Poster for the 2015 film ‘Inside Men’ by director Woo Min-ho. Photo Showbox

‘Inside Men’, which holds the all-time highest admissions among adults-only (hereafter cheongbul) films, has finalized production of a trilogy.

Hive Media Corp. and SLL, the producers of ‘Inside Men’, announced on the 16th that "they would produce ‘Inside Men’ as a three-part film series after 10 years".

‘Inside Men’ is a work that depicts the beginning of the ‘insiders’ within the vast cartel born of the press, capital, and power against the backdrop of the late 1980s. Directed by Woo Min-ho and released in 2015, it drew 7,072,021 viewers nationwide, the highest admissions ever for an adults-only film.

Based on the original webtoon by Yoon Tae-ho, the film from 10 years ago starred Lee Byung-hun, Cho Seung-woo, and Baek Yoon-sik, among others. It also won Best Picture, Best Screenplay, and the Planning Award at the 53rd Grand Bell Awards, and Best Picture at the 37th Blue Dragon Film Awards.

This project will be co-directed by director Kim Min-beom, formerly an assistant director on works such as ‘Seoul Spring’ and ‘Flu’, and director Kim Jin-seok, who adapted the Disney+ drama ‘Made in Korea’ and served as assistant director on ‘Harbin’, ‘The Chiefs of Namsan’, and ‘Veteran’. The screenplay is by writer Lee Ki-cheol of ‘The Thieves’, ‘Assassination’, and ‘Harbin’, and the adaptation is by writer Kim Hyo-seok of ‘The Opposition Party’.

Initially planned as a drama with casting shortlists circulating, the project has shifted back to a film trilogy. And it has begun to map out a detailed plan.

‘Inside Men’ already entered pre-production last year and prepared for production; Parts 1 and 2 are planned to shoot simultaneously this year, with Part 3 set for next year. Once the key casting is finalized, filming will begin in the first half of this year.