Lee Sun Bin Leads New Prison Kitchen Comedy Film The Taste of Prison

Lee Sun Bin is heading from fine dining to a far more unlikely kitchen in the new Korean comedy film The Taste of Prison. The project, whose Korean title is being translated literally for now, has officially moved into production after holding its first script reading and beginning filming on July 6. The production update, released on July 9, introduced a large ensemble cast and outlined a story built around food, failure, rivalry and second chances inside a prison kitchen.

The film centers on Jessica, a celebrity chef whose career has been shaped by elite restaurants, public attention and a famously sharp tongue. After a sudden fall from grace, she is forced into a new environment far from the polished world she once controlled: a correctional facility kitchen. There, she encounters inmates whose culinary instincts do not follow conventional rules but can still produce dishes with emotional force.

Lee Sun Bin will play Jessica, giving the film a lead character who appears designed for both comedy and character growth. The premise places her professional pride in direct conflict with a kitchen where hierarchy, ingredients and survival all work differently. For a food-centered comedy, that contrast gives the story a clear engine: Jessica may have credentials, but the prison kitchen has its own expertise.

A Kitchen Full Of Unlikely Rivals

Park Ji Hwan joins the cast as Jung Bae, the leader of Cell No. 3 and one of Jessica’s major sources of friction. Jung Bae is described as someone who regularly clashes with Jessica while also startling people with inventive dishes made from unusual recipes and mysterious ingredients. His role suggests that the film will not treat the inmates only as comic background figures, but as people with their own craft, pride and emotional stakes.

Bae Hyeon Seong plays Soo Hyun, the newest inmate in Cell No. 3. His character is described as gentle and naturally gifted at cooking, emerging as the prison’s Gen Z culinary talent. That setup gives the ensemble a younger figure who can bridge tones: he can bring sincerity to the kitchen dynamic while also reflecting how the film may connect food, identity and generational perspective.

The supporting cast adds several distinct personalities around the central trio. Park Young Gyu plays No Ja, a veteran presence in Cell No. 3 and a coffee master. Jo Bok Rae takes on Yong Tak, a smooth-talking con artist, while Jo Dong In plays Gi Chul, an economic offender with a huge appetite. Lee Sang Jin appears as Sung Yeol, Jessica’s longtime friend and the owner of the restaurant where she once worked, and Lee Bong Ryun plays Soon Young, Jessica’s older sister, whose relationship with her is marked by a complicated mix of affection and tension.

Production Begins With An Ensemble Focus

The production’s first script reading photos were released alongside the filming announcement, emphasizing the cast’s chemistry before cameras fully settle into the movie’s world. That kind of rollout is common for Korean film and drama promotions, but it is especially useful here because The Taste of Prison depends on ensemble timing. A prison kitchen comedy needs quick exchanges, sharply defined character rhythms and enough warmth to make its redemption arc feel earned rather than mechanical.

The cast members also framed the project in upbeat terms as filming began. Lee Sun Bin said she is looking forward to working on the film and hopes the shoot proceeds smoothly until it can meet audiences in theaters. Park Ji Hwan described the project as setting off on a fun trip with the director and colleagues, while Bae Hyeon Seong connected the film’s mood to the happiness that a delicious meal can bring.

Those remarks point to the film’s likely emotional balance. Although the setting is a prison, the announced description leans toward heartwarming comedy rather than dark satire. The story appears interested in how people who have been judged, displaced or underestimated can still create something meaningful together. Food becomes the language for that idea, offering a familiar genre tool while placing it in a setting with built-in conflict.

For Lee Sun Bin, the role could be another opportunity to lean into sharp comic timing while carrying a character who has to soften without losing her edge. For Park Ji Hwan, Jung Bae sounds like the kind of forceful ensemble part that can steal scenes while still serving the emotional structure. Bae Hyeon Seong’s Soo Hyun, meanwhile, gives the film a gentler counterweight and could become the character who helps translate the kitchen’s hidden talent to Jessica and the audience.

No release date has been announced yet, and the production is still in the early stage of filming. Still, the first details make The Taste of Prison a Korean film project to watch for viewers who enjoy ensemble comedies with a strong workplace hook. Its success will likely depend on whether the movie can turn a high-concept setup into specific, human comedy: not just a celebrity chef humbled by circumstance, but a group of people learning to cook, argue and recover together.