A remote island, a closed community and a cannibalism case buried in Joseon-era records sit at the center of Seo Yea-ji's next project. The actress has been cast as the lead of Geumwoldo, an occult horror film that builds its mystery around a distinctly Korean take on vampire mythology.
Her agency B.Wave Entertainment confirmed the casting on November 4, announcing that Seo Yea-ji will play Kim Ji-hoo in the film. Kim Ji-hoo is a woman who confronts her own fate head-on, and the role puts her at the center of the island's unraveling secrets.
A message from her mother is what draws Kim Ji-hoo to the remote island of Geumwoldo in the first place. Once there, she begins investigating a series of mysterious incidents and gradually uncovers the truth behind them.
The story itself starts from an actual case of cannibalism recorded in the Veritable Records of the Joseon Dynasty. Geumwoldo takes that historical record as its motif and unfolds on an isolated Korean island inhabited by an insular community, where strange events begin to surface.
Rather than following Western vampire conventions, the film is being shaped as a Korean-style vampire story rooted in that record. The approach sets the project apart from its Western counterparts while keeping the mystery grounded in Korean history and setting.
Baek Dong-hoon will direct the film. He previously helmed Le Grand Chef 2: Kimchi Battle, and he now takes on a genre piece built around historical records, an isolated setting and a slow-burning investigation. Additional casting has yet to be announced for the film. Kim Ji-hoo remains the only confirmed character so far, which leaves the island's community and its secrets still to be revealed.
Much of the film rests on Kim Ji-hoo's psychological transformation as she pursues the truth. SBS Entertainment News notes that Seo Yea-ji is expected to anchor the story as her character navigates an unfamiliar environment while the incidents around her deepen.
The casting also marks a long-awaited return to movies for the actress. Geumwoldo is her first film since 2021, ending a gap of roughly five years away from the big screen.
Television and the stage have kept her busy in the years since that last film role. She fronted the drama Eve in 2022, and she recently took on her first theatre role in the play The Hymn of Death, drawing praise for her delicate emotional acting.
A new agency chapter frames the comeback as well. Seo Yea-ji signed with B.Wave Entertainment in July, and Geumwoldo stands as the first film project confirmed under the new deal.
Filming for Geumwoldo is scheduled to begin in mid-November. The film is targeting a theatrical release in 2027.
Sources: SPOTV News, SBS Entertainment News
