Kim Jae-joong Makes Big Screen Return After 14 Years in Ghost Horror Film ‘The Shrine’

The famous singer and actor Kim Jae-joong is finally returning to movie theaters after a long 14-year break, taking on a thrilling new acting challenge in the ghost horror film The Shrine. Ahead of the movie's big release, the star sat down for a friendly interview on June 16, 2026, at a cozy café in the Samcheong-dong neighborhood of Seoul. During the conversation, he opened up about exactly why he decided to return to the silver screen after such a long time and what made him choose a scary horror film for his big comeback.

Facing Fear and Finding Joy on the Movie Set

According to Kim Jae-joong, acting gives him a massive amount of happiness. Even though he already knew how exciting and rewarding the acting profession could be, he was very careful not to make a casual return. He stated that he did not want to join a movie project with just a light mindset of "trying it out once," especially because making a movie requires a huge amount of time, money, and hard work from many different people.

Why He Chose 'The Shrine'

Kim Jae-joong shared that the script for The Shrine arrived at the absolute perfect time in his life. The project allowed him to easily balance his busy work schedule and physical health, while also giving him a rare chance to try a dark genre he had never attempted before. The movie's unique mix of pure horror, spooky ghost elements, and traditional shaman themes quickly sparked his personal curiosity.

He was also highly motivated by the chance to work alongside the famous Japanese director Kazuyoshi Kumakiri, who is widely known for creating hit movies like Yoko and #Manhole. Kim said he was incredibly excited to see how the talented director would bring the written script to life and transform it into a terrifying visual experience on the big screen.

Although making his big return brought a lot of pressure, Kim Jae-joong said the entire filming process reminded him of exactly why he fell in love with acting in the first place. He described acting as a beautiful creative journey that turns written words on a page into a living, breathing character on screen. For him, this deep focus, serious thought, and emotional hard work bring a unique sense of satisfaction that few other creative jobs can match.

Playing a Powerful Shaman Facing a Creepy Spirit

In The Shrine, Kim Jae-joong takes on the intense role of Myung-jin, a male shaman who possesses special supernatural abilities. The spooky story officially begins when three adventurous college students suddenly disappear after visiting an old, abandoned shrine located in Kobe, Japan. Myung-jin quickly becomes deeply involved in the mysterious missing persons case and begins uncovering the dark truth behind the strange events, eventually forcing him to confront a powerful and dangerous evil spirit.

The chilling movie perfectly combines traditional shamanism, ghost horror, and non-stop suspense, giving Kim Jae-joong a dark role that is completely different from any of his past romantic or action television work. This project marks his very first big-screen appearance in 14 long years, following his comedy action movie Code Name: Jackal all the way back in 2012.

Because of this massive time gap, his return is pulling in a huge amount of attention from both loyal K-pop fans and regular moviegoers who are eager to see how he handles a darker, more intense character shaped by raw fear, deep faith, and supernatural tension.