As Hollywood blockbusters dominate theaters this summer from Brad Pitt’s F1 movie to Jurassic World: New Dawn and Superman Korean cinema is preparing to strike back with homegrown hits. Among the most anticipated are Omniscient Reader’s Viewpoint and The Devil Came to Stay, led by a trio of idol-turned-actresses: Im Yoona, Nana, and BLACKPINK’s Jisoo.
Returning to the big screen after three years, Im Yoona stars in the fantasy comedy The Devil Came to Stay, following her success in Confidential Assignment 2 (2022). For the first time, she plays the lead role, portraying Seon-ji, a seemingly sweet bakery owner by day who transforms into a devilishly unhinged woman by night. The film explores her chaotic encounters with a jobless man, Gil-goo (played by Ahn Bo-hyun), who is tasked with watching her.
“This is the most bizarre character I’ve ever played,” Yoona shared. “I changed everything from my tone of voice to facial expressions and even my laughter. I’m curious how audiences will respond.”
In the webtoon-turned-blockbuster Omniscient Reader’s Viewpoint, Nana and Jisoo trade glam for grit in a post-apocalyptic world. The film centers around Kim Dok-ja (Ahn Hyo-seop), the only reader of a long-running novel that suddenly becomes reality, teaming up with the novel’s hero Yoo Joong-hyuk (Lee Min-ho) to survive.
Nana plays Jung Hee-won, a fierce warrior driven by justice. With years of experience in dramas like The Good Wife, Nana took on the challenge of complex action choreography. “I trained hard to express both the grace and power of my character. The wire scenes were especially thrilling,” she said.
After a cameo in Dr. Cheon and Lost Talisman (2023) and romantic drama roles in Snowdrop and Newtopia, BLACKPINK’s Jisoo makes her true cinematic debut. She portrays Lee Ji-hye, a loyal student who calls Joong-hyuk “Master” and fights by his side.
“I worked closely with the director to build her backstory, which wasn’t fully written in the script,” Jisoo noted. “I focused on portraying her quick-wittedness and adaptability in chaotic situations.”
With idol power and genre diversity from comedy to dystopian action these former girl group members are leading a new wave of cinematic appeal, proving they’re more than just stage icons.