Lee Byung-hun reteams with producer Hive Media Corp on hard-boiled Joseon-era actioner 'Nambeol'
Lee Byung-hun is trading his black polygon mask for a sword.
Production company Hive Media Corp said Wednesday that the actor will headline "Nambeol" (English title TBD), a period actioner about a band of warriors dispatched on a rescue mission across hostile waters.
The project pairs Lee with Hive Media Corp for a third time, following the political thrillers "Inside Men" (2015) and "The Man Standing Next" (2020) — both critical and commercial hits.
Set in the early years of the Joseon dynasty, "Nambeol" follows nine warriors of varying ranks and skillsets as they sail to Tsushima, a Japanese island off Korea's southeastern coast, on a mission to free Korean captives taken by Japanese pirates.
Lee plays the group's battle-hardened commander who leads the men on what basically amounts to a suicide run.
For Lee, the role extends a run that has kept him among the most bankable actors in Korea. Earlier this year, he scored a Golden Globe nomination for Park Chan-wook's pitch-black corporate satire "No Other Choice."
The film marks the directorial debut of award-winning cinematographer Lee Mo-gae, whose recent credits include the military coup drama "12.12: The Day" (2023) and supernatural thriller "Exhuma" (2024).
"Nambeol" is slated to begin principal photography in the second half of the year.
moonkihoon@heraldcorp.com
