Kim Sae-ron's final film set for release
Kim Min-jae, the film's director, is editing footage for the romance drama adapted from a webtoon of the same name, according to local media reports Thursday. No specific release date has been set, though the film is expected in the second half of 2025.
The story follows Yeo-ul, a basketball-loving high school student played by Kim, who develops romantic feelings for her childhood friend Ho-su (Lee Chae-min). The project, which finished shooting in 2021, will be shown as a feature-length film before being released as a seven-episode drama series.
"We had plans to release the film later this year," the director told Yonhap News Agency. "The recent news came as a shock. I believe the best thing I can do for Sae-ron now is to show audiences her brilliant acting talent and the beauty she brought to her work."
Kim began her acting career at the age of 9 with "A Brand New Life" (2009), which was screened at the Cannes Film Festival. She earned acclaim for her performances in "The Man From Nowhere" (2010) and "A Girl at My Door" (2014). Her television work included the period fantasy "Mirror of the Witch" (2016).
However, Kim's acting career faced a major setback in May 2022 after a drunk driving incident in Gangnam, southern Seoul. She crashed her car into a guardrail and transformer, cutting off electricity to dozens of businesses. Following public backlash, she withdrew from drama series "Trolley" and had most of her scenes edited out of Netflix's "Bloodhounds."
After the incident, Kim largely retreated from public life, though local media reported she had been attempting to return to acting through small-budget projects and stage plays.
Another posthumous work, the film "Guitar Man," is scheduled for release in May, according to local media reports.
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