The upcoming film New Recruit: The Movie: A Ghost Lives in the Military Hospital, directed by Min Jin-ki, has released its first-look stills, with one image particularly catching the eye – TWICE member Jeongyeon (Yoo Jeong-yeon) transformed into a nurse officer.
KT Studio Genie, the distribution company, announced on Thursday that the movie will hit theaters on December 30. They unveiled a series of first-look stills featuring a star-studded cast including Kim Min-ho, Ryu Kyung-soo, Jeongyeon, Nam Tae-woo, Kim Yo-han, and Lee Jung-hyun.
The film follows a group of new recruits who check into a military hospital hoping for a sweet respite, only to encounter terrifying rumors that turn their expected paradise into a nightmare. As they unravel the hospital’s dark secrets, viewers are in for a thrilling ride. This theatrical spin-off of the popular “New Recruit” series shifts the setting to a military hospital, promising the same blend of authentic military life and quirky character dynamics that fans have come to love.
The released stills offer a glimpse into the movie’s atmosphere, showcasing the familiar faces of the recruits in hospital gowns, including Park Min-seok (Kim Min-ho), Choi Il-goo (Nam Tae-woo), Kang Chan-seok (Lee Jung-hyun), Kim Dong-woo (Jang Seong-beom), Lim Da-hye (Jeon Seung-hoon), Choi Byeong-nam (Kim Hee-soo), and Seong Yun-mo (Kim Hyun-kyu). The images also introduce new characters, adding an air of mystery to the mix.
One still captures the recruits pointing in unison at something off-screen, hinting at the unpredictable events about to unfold while teasing the group’s trademark chemistry. In stark contrast, a lone figure, the enigmatic soldier Yoo Jae-hoon (Ryu Kyung-soo), is seen gazing out a window, his brooding presence promising hidden depths to his character. Adding to the intrigue, nurse officer Yoo Jeong-yeon (Jeongyeon) makes her debut in crisp uniform, leaving fans eager to see how she’ll navigate the eerie happenings at the hospital.
The “New Recruit” franchise, which began as a web animation by YouTuber Jang Ppiju, has become a cultural phenomenon in Korea. The ENA drama series follows Park Min-seok, a privileged new recruit nicknamed the military spoon for being the son of a high-ranking officer. Since its debut in 2022, the show has spawned multiple seasons, with “New Recruit Season 4” (2026) hitting an impressive 5.2% viewership rating for its finale (Nielsen Korea, nationwide paid households), cementing its status as a bona fide hit.