'Secret Agent' Attracts Gong Yoo, Song Kang Ho, Shin Sung Rok And Han Ji Min

It has been a good year for films about the Japanese occupation of Korea. Teh box office hit "Assassination" starred Jun Ji Hyun, Lee Jung Jae and Ha Jung Woo as key figures in the independence movement. By the end of August the film earned $77 million making it the highest-grossing Korean film of 2015.

Next year might be an equally good year for "Secret Agent," a film about a similar subject that has signed Song Kang Ho, Gong Yoo and Han Ji Min. Shin Sung Rok is currently considering a role.

The film will tell the story of The Organization of Righteous Bravery, one of the Korean independence movements. It is the first Korean language film ever co-financed by the American film company Warner Brothers.

Here's some background on the Korean independence movement. A succession of treaties tried to incorporate Korea into Japanese rule, first as a protectorate and then by annexing Korea in 1910. That ended the Joseon dynasty. The film "Secret Agent" is set in the 1930s. At that time protests against Japanese rule had led to the strengthening of military rule and suppression of the press and free expression. "Secret Agent" takes place during this period.

Japanese rule ended in 1945 at the end of World War II.

K-drama star Gong Yoo will appear in the film but it is not yet known whether he will play an independence fighter. He is best known for his roles in "Coffee Prince" and in the films "Silenced" and "The Suspect."

His co-star, veteran Korean actor Song Kang Ho is familiar to American film audiences due to his appearance in Bong Joon Ho's 2013 film "Snowpiercer." After that film he appeared in "The Throne," "The Attorney" and "The Face Reader." It is the fourth time that Song appears in a film by Kim Jee Woon,  director of "I Saw The Devil" and "The Good, The Bad and The Weird."

Shin Sung Rok appeared in the dramas "The King's Face," "Trot Lovers," "The Liar Game" and "You Who Came From The Stars." He has not yet confirmed his participation in the film.

His agency HB Entertainment, told the Korean media outlet OSEN that he is reviewing the story positively.

Han Ji Min was last seen in the dramas "Padam Padam," "Rooftop Prince," "Hyde, Jekyll and Me" and the films "Salut D'Amour" and "The Fatal Encounter."

The movie is scheduled to begin filming in October.