'The Childe' marks Kim Seon-ho's big-screen debut

Actor Kim Seon-ho will play a ruthless villain in the upcoming crime action film "The Childe," directed by Park Hoon-jung, which will mark Kim's big-screen debut.

"The Childe" follows an illegal boxer of mixed Filipino and Korean descent who goes in search of his Korean father and encounters several antagonists along the way. Kim plays a mysterious man who chases after the boxer, Marco, played by rookie actor Kang Tae-joo.

Kim rose to stardom in the TV series "Hometown Cha-Cha-Cha" (2021) but took a break over the past two years after his ex-girlfriend publicly accused him of coercing her into getting an abortion.

On Monday, the 37-year-old actor apologized again and called attention to the film.

"First of all, I am sorry for causing concerns over my private matters," Kim said during a press conference. "This is a stage to introduce 'The Childe,' which was made through all of the staff members' hard work. I did my best in the role."

Kim described his character as "a crazy man with innocent eyes," who suddenly appears in front of Marco and destroys everything around him.

Director Park, best known for the crime noir film "New World" (2013) and horror films "The Witch: Part 1 & 2" (2018/2022), said his latest work is lighter than other projects.

"Its pace is faster than my past works," Park said. "I tried to make it less dark. I think it will make viewers more comfortable than my previous films."

The movie has been pre-sold in North America and several Asian countries including Taiwan, Thailand, the Philippines, Indonesia and Malaysia, according to its local distributor.

"The Childe" will hit local theaters June 21.

Yonhap