Actor Ryu Hye-young and actor Nam Yoon-su star in the upcoming survival thriller film Killing Time, set to open in theaters on October 21, 2026. Directed by Jang Jun-yeop and adapted from an Australian film, the movie follows an internet broadcast crew trapped in an abandoned hospital where fake scares turn into real violence.
The Premise Behind Internet Broadcasts and Real Terror
The story centers on an internet broadcast channel named Killing Time, operated by streamer Yeon-woo and producer Joo-won. The crew specializes in hidden camera content and ghost pranks designed to electrify live chatrooms. Everything shatters when an appearance results in the death of a team member, forcing the channel to shut down amid intense public backlash. Months later, desperate for a comeback, the crew sneaks into an abandoned hospital to stage a new live broadcast. What begins as a calculated stunt quickly derails into a desperate battle for survival against an unknown assailant.
Director Jang Jun-yeop discussed the thematic core of the project during an October 13 press conference at CGV Yongsan I’Park Mall, explaining that the production focuses on the dark appetites driving modern content creation.
It is a work that heightens suspense the moment fabricated fear turns into a real threat
Jang Jun-yeop, Director, via Yonhap
The director adapted the 2016 Australian film Scare Campaign, weaving a dystopian worldview into the narrative to heighten the thriller elements. According to the production team, the title carries a double meaning, stretching from the colloquial idiom for passing time to a literal interpretation centered on lethal stakes. Director Jang Jun-yeop explained that the title was expanded to mean not only the original meaning of spending time lightly, but also the time to kill someone. He considered it a title that could well express the setting and the irony of the story.
Ryu Hye-young and Nam Yoon-su Lead the Cast
For Ryu Hye-young, stepping into the role of Yeon-woo meant confronting a character defined by guilt, hesitation, and relentless physical demands. She noted that the script gripped her from the first page without a single pause in momentum. To prepare for the demanding sequences, Ryu turned to daily endurance training. Playing the role of Yeon-woo, Ryu Hye-young portrayed the complex inner self of a character who stands before the camera again with guilt and anxiety after a shocking broadcasting accident. She stated that there are not many scenarios that can be read without stopping once, and that she enjoyed reading this one, adding that there was no reason to refuse because Yeon-woo is a character who can show various charms, from various emotions and confused appearances to action.
I really wanted to do action acting, and I thought it was an honor to play the role of Yeon-woo, so I prepared for it
Ryu Hye-young, Actor, via Yonhap
She developed a slow-running regimen over two months to build the stamina necessary for the character’s physical encounters. Her co-star, Nam Yoon-su, takes on his first film leading role as Joo-won, the ambitious producer determined to drive his crew back to relevance regardless of the hazards. Nam Yoon-su stated that he had never done a thriller or horror film and wanted to experience it through this work, and said that the setting of leading people as the head of the crew was interesting. Nam admitted feeling the unique pressure of cinematic releases compared to television work. Nam Yoon-su confessed that there is pressure because movies have exact audience numbers and feedback is delivered quickly, and added that while he thought he did his best in his own way, after seeing the movie, he felt some regret about whether it would have been better if he had acted a little differently.
Movies have exact audience numbers and fast feedback, so it’s nerve-wracking yet scary
Nam Yoon-su, Actor, via Yonhap
Regarding his filming with Ryu Hye-young, Nam Yoon-su expressed his gratitude, sharing that despite their considerable age difference, she treated him comfortably like a peer. He noted that while filming could have had a heavy atmosphere because other actors were rookies, the older actress made the set comfortable so everyone could work enjoyably.
SLL Joongang Produces Killing Time
The supporting cast features Kim Tae-hoon as a former hospital worker whose mysterious introduction anchors much of the middle act’s suspense. Critics note that while the screen-life presentation relies on familiar internet broadcast aesthetics, the film distinguishes itself by blending psychological tension with raw, practical action involving everyday items like hammers and traps found within the decaying facility.
Produced by SLL Joongang and co-produced by Film Aandamiro, the project is distributed by The Title with financing and backing from Roah & Co. Holdings. Killing Time arrives in South Korean cinemas on October 21, 2026.