Park Bo-gum, Joo Won, Jung Jae-young, Lee Sun-bin, and BIBI have been cast in director Kim Han-min’s new feature, "The Sword" (working title).
Set just after the fall of Goguryeo, the blockbuster period action film follows an amnesiac enslaved warrior who enters a high-stakes gladiator tournament to claim a legendary blade.
Unfolding in 668 C.E. against the backdrop of Liaodong Fortress, the film blends historical imagination with large-scale spectacle as a storied northern sword becomes a beacon of hope in a shattered era.
For the first time, the movie puts Goguryeo-style gladiatorial combat front and center. Inside a massive circular arena in former Goguryeo territory, 16 northern tribes―including the Khitan, Mohe, and Gokturks―clash with distinct fighting styles and battlefield tactics. Expect bone-rattling impact and cathartic, survival-driven action unlike anything seen in past Korean period epics.
Park Bo-gum takes on his most transformative role yet as Chilseong, a warrior who has lost his memory. From brutal, bare-knuckle survival as a slave gladiator to awakening as a people’s champion known as the Red Wolf, Park is poised to deliver a fierce, career-defining turn.
Opposite him, Joo Won plays Gaepilharryeok, a cool-headed Gokturk representative who becomes Chilseong’s razor-edged rival in the tournament. Wielding twin blades, Joo amps up the tension with intricate, high-difficulty fight choreography.
Adding gravitas, Jung Jae-young portrays Heuksugang, the leader of the Goguryeo restoration army (Damul Army)―a secretive, steel-nerved mentor who forges Chilseong into a true warrior. Lee Sun-bin, fresh off box office success with "Noise," steps in as Maya, a member of the restoration force whose enigmatic allure comes with serious action chops. Rounding out the ensemble, BIBI plays In-jeong, Heuksugang’s daughter, injecting fresh energy into the narrative.
"The Sword" is a long-gestating passion project from Kim Han-min, the filmmaker who helped redefine Korean period action with "War of the Arrows" and his "The Yi Sun-sin Trilogy." From early R&D, the production integrated AI-driven tools as part of the Korea Creative Content Agency’s K-Content AI initiative, harnessing the tech to design a sprawling melee where 16 tribes’ unique martial forms and strategies collide―promising a spectacle and thrill ride rare in historical epics.
“If 'War of the Arrows' captured the speed and spirit of our people’s bow, 'The Sword' channels the blade’s sharp, weighty energy as it cuts through the chaos after Goguryeo’s fall,” Kim says. “Beyond slashing and stabbing, I want audiences to meet a fierce, distinctly Korean worldview where the era’s pain collides with personal duty. With Goguryeo and the sword―two of our boldest cultural touchstones―I’m aiming to launch a new K-action hero that resonates far beyond Asia.”
(SBS Entertainment News | Kim Ji-hye)