SEOUL, Aug. 18 (Yonhap) -- Actor Yoo Ah-in will return to the big screen in director Jang Jae-hyun's upcoming mystery occult thriller "Vampir," three years after allegations emerged that he had habitually used illegal drugs.

The film's local distributor, NEW, on Tuesday announced the cast for the film, including Yoo.

"Vampir" follows an unidentified contract killer who tracks down a mysterious pagan group at the request of a clergyman. The film is Jang's first project since "Exhuma" (2024), which became a box-office smash hit in South Korea.

Yoo was sentenced in February 2025 to one year in prison, suspended for two years, and fined 2 million won (US$1,420) for habitual drug use. The Supreme Court finalized the sentence about five months later.

He suspended his activities after the allegations were reported in 2023 and withdrew from the second season of Netflix's "Hellbound." The release schedules of films starring him, including "The Match" and "Hi-Five," both released in 2025, were also disrupted.

In "Vampir," Yoo will play a contract killer who pursues the pagan group. The character, described as a bold man who remains unshaken in any situation, undergoes a transformation after encountering the case.

The movie will also star Lee Sung-min, Lee Joon-hyuk, Doy, Yoon Kyung-ho and Choi Hyun-wook.

Filming is scheduled to begin this month, with the movie targeted for release in 2028.

sshim@yna.co.kr

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