Casting taps into global fanbases
South Korean star Jeon Jong-seo has joined the cast of the upcoming Highlander remake, adding K-content firepower to a franchise Hollywood hopes to relaunch for a new generation, Rolling Stone reported Monday. Jeon, known internationally for Burning and Netflix’s Money Heist: Korea, will appear alongside the film’s Western leads, giving the project instant crossover appeal in East and Southeast Asian markets where Korean dramas dominate streaming charts. For studios, this kind of casting is low-risk, high-reward: global audiences are already primed to follow K-actors across platforms, and promotional tours in Seoul or Bangkok can generate as much social buzz as a Los Angeles junket. The move also reflects 2025’s casting trend of mixing veteran genre brands with newer, globally recognized faces, after pandemic-era production slowdowns made studios picky about which reboots to bankroll. With Highlander leaning on swordplay, lore and visual effects, having a performer skilled at both action and emotional beats makes marketing easier.
K-content’s deeper Hollywood pivot
Jeon’s casting arrives as K-pop and K-drama infrastructures keep feeding talent into U.S. projects — from music-biopic tie-ins to streaming thrillers — and as American producers look for stories that can travel without massive rewrites. Korean actors bring strong fan communities, but they also bring a discipline honed in fast-paced domestic production cycles, something directors prize when shooting on tight reboot schedules. For South Korean talent agencies, a slot in a recognizable Hollywood IP is a calling card that can unlock brand endorsements and festival invitations. And for viewers, it signals that Hollywood is still watching Asia for the next wave of stars, even as Chinese co-productions remain trickier. If Highlander performs, it could encourage more fantasy and action reboots to diversify their ensembles instead of relying on the same U.S.–U.K. pool. For now, Jeon’s involvement gives the film an early narrative hook: a cult 1980s property returning with a cast that actually resembles its worldwide audience.