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HYBE America confirmed Wednesday that actress Ji-Young Yoo, known for voicing Zoey in Netflix's breakout animation "K-Pop Demon Hunters," and Korean-American singer-songwriter Eric Nam have been cast as the leads of its upcoming K-pop feature film, co-produced with Paramount Pictures.
The English-language film will follow a Korean-American teenager who secretly enters a televised survival competition to join the next global girl group, rebelling against her family's wishes—a premise the producers say will blend coming-of-age drama with the high-pressure world of idol training.
Shooting is scheduled to begin in mid-September entirely on location in South Korea, marking the first time a major American studio has filmed an entire production there.
Korean-American filmmaker Benson Lee ("Seoul Searching") will direct from the latest script by television writer Eileen Shim. Lee called the movie "my love letter to K-pop—its energy, passion and community," and thankedParamount for "championing the project" and the cast for "bringing the story to life."
James Shin, HYBE America's president of film and television, will produce alongside Arthur Spector and Joshua Davis of Epic Magazine and HYBE board member Scooter Braun, with Paramount executive Bryan Oh overseeing for the studio.
Yoo, 25, has built momentum with Prime Video's "Expats" and the Tribeca-winning indie "Smoking Tigers," but her turn in "K-Pop Demon Hunters" vaulted her to mainstream attention when the film topped Netflix's global chart this spring.
"If 15-year-old me could see me now ... I will try my best," the actress said on social media, reflecting on the casting news. Nam, 36, a former "After School Club" host whose albums regularly hit Billboard's World Albums chart, said the film is "for the dreamers" as he prepares for his first major studio role.
Industry watchers note the picture extends HYBE's push into Hollywood following concert documentaries for BTS and Tomorrow X Together, and coincides with Paramount's strategy to court Asian audiences after the success of "Crazy Rich Asians" and "Top Gun: Maverick" in the region. Shin said the collaboration "captures the dedication and artistry that define K-pop while highlighting a universal story about chasing dreams against all odds." Additional casting and soundtrack details are expected later this year as pre-production ramps up in Seoul.
English (US) · 