The director of “Squid Game” is going back to cinemas. Not to streaming, not to a fourth season — to a feature film, for the first time in a decade.
Hwang Dong-hyuk has confirmed his next project: a film called “K.O. Club”.
The cast includes Lee Byung-hun, Oh Jung-se, Park Hae-soo, Jo Yeo-jeong and Kim So-jin.
Production company First Man Studio announced it on 27 August 2026. Shooting is planned for 2027.
Why this is a bigger deal than a new season
Hwang Dong-hyuk has not directed a theatrical feature in roughly ten years. “Squid Game” made him one of the most recognisable directors working anywhere, and the obvious move after that kind of success is to stay on the platform that delivered it.
He is doing the opposite. “K.O. Club” is a screen project, which means a different budget structure, a different running time, and a different relationship with the audience than a nine-episode series.
For a director whose global reputation was built entirely on streaming, going back to the format he started in is a deliberate choice rather than a default one.
The cast is the headline
| Actor | Known for | Working with Hwang |
|---|---|---|
| Lee Byung-hun | Front Man, Hwang In-ho in “Squid Game” | Reunion |
| Park Hae-soo | “Squid Game” season 1 | Reunion |
| Oh Jung-se | Character actor, frequent scene-stealer | First time |
| Jo Yeo-jeong | Film and television lead | First time |
| Kim So-jin | Film and television supporting lead | First time |
Two things stand out. First, Lee Byung-hun and Park Hae-soo are both returning — Lee played the Front Man and Park appeared in the first season. Reassembling that pairing outside the “Squid Game” universe invites comparison, and Hwang presumably knows that.
Second, three of the five are working with him for the first time. Oh Jung-se in particular is known for transforming heavily between roles, and Korean viewers online have focused on that combination more than on anything else announced so far.
What we do not know yet
Quite a lot, and it is worth being clear about it.
- The plot has not been released. The title suggests boxing or a knockout of some kind, but nothing official confirms a subject
- No release date. Shooting is planned for 2027, which puts any release well beyond that
- No distributor announced for international markets
- No word on “Squid Game” itself — this announcement does not say anything about whether that story continues
Announcements at this stage are about locking in talent, not about telling you what the film is. Expect a long gap before concrete details.
Where this sits in a bigger shift
There is a pattern worth noticing. Korean creators who became globally visible through streaming are increasingly splitting their work between platforms and theatres rather than committing to one.
Streaming gave Korean film-makers reach they could not get through domestic box office alone. But it also standardised what gets made — a certain episode count, a certain structure, a certain kind of hook in the first ten minutes.
A director with Hwang’s leverage choosing a feature is, in part, a bet that the theatrical format still lets you do something streaming does not.
What to watch for next
- A logline or synopsis — usually the next thing released after casting
- Supporting cast announcements — the five names confirmed so far are leads
- Distribution partner — this determines how quickly it reaches audiences outside Korea
In short
Hwang Dong-hyuk is returning to film after about ten years with “K.O. Club”, bringing back Lee Byung-hun and Park Hae-soo from “Squid Game” and adding Oh Jung-se, Jo Yeo-jeong and Kim So-jin.
Shooting is set for 2027, and beyond the cast almost nothing has been confirmed. It is early — but the line-up alone tells you what kind of film he is trying to make.
Frequently asked questions
Is “K.O. Club” a Netflix series?
No. It is a theatrical film. This is Hwang Dong-hyuk’s return to the screen after roughly ten years, and the announcement came from production company First Man Studio rather than a streaming platform.
Who is in the cast?
Lee Byung-hun, Oh Jung-se, Park Hae-soo, Jo Yeo-jeong and Kim So-jin have been confirmed. Lee Byung-hun played the Front Man, Hwang In-ho, in “Squid Game”, and Park Hae-soo appeared in the first season.
When does it come out?
No release date has been announced. Filming is planned for 2027, so a release would follow some time after that. Casting announcements typically come well ahead of production.
What is the film about?
The plot has not been made public. The title points to boxing or a knockout of some kind, but nothing official confirms the subject. Treat any specific plot description circulating now as speculation.
Does this mean “Squid Game” is finished?
The announcement says nothing about that. It confirms Hwang’s next project only. Any conclusion about the future of “Squid Game” from this news would be an assumption rather than a report.
Has Hwang Dong-hyuk directed films before?
Yes. He worked in features before “Squid Game” brought him international recognition, and this project marks a return to that format after about a decade away from theatrical directing.
