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A scene from the webtoon Salsaengbu.

Director Kim Hong-sun, who built his international profile with Project Wolf Hunting and Gangs of London Season 3, has chosen Salsaengbu as his Korean comeback. With Jung Woo-sung, Jung Sung-il, and Wi Ha-joon confirmed for the cast, the film is now in pre-production with a 2026 principal photography start targeted. Assembling a crew of Hollywood and European department heads while holding active distribution talks with major global companies, Salsaengbu signals a new chapter in the internationalization of Korean historical action cinema.

The film is based on a webtoon of the same name that has surpassed 120 million cumulative views and won the Grand Prize at the inaugural Daum Online Comics Competition. Set against the backdrop of the Gyeyujeongnan — the 1453 coup through which Grand Prince Suyang seized the throne by purging his political rivals — the story follows Lee Hwa, a young woman who loses everything in the bloodshed and sets out on a path of revenge against Han Myeong-hoe, the ruthless strategist who personally compiled the kill list.

The casting choices are notable. Jung Woo-sung takes on the role of Han Myeong-hoe, the cold-blooded architect of the purge — a departure from the heroic turns that have defined much of his career in films such as Asura: The City of Madness (2016) and Steel Rain (2017). Jung Sung-il plays Ban Seok, the guardian of Hwajeopmong, a secret assassination organization formed to eliminate Han Myeong-hoe and the officials behind the coup. Wi Ha-joon, best known internationally for his role as Hwang Jun-ho in Netflix's Squid Game (2021–2025), will make a special appearance as Prince Suyang, a man of fierce ambition convinced he is destined to claim the throne.

What sets Salsaengbu apart from previous Korean period productions is the composition of its behind-the-camera team. Cinematographer Michael Carstensen, whose credits include The Dark Tower and Netflix's The Witcher, and lighting director Kieran Whyte of Kingsman: The First Agent and The Marvels, join Kim to render blood-soaked Joseon Dynasty Korea through a distinctly internationalized visual lens. The project is reportedly in active discussions with major global distributors for a worldwide release, including North America — a rare development for a Korean action historical film at the pre-production stage.

The project arrives at a moment of growing appetite for Korean period genre filmmaking on the global stage. Following the domestic and overseas success of Exhuma (2024) and the Crime City franchise in the action-thriller space, Salsaengbu looks to extend that momentum into a more classically historical register. Director Kim Hong-sun brings a track record of pushing genre boundaries: Project Wolf Hunting premiered in the Midnight Madness section of the 47th Toronto International Film Festival and screened at the 55th Sitges International Fantastic Film Festival, while his work on Gangs of London Season 3 demonstrated his ability to operate within international production systems. How that sensibility translates to a Joseon-set action epic — and how global markets respond — will be closely watched.

Sources

• Sports Chosun, "Jung Woo-sung, Jung Sung-il, Wi Ha-joon Cast in Action Historical Film 'Salsaengbu'... Global Project Launched", 2026.05.22

• Singlelist, "Jung Woo-sung Transforms into Han Myeong-hoe in 'Salsaengbu'... Alongside Jung Sung-il and Wi Ha-joon", 2026.05.22

•  Sports Donga, "Jung Woo-sung as Han Myeong-hoe, Wi Ha-joon as Prince Suyang... Casting Confirmed for Film 'Salsaengbu'", 2026.05.25