"Along With the Gods," the first Korean film series to draw more than 10 million viewers with both of its installments, is returning for a third chapter. Dexter Studios, which brought the afterlife to life across the series, will join director Kim Yong-hwa's next project, "Along With the Gods: Life and Death," as an investor.
Kim has confirmed production of the film and begun preparations, aiming to start filming in the second half of 2027. The new work expands the world of the existing series, unfolding a new story set in "Gucheon," a realm where souls unable to depart for the afterlife linger.
Based on the popular webtoon of the same name by Joo Ho-min, the "Along With the Gods" series combined an East Asian vision of the afterlife with large-scale visual effects, demonstrating the potential of Korean-style fantasy blockbusters. Its vivid depiction of an imagined hell and its emotionally resonant storytelling won over audiences at home and abroad, and the films earned recognition for direction and technical achievement at various film awards.
The first installment, "Along With the Gods: The Two Worlds," released in 2017, followed a deceased man guided by three afterlife guardians through trials across seven hells over 49 days. Driven by Kim's signature humanism and inventive visuals, it drew 14.41 million viewers. "Along With the Gods: The Last 49 Days," released the following year, attracted 1,246,692 viewers on its opening day — then a record opening for a Korean film — and finished with 12.27 million admissions. Together, the two films drew about 26.68 million viewers, making "Along With the Gods" the first Korean film series in which both installments topped 10 million.
Overseas, the two films ranked first and second among the highest-grossing Korean films ever in Taiwan. "The Last 49 Days," in particular, set opening records for a Korean film in North America, Australia, New Zealand, Vietnam, Taiwan and Hong Kong, establishing the series' presence in global markets.
The third film, "Life and Death," widens the stage beyond the afterlife. Where "The Two Worlds" centered on seven trials judging the sins of the dead and "The Last 49 Days" explored a thousand-year bond among the three afterlife guardians, the new film follows the journey of Sol-i, a protagonist halted between life and death. Through a story of crossing nine worlds in search of a song never sung, the film will introduce a new afterlife and a new cast of characters.
Dexter will again take part not only as an investor but across post-production, including visual effects, digital intermediate color grading and sound design and mixing. In the two earlier films, the studio applied visual effects to more than 90% of the scenes to realize an imagined afterlife, and completed the films' distinctive atmosphere through color grading and sound work. Drawing on that accumulated production experience and technical expertise, the studio plans to visually render the nine worlds of Gucheon.
Kim Wook and Kang Jong-ik, co-chief executives of Dexter, said the series was "a landmark project that showed how Korean visual effects technology combined with highly polished intellectual property can produce films that win broad public affection." They added, "We will once again complete a story and visuals that only we can deliver, presenting a K-movie with the entertainment value and artistry to succeed in the global market."