Salsaengbu Casts Jung Woo-sung in a Bloody Joseon Revenge Story

Jung Woo-sung is taking on a ruthless Joseon power broker in Salsaengbu, a historical action film adapted from Kim Jong-hoon’s webtoon of the same name. 1 The story follows Han Myeong-hoe, who gains power through bloodshed, and people seeking revenge after he takes everything from them. 1

It’s a setup with room for more than one compelling confrontation. Jung plays Han as a calculating strategist and formidable martial artist who seizes absolute power after a bloody purge and refuses to let sacrifice stand in his way. 2 The story brings together people seeking revenge and a warrior close to Han, with casting for two central roles still undisclosed in the reporting. 3 4

Revenge and ambition around Han

One of the film’s central figures is Baek I-hwa, known as Yagwi, who vows revenge after losing everything to Han. 3 Another is Jang Gil-do, Han’s right-hand man and a warrior. 3 Their tangled fates with Han form the core of the story, but the actors playing Baek and Jang had not been announced in the reports. 3 4

Jung Sung-il plays a separate character, Ban-seok, who bears a deep grudge against Han. 5 He works with the secret organization Hwajeopmong on a plan to bring the power broker down. 5 That gives the film another revenge-driven figure without making him the same person as Baek I-hwa. 3 5

Wi Ha-jun joins the cast as Grand Prince Suyang, an ambitious figure with his sights on the throne. 6 Baek Yoon-sik plays Jihak, a blacksmith and former warrior. 6 Between Han’s grip on power and Suyang’s royal ambition, the announced roles already suggest a charged political backdrop for the revenge story. 6

A historical backdrop with a hard-boiled edge

The source webtoon uses Grand Prince Suyang’s Gyeyu coup and the movement that followed to restore King Danjong as its historical backdrop. 7 The film is described as a hard-boiled, bloody historical action story that combines historical facts with imagination. 8 That distinction matters for newcomers: the setting draws on history, while the adaptation also makes room for its own genre storytelling. 8 7

Director Kim Hong-sun’s credits include Project Wolf Hunting and work as lead director on season three of the British crime action series Gangs of London. 5 It’s an intriguing match for a film presenting its power struggle through such a bloody action lens. 5 8

The production team also includes cinematographer Lars Cox, whose credits include House of the Dragon and The Witcher, and lighting director Kieran Waites, whose credits include The Odyssey and the Fast & Furious series. 3 Filming has begun, with a theatrical release targeted for 2027. 2