Yoo Ah-in to star in 'The Heretic,' marking return after drug case

Actor Yoo Ah-in is slated to return to the screen in the new occult film 'The Heretic,' directed by Na Hong-jin. This project marks his first acting role in approximately three years and five months since his drug use scandal came to light. The film's distributor, NEW, confirmed Yoo's casting on the 18th.

'The Heretic' centers on an unidentified hitman who is tasked by a priest to pursue a group of heretics. Yoo Ah-in will portray the hitman, a character described as bold but who undergoes transformation as he confronts these mysterious entities. This film is significant as it is the first movie Yoo has filmed since the drug allegations surfaced. His previous releases, 'The Match' and 'High Five,' were completed before the scandal became public.

The cast of 'The Heretic' includes prominent actors such as Lee Sung-min, who plays a priest breaking taboos for his beliefs; Lee Joon-hyuk, portraying a heretic seeking eternal life; Yoon Kyung-ho as a smuggling broker accompanying the heretics; and Choi Hyun-wook as a U.S. lieutenant with an unknown agenda.

This film is the latest work from director Na Hong-jin, who previously garnered over 11.91 million viewers with 'Exhuma' in 2024. His earlier directorial credits include 'The Priests' (2019) and 'The Wailing' (2016). Filming for 'The Heretic' is scheduled to commence in August, with a planned release in 2028.

Yoo Ah-in had suspended his activities in March 2023 after allegations of habitual drug use surfaced. He was indicted for allegedly using propofol and other medical drugs 181 times between September 2020 and January 2023, under the guise of anesthesia for cosmetic procedures. He received a one-year prison sentence in the first trial and was detained, but his sentence was reduced to a two-year suspended sentence on appeal. The Supreme Court upheld the appellate court's decision, finalizing his sentence.

“

Yoo Ah-in will appear in director Na Hong-jin's new film 'The Heretic.'