AceShowbiz - Korean actor Lee Byung-hun, known for his roles in Squid Game and Park Chan-wook's No Other Choice, has committed to star in the upcoming martial arts action movie Nambeol (working title), produced by Hive Media Corp.

This film marks the directorial debut of veteran cinematographer Lee Mo-gae and is described as a hard-boiled martial arts action flick set in the early Joseon Dynasty. The plot centers on nine warriors who embark on a perilous mission to Tsushima Island to rescue Korean captives abducted by Japanese pirates.

Although the story is not based on specific historical events, it takes place during a turbulent period when Korea was frequently targeted by Japanese pirate raids. This setting taps into a popular trend of history-inspired films performing strongly at the Korean box office.

Recent examples include Showbox's The King's Warden, a film about a Joseon king sent into exile, which has become the highest-grossing Korean film ever, earning more than $105 million. Nambeol aims to build on this momentum by blending intense martial arts action with a compelling historical backdrop.

Fans of Lee Byung-hun and martial arts cinema can look forward to this new project as it brings a fresh story set in a vivid historical context, promising thrilling action sequences and a dramatic rescue mission.