Gong Yoo Gets Ready To Battle Zombies

Viewers who know Gong Yoo from comedies such as "Coffee Prince" and "Big," might be surprised by some of his most recent film roles.

He's done a few comedy films too but in the last few years he's also taken a succession of dark roles. And soon he will battle zombies.

In the 2011 film "Silenced" he played a teacher confronted with abuse in a school for the deaf. The film was based on a real-life case and proved to be so shocking that it changed the law in Korea. In his most recent film "The Suspect" he played a spy who risked his life only to be abandoned by his government.

The theme of his next film is forbidden love. In "A Man and a Woman" he plays a man who falls for a woman he can't have. Jeon Do Yeon plays a lonely woman who travels to Finland to send her autistic son to a special camp. Gong Yoo plays an architect who visits Finland for work and the two are isolated by a dramatic snowfall. The film promises a touching love story but since it focuses on pointless love, it's definitely not a comedy.

After falling in love with the wrong woman, Gong Yoo is planning to battle zombies. Gong Yoo will star in the live-action thriller "Bound For Busan," a film about a viral epidemic that quickly transforms humans into zombies. Gong Yoo plays a Zuk Woo, man who is caught on a high-speed train with his wife when the zombies attack. He must battle them with whatever resources he can find on the train.

The film is directed by Yun Sang Ho, who known for his dark and controversial films. And it's a much bigger film than any of his previous directorial efforts. "Bound for Busan" will reportedly cost about $10 million to make. "Bound for Busan is actually a sequel to the director's previous indie animated film "Seoul Station," which showed how the outbreak of a disease affected Seoul.

Why zombies? Gong Yoo has said that he is a fan of Director Yun Sang Ho, who directed "The Fake" and "King of Pigs." And he said the film's script was appealing.

Casting is not yet complete for the zombie film. Choi Woo Sik, who recently appeared in the dramas "Fool's Love," "Fated To Love You" and "Pride and Prejudice" is also considering a role.

The zombie thriller is set to start filming in April.