[Exclusive] Lee Sung-min, Koo Kyo-hwan and Yoon Kyung-ho to Team Up for Film 'Cartel'... A 'Perfect' Match Completed

[Sportschosun reporter Jiyoung Cho] An all-star casting has come together, led by acting powerhouse Lee Sung-min and joined by rising stars Koo Kyo-hwan and Yoon Kyung-ho.

Lee Sung-min, Koo Kyo-hwan and Yoon Kyung-ho have recently chosen the film "Cartel" as their next project.

"Cartel" is the next film from director Um Yoo-na, who took part in the screenplay for the 2017 film "A Taxi Driver" and made her directorial debut with the 2019 release "Mal-Mo-E: The Secret Mission." It is a political crime period drama set in the late 1960s and early 1970s, during a harsh dictatorship, and follows a massive power struggle and political intrigue. The film is drawing attention as a well-made political thriller that will portray the ambitions of those at the center of power and the people around them.

Lee Sung-min proved his acting range once again by playing Beom-mo, a potential rival to Man-soo, in Park Chan-wook's 2024 film "No Other Choice." His performance earned him Best Supporting Actor at the 46th Blue Dragon Film Awards. He later transformed into Education Minister Choi Kang-seok, who founded the Teachers' Rights Protection Bureau, in Netflix's "Cheonggyoyuk," released in June, captivating viewers around the world.

Koo Kyo-hwan, who will be acting alongside Lee Sung-min, has also been on a remarkable run. Starting with the romantic drama "Once We Were Us," released on Dec. 31 last year, he helped lead three straight hits with JTBC's "We Are All Trying Here" in April and the zombie action film "Colony" in May. He is now regarded as one of the hottest stars in the industry. Four more projects are also set to be released this year: the sci-fi action film "Seeking the King," the action fantasy "Resurrection Man," "Your Country," which he co-directed and starred in with his partner director Yi Okseop, and the comedy film "Gardeners."

Yoon Kyung-ho, who completed the final piece of the puzzle for "Cartel," is also known for his relentless work ethic. In Netflix's "The Trauma Code: Heroes on Call," released last year, he played Han Yu-rim, a professor of proctology, and sparked a nationwide "Yurimping" craze. That same year, he drew 5.64 million viewers with "My Daughter Is a Zombie." He then added more hits with TVING's "Legendary Chef," which ended last month, and SBS's currently airing drama "Manager Kim," further cementing his reputation as a trusted actor. He has also emerged as a variety-show favorite through his sharp wit and lively banter on Ddeun Ddeun's "Pinggyego" YouTube channel. Yoon will also unveil four projects this year: Netflix's "Cross 2," the film "Undercover High School," "Vampyr," and Netflix's series "Dead-End Job."

With Lee Sung-min, Koo Kyo-hwan and Yoon Kyung-ho now recognized as acclaimed actors not only in Korea but around the world, they are already keeping packed schedules with their next and even next-next projects. By adding "Cartel" to their lineup in the second half of this year, they are set to fill out 2026 as well. Attention is now focused on how the three will portray the internal operations of state power agencies, the collusion between politicians and the military, and the tense battle between those trying to cover it up and those trying to expose it.

Jiyoung Cho soulhn1220@sportschosun.com