A Chilling Reality Hidden Behind the Face: A Striking Apex of the Yeon Sang-ho Universe
The 영화 <얼굴>, in which director Yeon Sang-ho adapts his own graphic novel of the same name for the screen, left a cold impression on theaters in September 2025. By employing the motif of the “face” to explore the nature of the self and twisted longing, this film represents one of the most intense expressions of Yeon Sang-ho’s thematic worldview. Below, we take a in-depth look at the core aspects of the film.
1. What Kind of Film Is <얼굴>?
This 영화 is a dark suspense film based on a graphic novel created entirely by Yeon Sang-ho himself. Going beyond a standard genre piece, it is deeply imbued with the director’s signature exploration of the grotesque side of human nature. Since its release on September 11, 2025, audiences have described it as “a pure distillation of Yeon Sang-ho’s worldview”, leaving a unsettling aftertaste.
2. Director and a Notable Cast Lineup
One point that deserves special attention concerns the director’s filmography.
Director Yeon Sang-ho: A visionary filmmaker who has built a unique cinematic universe through works such as Train to Busan, Hellbound, and Gaspard. (For reference, Be With You was directed by Lee Jang-hoon, not Yeon Sang-ho.)
Park Jung-min (as Im Young-gyu): He portrays a son who discovers unexplained pictures among his dying mother’s belongings and begins reconstructing her past. Park Jung-min’s characteristically sharp and driven energy serves as a key engine of the film’s tension.
Kwon Hae-hyo & Shin Hyun-been: Veteran actors often associated with the so-called recurring cast of Yeon Sang-ho’s works join the cast. Kwon Hae-hyo portrays a mysterious figure who blocks the path to the truth, while Shin Hyun-been plays a character who holds the central clue of the 사건, together forming a highly cohesive acting ensemble.
3. Narrative Depth and the Thematic Meaning of “얼굴”
The 영화 focuses on the multiple facets of humanity that the protagonist Young-gyu encounters while following the remnants of his mother’s past. At first glance, it may appear to be a nostalgic memory piece about recovering lost memories, but in reality, it mercilessly exposes the ugly desires hidden beneath everyday human relationships.
Within the film, “얼굴” functions as both a constructed persona and an inescapable mark of the past. Across its 103-minute runtime, the audience is repeatedly confronted with a heavy question: “Is the face we see of others ever truly the truth?”
4. Behind the Scenes: Mise-en-scène Beyond the Limits of a Modest Budget
There is also a point to clarify regarding the production scale. While Yeon Sang-ho has previously worked with extremely limited resources during his independent animation days, this 영화 <얼굴> presents visuals of far greater cinematic polish.
Particular attention was paid to set construction in order to preserve the eerie atmosphere of the original graphic novel. The spaces feel simultaneously grounded yet surreal, producing a visual experience that makes the audience feel as though they are wandering within the characters’ nightmares.
5. Key Viewing Points and Audience Reception
Immersive storytelling: Suitable for its mature audience classification, the film maintains a unrelenting sense of tension and a mysteriously unfolding narrative flow.
Powerful performances: Park Jung-min’s intense outburst in the latter half has been widely praised, with many viewers noting that the characters’ faces linger like afterimages long after 얼굴 다시보기 the screening ends.
Critical response: Reviews are largely favorable, stating that “the chilling essence of the original work has been successfully transplanted onto the screen.” While some criticize the film for being excessively dark, genre enthusiasts have shown strong support.
6. In Closing: A Unsettling Consolation from Yeon Sang-ho
The 영화 <얼굴> transcends the mystery genre to speak about the masks that all of us wear while navigating modern society. Forged through Yeon Sang-ho’s distinctive vision and the cast’s committed performances, this work stands as a highly recommended choice for viewers who value thematic weight over easy entertainment.