Jin Seon Kyu Drops Out of Lee Jung Jae Directorial Debut ‘The Hunt’ + ‘Squid Game’ Actor Heo Sung Tae Joins the Upcoming Film
Lee Jung Jae directorial debut "The Hunt" is going through some changes involving his "Squid Game" co-star Heo Sung Tae and "Space Sweepers" star Jin Seon Kyu.
The new movie is produced by Mana Pictures and will be the "Chief of Staff" star's first-ever film to direct.
"The Hunt" is an espionage action drama that follows the story of National Intelligence Service (NIS) agents Park Pyung Ho, played by Lee Jung Jae and Kim Jung Do, portrayed by Jung Woo Sung.
Their team is tasked to chase the head of the North Korean spies, but the duo is about to uncover a massive revelation.
Jin Seon Kyu Departs from 'The Hunt'
In a news article cited by Star News, the 44-year-old actor, who is one of the main characters in the upcoming film, has decided to withdraw his appearance midway of the filming,
According to reports, this is due to the actor's conflict with the schedule that did not compliment the film's timeline.
Jin Seon Kyu took on the role of Ahn Gi Bu, a member of the NIS overseas team and Park Pyung Ho's (Lee Jung Hae) colleague and biggest rival.
The Blue Dragon Film Awards winner recently appeared in Song Joong Ki's movie "Space Sweepers," where he played Park Kyung Soo, a.k.a Tiger Park, in charge of the ship's machinery and was previously a drug baron on Earth.
Despite his decision to depart from Lee Jung Jae's movie, Jin Seon Kyu is set to appear in two upcoming films, "Seasons of You and Me," "Confidential Assignment 2: International," and new K-drama "Through the Darkness" as a criminal profiler.
As mentioned above, "The Hunt" is still in production, but multiple reports cited that it took Lee Jung Jae more than four years to write the screenplay.
READ MORE: Here are the Children's Games Featured in Netflix's 'Squid Game'
Lee Jung Jae Reunites with 'Squid Game' Co-Star Heo Sung Tae
Following the news about the actor's withdrawal from "The Hunt," the outlet also cited that Heo Sung Tae will join as one of the cast in the upcoming film.
In an exclusive report, Star News revealed that he is set to play as the anthropologist at NIS alongside Park Pyong Ho.
"The Hunt" will be the 43-year-old actor's second project with Lee Jung Jae after both stars appeared in the newly released survival K-drama "Squid Game."
Heo Sung Tae received the public's attention after starring in the Netflix series, where he took on the role of the villain Jang Deok Soo, a.k.a player number 101.
In addition, he will also appear in the horror sci-fi drama "The Silent Sea" with Gong Yoo and Bae Donna, as well as the movie "Boys" starring Sol Kyung Gu and Yoo Joon Sang.
Apart from his villain role in "Squid Game," viewers might recognize the actor since he also appeared in recent shows--one of which is "Racket Boys," and Shin Ha Kyun's "Beyond Evil," where he portrayed the role of JL Constructions' CEO Lee Chang Jin.
