On November 11, Lee Na Young‘s agency Eden 9 confirmed her casting in Baby Doe, a thought-provoking film that delves into the themes of human dignity and identity through the haunting stories of children erased by the system and forced to live like ghosts.
In the film, Lee Na Young plays two characters: Shepherd, the leader of a mysterious child crime syndicate known as “Yellow Flock,” which is implicated in a series of child disappearances, and Jin-yi, the detective chasing her. The two women share the same past but have chosen vastly different paths, offering a stark contrast in character shaped by circumstance and choice.
This duality—Shepherd resisting the system from outside, and Jin-yi agonizing within it—explores how a single individual can split into completely different versions of themselves depending on environment and decisions. Lee Na Young is expected to bring intense emotional depth and nuance to this complex portrayal.
The film is directed by Cho Hee Soo, an alum of Korea National University of Arts and Stuttgart State Academy of Art and Design. Known for experimental and visually striking short films like The Divers and Triathlon, Cho has made a name for herself in Korea’s independent and art film circuit.
Speaking about the casting, director Cho said, “Only an actor brave enough to deconstruct their own identity could cross the boundary between these two roles. When Lee Na Young asked me to turn her into the face of the unidentified, I knew I had made the right choice.”
Lee Na Young shared her enthusiasm for the project: “I’ve always been interested in short and independent films. When I read the script, I didn’t hesitate to accept the role. It was a meaningful and fulfilling experience as an actor.”
Baby Doe is produced under the 2025 KOCCA Creative Talent Development Program, with the Producers Guild of Korea as the platform institution. The film is currently being prepared for submission to domestic and international film festivals in 2026.
This marks Lee Na Young’s return to cinema since her 2018 film Beautiful Days (directed by Yoon Jae-ho). Known for her rare appearances and selective projects, her comeback has already sparked major buzz among fans and the industry alike.
Her most recent appearances include the 2023 Wavve human drama One Day Off and the upcoming 2026 ENA mystery thriller Honour.
Sources: Daum
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