Actor Koo Kyo-hwan is set for a shocking transformation in director Yeon Sang-ho’s new film Gunchae.
On the 31st, distributor Showbox unveiled still cuts of Koo Kyo-hwan as Seo Young-chul, a biologist who triggers a catastrophic outbreak in the film.
In the newly released stills, Seo Young-chul captivates with hollow eyes and an emotionless face—from brooding alone in a lab to calmly walking through a crowd of the infected. A former prodigy at a biotech company, he yearns for the birth of a “new humanity.” Standing at the very center of the building’s outbreak, he claims to carry a vaccine in his own body, making him the prime target of authorities and survivors alike.
Set inside a sealed-off building amid a mysterious infection, Gunchae follows a group of isolated survivors as they battle against infected beings that evolve in unpredictable ways. This marks Koo Kyo-hwan’s fourth collaboration with Yeon Sang-ho, following Peninsula, Parasyte: The Grey, Monstrous.
Koo Kyo-hwan shared, “I was intrigued by concepts that set it apart from traditional zombie films, and I was curious how they would come to life on screen. When a great project comes along, I want to be part of it in any role.” Director Yeon Sang-ho added, “I needed an actor who could reinterpret Seo Young-chul from a different angle, and Koo Kyo-hwan naturally came to mind. In the end, an extraordinary actor delivered an extraordinary performance as a character who thinks in a way unlike ordinary people.”
Anticipation is sky-high among fans. Some are already reacting with comments like, “Koo Kyo-hwan as a villain?” and “Counting down to May.”
Meanwhile, Gunchae is slated for a theatrical release in May.