According to the film's distributor BY4M Studio, the much-awaited film directed by Kim Hyung-joo will hit local theaters on March 26, ending its prolonged delay caused by Yoo's drug-related scandal that emerged in 2023.
The biopic, based on a real-life story, revolves around board game Go, known as baduk in Korean. It portrays a fateful clash between two legendary Go players — Cho Hun-hyun, played by Lee Byung-hun, and Lee Chang-ho, played by Yoo Ah-in.
The film was originally planned for release on Netflix, but after the scandal led to an indefinite hold on its streaming, it was eventually picked up by a new distributor for a theatrical release.
"Yoo will not participate in any upcoming movie premieres, press conferences, interviews, or promotional events, and there are no plans for related promotional activities," BY4M Studio said in a statement.
Yoo was accused of regularly taking the knockout sedative propofol and other substances at hospitals in Seoul between September 2020 and March 2022, claiming they were for cosmetic procedures, with a total of 181 instances.
On Tuesday, an appellate court sentenced Yoo to one year in prison, suspended for two years, along with a two million won ($1,391) fine. He had been sentenced to one year in prison at his first trial and had been detained.
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