Summary
One of the biggest films in South Korea this year has been the supernatural horror film,Exhuma, which stars K-Drama favorites, Lee Do-hyun and Kim Go-eun. Neither Kim nor Lee are strangers tosupernatural K-Dramas, having starred in some of the most well-known shows in the genre, as well as in horror and fantasy. Now, the pair are turning to the big screen, starring alongside Choi Min-sik (Oldboy) for a frightening story that blends supernatural themes, Korean culture, and deep historical trauma into a visually stunning and thought-provoking journey.
Exhumahas been a huge success with critics and cinemagoers throughout Asia. It’s become the most successful Korean film in Vietnam and Indonesia, and is the highest-grossing domestic film of 2024 in Korea.Jang Jae-hyun’s film currently boasts a 92% score on Rotten Tomatoes, and is the sixth highest-grossing domestic film in Korea, beating out other classics likeParasiteandSnowpiercer. In Western countries, however, the film isn’t drawing as much attention, althoughExhumahas already landed onMike Flanagan’s top films of the year list.
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Horror K-dramas aren’t just about zombies. The genre is also comprised of elements from Korean mythology, urban legends, and modern-day horrors.
Exhuma Is A 2024 Korean Horror Movie Starring Lee Do-hyun & Kim Go-eun
The Film Touches On The Deep National Trauma Of Modern Korean History
Kim Go-eun and Lee Do-hyun both star in the Korean supernatural horror film,Exhuma. The pair play shamans who have been hired by a chaebol family to trace the origins of their recent string of extremely bad luck. The shamans, along with a grizzled feng shui master, Kim Sang-deok (Choi), find the problem in the inappropriate burial of one of the family’s ancestors, and they proceed to exhume and relocate the remains. However, things soon go awry, and the trio face much bigger obstacles.
Exhumais available to watch on Shudder.
Exhumadraws from modern Korean history to tell a story that reflects its deep national trauma.Through its supernatural themes, the film explores what it means to be haunted by the pastand digs into the challenges of overcoming those pains. Having some awareness of Korea’s history of Japanese occupation would help in better understanding the film’s message, but it’s not entirely necessary.Exhumadelivers a fascinating and thoroughly spooky tale that can be enjoyed regardless of your level of knowledge.
Exhuma’s Premise Makes It Perfect For Fans Of Supernatural K-Dramas
Shamanism And Ancestor Worship Are Heavily Featured
One of the more common elements of supernatural K-Dramas is that they frequently feature shamans. These are usually either in the form of scam artists pretending to have shamanistic powers, or legitimate shamans who struggle to balance modern life with their other-worldly gifts.Exhumafalls closer to the latter of these, and takes the shamanistic rituals and practices seriously. BothKim Go-eun and Lee Do-hyun play shamans in the film, as well as Kim Sun-young (Crash Landing on You) who plays an additional shaman in a supporting role.
The film’s portrayal of the shamans' battles against malevolent forces provides a profound commentary on the enduring power of cultural heritage amid modernity.
Fans of supernatural K-Dramas will undoubtedly enjoy the way the film uses these themes and native shaman practices in telling its story.Exhumadelves into the complexities of ancestral veneration and weaves in elements of Korean folkloreto create an intricate narrative that resonates deeply with cultural authenticity. The film’s portrayal of the shamans' battles against malevolent forces provides a profound commentary on the enduring power of cultural heritage amid modernity. And despite its shorter runtime than a full season of any K-Drama, it explores these ideas with great depth.
Where Else You Have Seen Lee Do-hyun & Kim Go-eun
Both Actors Have Starred In Widely Popular K-Dramas, Including Goblin And Sweet Home
Kim Go-eun is most notably known for her role as Ji Eun-tak, the young high schooler whose luckless life becomes intertwined with a Goblin (Gong Yoo)who yearns for death in the 2016fantasy romance K-Drama,Guardian: The Lonely and Great God. Kim also starred in the criminallyunderrated 2022 thriller seriesLittle Women. In films, she has starred in the acclaimed crime thriller,Coin Locker Girl, and in 2019, alongside Jung Hae-in (Something in the Rain) inTune in for Love.
Lee Do-hyun first gained recognition for his supporting role in the 2019 supernatural romance K-Drama,Hotel del Luna. A year later, he found wider popularity, particularly with international audiences, playing Eun-yu’s logical and composed adoptive older brother,Lee Eun-hyuk, in the horror Netflix series,Sweet Home. The actor also starred in anotherrecord-breaking Netflix K-Drama,The Glory, which became the most popular non-English language show on the streaming service in 2023.Exhumais Lee’s first feature film, but given his incredible performance and its massive popularity in South Korea, it’s unlikely to be his last.
Exhuma
Cast
When a renowned shaman (KIM Go-Eun) and her protégé (Lee Do-hyun) are hired by a wealthy, enigmatic family, they begin investigating the cause of a disturbing supernatural illness that affects only the first-born children of each generation. With the help of a knowledgeable mortician (YOO Hai-jin) and the country’s most revered geomancer (CHOI Min-sik), they soon trace the affliction’s origin to a long-hidden family grave located on sacred ground.
