Actor Ha Jung Woo is set to join the prequel to the hit 2015 film 'Inside Men.' Hive Media Corp. unveiled the cast lineup for 'Inside Men: The Birth of Villains' on August 20. Directed by Kim Min Bum and Kim Jin Seok, the upcoming film will star Ha Jung Woo, Ahn Bo Hyun, Park Hae Joon, and Jung Sung Il. 'Inside Men: The Birth of Villains' is set in the 1980s and will explore the origins of the "insiders" within a powerful cartel formed through the intersection of the media, capital, and political power. Ha Jung Woo will portray Lee Kang Hee, a newspaper reporter who dreams of breaking major corporate corruption stories. However, after being pushed into an insignificant position due to external pressure, he eventually becomes a key figure in creating the foundation of a powerful political cartel. Ahn Bo Hyun will play Ahn Sang Goo, the head of an entertainment agency. Having risen from the bottom, Ahn Sang Goo pursues his own success while seeking revenge. His relationship with Ha Jung Woo's character will alternate between cooperation and confrontation. Park Hae Joon will portray Jang Pil Woo, a first-term lawmaker who enters politics after ending his career as a prosecutor. An ambitious politician, he seeks to rise to the center of power through deals with the media. Jung Sung Il will play Oh Hyun Soo, chairman of Mirae Group. Having built his conglomerate through any means necessary, Oh uses his immense financial power in an attempt to position himself at the top of the cartel. The film will be co-directed by Kim Min Bum and Kim Jin Seok, who previously worked as assistant directors on '12.12: The Day' and other major Korean productions. The directors are expected to bring pivotal moments from Korea's modern history to the big screen. "'Inside Men: The Birth of Villains' is the official prequel to 'Inside Men,'" a production official said. "It will shed light on the origins of the story and examine how the axis of power came into existence." The film is currently in pre-production, with production targeted to begin later this year.
Released in 2015, 'Inside Men' was directed by Woo Min Ho and starred Lee Byung Hun, Cho Seung Woo, and Baek Yoon Sik. Based on the webtoon of the same name by Yoon Tae Ho, the crime thriller follows a political fixer seeking revenge against the powerful figures he once served, eventually joining forces with an ambitious prosecutor to expose a web of corruption. The film became a major box-office success in South Korea, drawing more than 7.07 million moviegoers and becoming one of the country's biggest hits of 2015. It was also notable for its success as an R-rated Korean film. The upcoming project was originally being developed as a three-part series before being reworked into a film trilogy. The prequel story is set in the late 1980s, decades before the events of the original film, and will trace the formation of the powerful network of politicians, business leaders, prosecutors, and gangsters that eventually dominates the world depicted in 'Inside Men.'
Ha Jung Woo remains one of South Korea's most prominent film actors, gaining recognition for his chilling portrayal of Ji Young Min in the film 'Chaser.' His recent works include 'Hijack 1971' (2024), 'Nocturnal' (2025), and 'Lobby' (2025), which he also directed. His filmography also includes 'Ransomed,' 'Road to Boston,' 'Along with the Gods,' and the Netflix series 'Narco-Saints.' His next major project is Netflix's upcoming political film 'The Generals' (working title), directed by Yoon Jong Bin. Ha Jung Woo will portray former South Korean President Chun Doo Hwan, opposite Son Suk Ku as Roh Tae Woo. The film explores the relationship between the two military figures and their rise within South Korea's turbulent political history.
Ahn Bo Hyun, born in 1988, initially worked as a model before establishing himself as an actor. He became widely recognized through roles in dramas including 'Itaewon Class,' 'Yumi's Cells,' 'My Name,' and 'See You in My 19th Life.' He later took on leading roles in SBS' 'Flex X Cop' and the 2026 tvN drama 'Spring Fever.'
His film credits include 'Noryang: Deadly Sea' and 'Pretty Crazy,' and he has increasingly expanded his work into film alongside his television career.
Park Hae Joon is particularly well known internationally for his role as Lee Tae Oh in JTBC's 'The World of the Married,' one of the most successful Korean cable dramas at the time of its release. More recently, he has demonstrated considerable range. He portrayed Yang Gwan Sik in Netflix's 'When Life Gives You Tangerines,' earning significant attention for his portrayal of a devoted husband and father. He subsequently appeared in the crime thriller 'Yadang: The Snitch' and tvN's romance drama 'Love, Take Two.' He has also appeared in major films including '12.12: The Day,' 'Emergency Declaration,' 'Broker,' and the upcoming action drama 'Humint.' His casting is particularly interesting given his previous work in '12.12: The Day,' another politically charged historical thriller produced by Hive Media Corp, the same production company behind 'Inside Men: The Birth of Villains.'
Jung Sung Il gained major international recognition after playing Ha Do Young, the husband of Lim Ji Yeon's character in Netflix's hit series 'The Glory.' His performance helped establish him as one of the industry's rising stars, particularly among international K-drama audiences.
He has since expanded into film and other major streaming productions. His recent credits include the historical action film 'Uprising' and the Disney+ series 'Made in Korea.' He was also recognized for his film work, winning Best New Actor at the 2025 Baeksang Arts Awards for 'Uprising' and at the Chunsa Film Art Awards.
The casting creates an interesting bridge between generations of Korean actors. Ha Jung Woo leads the new story as Lee Kang Hee, while Ahn Bo Hyun's Ahn Sang Goo is specifically connected to Lee Byung Hun's character from the original film. Park Hae Joon and Jung Sung Il, meanwhile, bring extensive experience portraying morally complicated and powerful figures in political, crime, and thriller projects. The project has also undergone significant changes before reaching its current lineup. Earlier versions reportedly involved Song Kang Ho, Koo Kyo Hwan, Su Ae, and director Mo Wan Il, but those members subsequently departed the project. The production has now been reorganized under co-directors Kim Min Bum and Kim Jin Seok, with filming targeted for 2026. This makes the newly announced cast especially notable: the film is not simply returning to the world of 'Inside Men,' but is effectively launching a new interpretation of the franchise's origins, while maintaining direct connections to the 2015 original.
