Hwang Dong-hyuk, the filmmaker behind Squid Game, is making a high-profile return to cinema with K.O. Club, reuniting with Squid Game alumni Lee Byung Hun and Park Hae Soo.

Firstman Studio, founded by Hwang and Squid Game producer Kim Ji Yeon, will produce K.O. CLUB.

The ensemble also features Oh Jung Se and Cho Yeo Jeong, with Kim So Jin rounding out the main cast in this near-future thriller.

Production is slated to begin in early 2027, with targeted filming in the first half of the year.

Firstman Studio has confirmed the cast and production plans for K.O. Club, signaling a concrete timeline for the project.

The film is expected to explore themes similar to Squid Game—class inequality and greed—while introducing a sci-fi twist centered on the concept of purchasing youth.

K.O. Club stands for Killing Oldmen Club, a near-future thriller about a wealthy elderly elite clinging to power against a younger generation facing shrinking opportunities.

Set in a near-future where wealth determines biological youth, the story pits an aging elite against a economically disenfranchised younger cohort.

The premise uses the ominous acronym K.O. to underscore a clash between age, wealth, and power in society.

Variety has reported the development and casting details, underscoring the project’s prominence.

The project marks Hwang’s comeback to cinema, blending familiar faces with new dynamics to tackle timely social themes.

While K.O. Club may retain Hwang’s satirical edge, it’s described as darker and more ambitious than Miss Granny, continuing the social critique thread from Squid Game.