Actor Yoo Ah-in to return to big screen in director Jang Jae-hyun's occult thriller

SEOUL, Aug. 18 (Yonhap) -- Actor Yoo Ah-in, who served a suspended prison sentence for drug use, will once again grace the silver screen in director Jang Jae-hyun's forthcoming mystery and occult thriller, "Vampir." NEW, the film's local distributor, revealed the cast on Tuesday, confirming Yoo's involvement. "Vampir" centers on an anonymous contract killer hunting down a secretive pagan group at the behest of a clergyman.

This marks Jang Jae-hyun's inaugural project since "Exhuma" (2024), a box-office triumph in South Korea.

In February 2025, Yoo was handed a one-year suspended sentence and fined 2 million won (approximately US$1,420) for habitual drug use. Following the Supreme Court's confirmation of the sentence around five months later, he ceased professional activities. His participation in Netflix's "Hellbound" second season was also halted. "Vampir" is poised to disrupt his release schedules for "The Match" and "Hi-Five," both slated for 2025.

In "Vampir," Yoo Ah-in will portray a daring contract killer who remains resolute in any scenario. His character undergoes a profound metamorphosis post-interaction with the case. The film will also star Lee Sung-min, Lee Joon-hyuk, Doy, Yoon Kyung-ho, and Choi Hyun-wook. Principal photography is slated to commence this month, with the movie slated for a 2028 release.