Bae Hyun-sung to take his first leading film role in Yeon Sang-ho's new work 'Paradise Lost'

Bae Hyun-sung will take on his first leading role in a film with director Yeon Sang-ho's new work 'Paradise Lost'.

'Paradise Lost' is a psychological thriller that begins when Ryu Seon-woo, a son thought to be dead, returns to his mother Ryu So-yeong, who lost her son in a camping school bus disappearance incident nine years ago.

Bae Hyun-sung plays the role of the unfamiliar son Ryu Seon-woo, who returns after nine years. Ryu Seon-woo is the sole survivor of the camping school bus disappearance incident that shook the nation, and even after returning to his mother, it is never revealed where he was or what he experienced during the nine-year gap.

Director Yeon Sang-ho chose Bae Hyun-sung as the lead, following Park Jung Min in his previous work 'The Ugly'. The connection between the two began on the set of 'Hellbound' Season 2, and the impression received from a meeting lasting about one episode led to the casting.

Director Yeon Sang-ho said, "It was a meeting of about one episode, but his immersion was excellent, and his attitude in getting along with the staff and other actors was also impressive. Ryu Seon-woo had to be a mysterious character possessing both pure and chilling sides, and I thought if it were Bae Hyun-sung, he could show those ambivalent aspects." Bae Hyun-sung said, "I felt charm in the chilling nature where you cannot tell what Seon-woo is thinking; rather than revealing it overtly as scary, I wanted to make the chill seep out through a restrained attitude."

Director Yeon Sang-ho praised Bae Hyun-sung, who handled the most difficult scenes from the very first shoot, for his concentration and transforming acting skills. The released stills capture Seon-woo's expressionless face looking into a mirror, and Seon-woo standing in front of a fence in the middle of the night, revealing worn-out clothes and a chilling gaze. 'Paradise Lost' is a new work made on a low budget by director Yeon Sang-ho following 'The Ugly' (2025), and it was also an invited work for the Special Presentations at the 51st Toronto International Film Festival, which closed on the 20th. Director Yeon Sang-ho's recent work 'Colony' was released on May 21 and gathered more than 5.95 million cumulative viewers, and on July 2, he presented the Netflix series 'Gas Human' in Japan.

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