revolt〉. As Oh Hyun-soo, a man seeking to stand at the top of the cartel through immense capital and power, he is expected to anchor the film with his refined charisma and commanding presence.

The production team behind 〈Inside Men: The Birth of Villains〉 (working title) is also drawing attention. Director Kim Min-beom, who worked as an assistant director on 〈12.12: The Day〉 and 〈Flu〉, will co-direct with Kim Jin-seok, who served as an assistant director on 〈Harbin〉, 〈The Man Standing Next〉 and 〈Veteran〉 and adapted the Disney+ original series [Made in Korea].

Meanwhile, 〈Inside Men: The Birth of Villains〉 (working title) will be produced by Hive Media Corp., which has released polished films that combine entertainment value and artistic merit, including 〈Harbin〉, 〈Deliver Us from Evil〉, 〈The Man Standing Next〉 and 〈Inside Men〉, as well as the blockbuster 〈12.12: The Day〉 and the Disney+ original series [Made in Korea].

SLL, which has produced high-quality content across film, streaming and television, including the blockbuster 〈The Roundup〉 franchise, the Netflix original series [All of Us Are Dead] and the drama [Reborn Rich], is also joining as a co-producer.

〈Inside Men: The Birth of Villains〉 (working title), which has finalized its cast of key figures at the center of the power cartel, is in preproduction with filming targeted to begin in 2026.