Lee Jung-jae's studio teams with 'Lord of the Rings' producer for K-pop spy film

Artist Studio, the production banner headed by actor Lee Jung-jae, has signed a development partnership with UK-based Imaginarium Productions to co-create a global K-pop spy thriller, the companies announced Monday.

The collaboration will bring "Secret Idol" (working title) to the screen -- a live-action thriller that blends the glitzy world of K-pop with high-stakes espionage. The plot centers on a secret agent who goes undercover as a K-pop trainee to take down an international crime ring.

The two companies are collaborating from script development through production, with discussions underway for casting Hollywood actors and securing global distribution and international co-production deals, officials said.

Lee, who began as a fashion model before becoming a household name in Korean cinema, rose to global fame through his Emmy-winning performance in Netflix’s "Squid Game." In addition to his recent appearance in Disney+’s "The Acolyte," Lee made his directorial debut in 2022 with the spy action film "Hunt."

In 2016, he co-founded the management agency Artist Company with longtime friend and fellow actor Jung Woo-sung ("Steel Rain," "12.12: The Day"). Its production arm, Artist Studio, now operates within Lee’s expanded entertainment group following recent consolidation. The company served as distributor for two films last year: "Following" and "One Win."

Imaginarium Productions was founded in 2011 by Andy Serkis -- known for his motion-capture roles in "The Lord of the Rings" and "Planet of the Apes" -- and Jonathan Cavendish, producer of "Bridget Jones’s Diary." The company is currently prepping "The Hunt for Gollum," a "Lord of the Rings" prequel with Warner Bros.