Korean star Lee Byung Hun (A Bittersweet Life) will make his Japanese film debut in a feature adaptation of hit Fuji TV drama Hero, co-starring Takuya Kimura (Love And Honour).

Hero follows an unconventional public prosecutor (Kimura) as he works to uncover the sinister conspiracy behind what starts as a routine manslaughter case.

With part of the story set in Pusan, Lee has been cast as an elite detective with the South Korean Public Prosecutor's Office. 'With Lee as a South Korean counterpart to Kimura, we're significantly boosting the scale and profile of the film in both countries,' said a Fuji TV representative.

The film is already before cameras, directed by Masayuki Suzuki (Nin x Nin: Ninja Hattori-kun, The Movie) and also stars Takako Matsu and kabuki actor Koshiro Matsumoto. Hero is set for a September 9 release across Japan.

The original Hero TV series achieved the highest ratings for a drama in Japanese broadcast history with a 34.3% share in 2001. Last year's two-hour special also broke the 30% threshold.

Kimura, one of Japan 's highest profile talents, gained acclaim for his first feature starring role in Yoji Yamada's Love And Honour. Released last December by Shochiku, the film went on to earn $34m (Y4bn).

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