The Old Woman With The Knife: Full list of cast explored

The Old Woman With The Knife is a South Korean action thriller film directed by Kyu-dong Min, with the screenplay by Min, Gu Byeong-mo, and Kim Dong-wan. It was released in South Korea on April 30, 2025. The film tells the story of an aging female assassin, Hornclaw, who takes the responsibility of mentoring a rookie. She must stay sharp to save herself from a deadly underworld threat.

The film stars Lee Hye-yeong, Shin Si-ah, and Kim Sung-cheol in the lead roles. The supporting cast includes Kim Mu-yeol, Yeon Woo-jin, and Ok Ja Yeon among several others.

Read on to know more about the cast.

The main cast of The Old Woman With The Knife

Lee Hye-yeong as Hornclaw

Lee Hye-yeong plays the lead role of Hornclaw, an assassin and a legend in her field. The actress is also considered a legend in her field, with over 44 years of experience. Born to a celebrated film director, Lee Man-hee, she began acting on stage at the age of 18. Her popular works include Passage to Buddha, I'm Sorry, I Love You, Fashion 70's, Boys Over Flowers, and Big Bet.

Shin Si-ah as the younger version of Hornclaw

Shin Si-ah plays the younger version of Hornclaw, as the film spends some time narrating the character's backstory through flashbacks. The actress made her film debut with Park Hoon-jung's film The Witch: Part 2. The Other One. Before that, she was part of the mini-series, My Darling Boyfriend, where she played Go-eun.

She was also in the lead director Junyeop Jang's 2019 short film Prasad. In 2025, she played Pyo Nam-kyeong in the medical drama series, Resident Playbook.

Kim Sung-cheol as Bullfight

Kim Sung-cheol plays Bullfight in The Old Woman With The Knife, a rookie assassin with an unresolved abandonment issue. Kim Sung-cheol began working in television in 2017 with Prison Playbook. Soon, he found success with the series To. Jenny and the comedy film Too Hot to Die. His other popular projects include The Battle of Jangsari, Do You Like Brahms?, Our Beloved Summer, and Hellbound.

The additional cast of The Old Woman With The Knife

Below is the complete list of actors and the roles they play in the film:

Lee Hye-yeong as Hornclaw
Shin Si-ah as the younger version of Hornclaw
Kim Sung-cheol as Bullfight
Kim Mu-yeol as Ryu
Mitch Craig as Attacking Soldier Richard
Yeon Woo-jin as Dr. Kang
Ok Ja Yeon as Cho Yeop
Kim Kang Woo as the manager's son
Jo Han Chul as Bae Jong Seon
Choi Moo Sung as "Equipment"
Hyun Bong Sik as Mr. Gu
Choi Min Chul as Captain Lee
Yoon Chae Na as Hae Ni
Park Ji Ah as the caretaker
Jeon Noh Min as Chairman
Lee Do Kyung as a cult leader

What is The Old Woman With The Knife about?

The Old Woman With The Knife has been described as an intense action thriller with plenty of slicing, stabbing, and bone-crushing. The story is based on a book of the same name by Gu Byeong-mo and explores the unusual profession of Hornclaw, a 65-year-old female assassin.

Here's the official synopsis of the film:

"Aging assassin Hornclaw has seen it all, but she never expected to mentor a reckless rookie like Bullfight. As their unlikely bond deepens, cracks form in the underworld they navigate together. When Hornclaw discovers someone wants her dead, she’s thrust into a deadly game of deception. With enemies closing in and trust in short supply, survival means staying sharp—both blade and mind."

Stay tuned for more news and updates on The Old Woman With The Knife and other upcoming films and TV shows.

About the author

Ankit is an entertainment writer at SK POP with a Master's degree in Political Science. He has previously worked as a scriptwriter for Pocket FM and aspires to pursue a Master's degree in Film Studies.

He strives to be a responsible journalist and does so by verifying information with the help of official and credible sources. He also prioritizes in-depth research to ensure he pens informative articles.

He believes he is indebted to cinema and pop culture as it gives him the opportunity to embark on adventures from the confines of his home. He looks up to Rudy Mancuso and also admires the work of Dostoyevsky, Kafka, and Edgar Allan Poe.

If Ankit could get his hands on a time machine, he would love to attend Queen's 1985 performance at Live Aid and be part of 'Lord of the Rings.' He enjoys weaving stories and playing music in his free time and is currently writing a novel.

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Edited by Meenakshi Ajith