How do you follow up one of the most twisted, successful TV shows in recent history? Well, by making an equally twisted sci-fi movie, of course. Hwang Dong-hyuk, the creator of Netflix’s mega hit Squid Game, is about to make a sci-fi movie called K.O. Club, and he’s recruited one of his co-stars, Lee Byung-hun, for a leading role.
According to Variety, “K.O. Club” stands for “Killing Oldmen Club,” and here’s why. The film is set in a future world where money can buy youth, so the rich, older generation finds itself at odds with the naturally younger generation it’s trying to steal from. And, if the title is literal, we think we know where this will go. Filming is set to start early in 2027.
Park Hae-soo, who played player 218 in the first season of Squid Game, is also on board, along with fellow South Korean actors Oh Jung-se, Kim So-jin, and Cho Yeo-jeong (Parasite).
There’s no word on what the distribution plan will be for the film, or whether Hwang and his production company Firstman Studio will rekindle the relationship with Netflix. But, coming off a hit as big as Squid Game, you have to imagine saying “The new film from the man behind Squid Game” should be enough to get it in front of a very large audience.
The idea, of course, certainly dances around themes Hwang explored with Squid Game too. Class inequality, greed, violence, etc. But that sci-fi twist of actually being able to buy youth is very cool. How does that work in this world, exactly? How far back can you go? We’re highly intrigued.
Before Squid Game, Hwang made multiple feature films, though none experienced the success of Squid Game. K.O. Club will be his first feature in a decade. Are you going to check it out?
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