Nam Joo Hyuk is reportedly in advanced discussions to lead a new psychological thriller titled Code: Faust Game, marking a potential genre shift for the actor as he expands his slate beyond romance and fantasy-driven projects. According to industry reports, the actor has received an offer and is currently reviewing it positively, though casting has not yet been officially confirmed.
Nam Joo Hyuk has built a strong reputation through emotionally grounded performances in series such as Weightlifting Fairy Kim Bok Joo and Twenty-Five Twenty-One, and is also set to appear in Netflix’s upcoming occult fantasy drama The East Palace. If he accepts the role, Code: Faust Game would place him firmly in darker psychological territory for the first time in his television career.
The project is being developed by director Yoo Soo Min, who earned critical acclaim for his work on Weak Hero Class 1. That series was widely praised for its raw tone and character-focused storytelling, and anticipation is high around how his style could translate into a high-concept psychological thriller. Code: Faust Game would mark the first collaboration between the director and Nam Joo Hyuk.
Code: Faust Game is based on a popular Taiwanese drama and revolves around a mysterious mobile application that grants users their deepest wishes. Each wish, however, comes with a severe and often devastating cost. Drawing from classic Faustian mythology, the story explores human ambition, desire and moral compromise, examining how far people are willing to go when offered shortcuts to success.
Nam Joo Hyuk’s agency has acknowledged the offer and described discussions as favorable, fueling speculation that the project could become one of the most talked-about thrillers on the upcoming K-drama slate. The combination of globally proven source material and a director known for intense psychological realism has already attracted attention from both domestic and international audiences.
Alongside Code: Faust Game, Nam Joo Hyuk is scheduled to return to screens in The East Palace, a supernatural historical drama expected in the second half of 2026.
