The upcoming Secret Idol K-pop spy thriller marks a groundbreaking collaboration between South Korea’s Artist Company and the UK’s Imaginarium Productions. Announced on May 26, the live-action project blends the dazzling world of K-pop with international espionage in a genre-bending cinematic venture that may signal a new era of cross-cultural storytelling.

An Unprecedented Collaboration

Founded by Squid Game star Lee Jung Jae and actor Jung Woo Sung, Artist Company has signed an official contract with Imaginarium Productions—the UK-based studio co-founded by Andy Serkis (known for The Lord of the Rings and Planet of the Apes) and Jonathan Cavendish (producer of the Bridget Jones films).

Their upcoming joint film, Secret Idol (working title), is set to merge the intense pressures of K-pop idol life with the high-stakes action of a global spy mission. The story revolves around an undercover operative who infiltrates a K-pop agency as a trainee, juggling both the physical and emotional challenges of idol training while secretly pursuing a mission against a transnational crime network.

K-pop Meets Global Espionage

According to Artist Company, the film is intended to “prove the global scalability of K-content” while presenting a story that resonates universally. The company emphasized that this project will “offer content with broad appeal and emotional relatability for international viewers,” showcasing the growing ambition of Korea’s film industry on a worldwide stage.

Casting is still under discussion, but both studios are reportedly eyeing a global ensemble—potentially including Hollywood stars. The two companies are also welcoming partnerships with other global distributors and production entities to amplify reach and production value.

Two Studios, One Vision

Imaginarium Productions, founded in 2011, has become a hub for cutting-edge performance-capture storytelling. Known for titles like Mowgli: Legend of the Jungle, The Ritual, and the Netflix fantasy series The Bastard Son & The Devil Himself, the studio is currently developing The Lord of the Rings: The Hunt for Gollum with Warner Bros. for a 2027 release.

Meanwhile, Artist Company has grown into a full-fledged entertainment powerhouse, managing top Korean talents like Kim Hye Yoon, Lim Ji Yeon, Park Hae Jin, Won Jin Ah, and Choi Yi Hyun. With its integrated system for content production, broadcasting, and global strategy, it has matured beyond its original talent agency model into a content studio with global ambitions.

Secret Idol doesn’t just promise a fresh narrative—it reflects a strategic shift in Korean content creation. Instead of exporting existing formats, Artist Company is co-creating with a respected Western production house from the concept stage. This level of early-stage collaboration with Imaginarium Productions is significant; it sidesteps the common model of licensing Korean IPs for remake and instead crafts a hybrid product aimed directly at the global market.

Moreover, by weaving together two of the most globally magnetic genres—K-pop and spy thrillers—the film taps into diverse fanbases, from idol stans to action-movie lovers. If successful, Secret Idol could pave the way for more Korean-Western cinematic partnerships that are organically developed, not retrofitted.