[Sportschosun Jo Min-jung] Actor Yoo Ah-in, who received a suspended sentence for habitual drug use, is set to make a full-scale comeback with director Jang Jae-hyun's new film 'Vampyr.' However, opinions are divided over his return to a new project before his probation period has ended.
Investment and distribution company Next Entertainment World (NEW) unveiled the cast lineup and script reading photos for the film 'Vampyr' on the 18th. Yoo Ah-in, Lee Sung-min, Lee Joon-hyuk, Doi, Yoon Kyung-ho, and Choi Hyun-wook have confirmed their appearances, and filming will begin in earnest this month. The goal is to release the film in theaters in 2028.
'Vampyr' is a mystery occult film about an unidentified hitman who takes on a request from a priest and tracks down a mysterious cult. It is the next project from director Jang Jae-hyun, who made 'The Priests,' 'Svaha: The Sixth Finger,' and 'Exhuma.' Yoo Ah-in will play the hitman pursuing the cult.
Rumors about Yoo Ah-in's appearance had circulated steadily since late last year, but they had not been made official. When the casting speculation first surfaced last year, Yoo Ah-in's side said nothing had been decided. Even last month, NEW maintained that the cast had not been finalized. After Yoo Ah-in appeared with Jang Jae-hyun at the VIP screening of the film 'Hope,' speculation about his return resurfaced, and his participation was finally confirmed on this day along with script reading photos.
The issue is the timing. Yoo Ah-in was indicted on charges including habitual drug use, sentenced to one year in prison at his first trial in September 2024, and taken into custody in court. In February 2025, his sentence was reduced on appeal to one year in prison, suspended for two years, and he was released. In July of the same year, the Supreme Court finalized the sentence at one year in prison, suspended for two years, along with a fine of 2 million won. He is still under probation.
As a result, reactions to his comeback are split. Critics say it is far too soon for him to return as the lead in a major commercial film by a director who made a 10-million-ticket hit, especially before his probation period has even ended. On the other hand, some are expressing anticipation for the film itself, citing the combination of Yoo Ah-in's acting and Jang Jae-hyun's occult universe.
This time, however, 'Vampyr' is different from Yoo Ah-in's previously released works. After the drug controversy, 'The Match' and 'Hi-Five' were released one after the other, but both had already finished filming before the scandal emerged. There was a view that these were completed works made with the participation of multiple actors and staff, regardless of whether Yoo Ah-in would return.
By contrast, 'Vampyr' is a project in which Yoo Ah-in has newly confirmed his participation after the court ruling and is directly entering production. In that sense, it is fundamentally different from the release of his earlier completed films, as it marks the first new project signaling his full-scale return to activity.
Even so, it is difficult to say that Yoo Ah-in's box-office draw has completely disappeared. 'The Match,' which was filmed before the controversy, drew 2.14 million viewers, while 'Hi-Five' attracted 1.89 million. The fact that both films drew around 2 million viewers despite the controversy also helps explain why the film industry chose to work with Yoo Ah-in again.
In the end, 'Vampyr' is launching with both the expectation of a new film from Jang Jae-hyun after 'Exhuma' and the controversy over Yoo Ah-in's return while still under probation. As views clash between those who believe acting and the work should be judged separately and those who say an actor involved in social controversy needs more time before returning, attention is focused on how the public will receive Yoo Ah-in's choice.
Jo Min-jung, mj.cho@sportschosun.com
This article has been translated by GripLabs Mingo AI.
