Three of South Korea’s most acclaimed actors – Lee Sung Min, Koo Kyo Hwan and Yoon Kyung Ho – will star in the upcoming film Cartel, creating one of the most anticipated casts in recent Korean cinema.
According to an exclusive report, the trio has selected Cartel as their next project. Cartel will be directed by Uhm Yu Na, who co-wrote the 2017 hit film A Taxi Driver before making his directorial debut with My Punch-Drunk Boxer in 2019.
Taxi Driver (2017)
" data-large-file="https://cdn.kbizoom.com/media/2024/03/10071328/ryu-jun-yeol-11-031624.webp" alt="Ryu Jun Yeol Taxi Driver (2017)" class="wp-image-634862"/>Set in the late 1960s and early 1970s during South Korea’s military dictatorship, the political crime drama follows an intense power struggle fueled by political conspiracies and corruption. The film will explore the ambitions of those at the center of government power, as well as people determined to expose the truth behind covert operations, collusion between politicians and the military, and efforts to cover up their crimes.
Lee Sung Min continues to enjoy a stellar run of critically acclaimed performances. He won Best Supporting Actor at the 46th Blue Dragon Film Awards for his role in No Other Choice, directed by Park Chan Wook, and most recently appeared in Netflix’s Teach You a Lesson, where he played Education Minister Choi Kang Seok, the founder of the Office for the Protection of Teachers’ Rights.
Meanwhile, Koo Kyo Hwan has further cemented his status as one of Korea’s busiest and most sought-after actors. After the release of the romantic film What If We, he continued his streak with the JTBC drama We Are All Trying Here and the zombie action film Colony. He also has four other projects coming out this year, including the sci-fi action film Seeking the King, the fantasy action film REAWAKENED MAN, the comedy Gardeners and Your Country, which he co-directed with his longtime partner, director Lee Ok Seop.
Yoon Kyung Ho also remained in high demand. After winning praise for his portrayal of Professor Han Yoo Rim in Netflix’s The Trauma Code, he appeared in the hit film My Daughter is a Zombie, the TV drama The Legend of Kitchen Soldier and the currently airing SBS series Agent Kim Reactivated. In addition to acting, he also became a fan favorite on the YouTube variety show Pinggyego, where his witty personality earned him recognition as an emerging entertainment star.
With Lee Sung Min, Koo Kyo Hwan, and Yoon Kyung Ho balancing multiple film and TV projects throughout 2026, the addition of Cartel further strengthens an already impressive slate of upcoming work.
As the political thriller delves into covert government operations, political corruption, military alliances and the dangerous battle between those who seek to hide the truth and those who are determined to expose it, audiences are eager to see how three of Korea’s best actors will bring this gripping story to life.
Sources: Netizenbuzz
