Legendary Korean actor Yoon Je-moon joins the cast of ‘Stem,’ a film inspired by a real-life scientific scandal.

NextShark is proud to announce that acclaimed Korean actor

Set in early 2000s South Korea, the film follows a brilliant but conflicted assistant, Do-Hee Lee, as she uncovers disturbing truths behind her mentor’s experimental stem cell research — and the boy being used as its first patient. At the center of it all is Dr. Park Ho-Won, portrayed by Yoon, a revered scientist whose charisma masks a mounting web of deception.

Yoon is one of South Korea’s most respected character actors of the Korean Wave, celebrated for his intense screen presence in both film and the silver screen. With acclaimed collaborations with directors like Bong Joon-ho (The Host, Mother, Okja) and memorable roles in K-dramas such as Reborn Rich, Deep Rooted Tree, and Iris, his performances in Battlefield Heroes and others have earned international recognition, including appearances at Cannes and Berlinale.

The film is inspired by the real-life scandal surrounding Hwang Woo-suk, a South Korean scientist who gained global fame in 2004 for claiming to have cloned human embryonic stem cells. Hailed as a national hero, his research was later revealed to be fabricated, sparking public outrage and one of the biggest cases of scientific fraud in modern history.

Written and directed by Daeil Kim, a rising Korean American filmmaker and recipient of the 2024 Alfred P. Sloan Production Grant, ‘Stem’ is produced in partnership with NextShark Studios and supported by Film Independent. If you’re interested in supporting the film, please head over to Film Independent.

Production is currently underway in Los Angeles.

Yoon Je-moon is represented by SM C&C. E

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