Recommendations for Films by Director Jang Jaehyun, Including 'EXHUMA' Dominating the South Korean Box Office

Kapanlagi.com - Written by: Lily Ariani

Director Jang Jae Hyuk is currently at the peak of success. His latest film titled EXHUMA has successfully dominated the South Korean Box Office. The occult horror film has managed to attract three million viewers in just one week.

Among the numerous films released in 2024, EXHUMA has become the fastest Box Office success. The Korean Film Council stated that the film, starring Lee Do Hyun and Kim Go Eun, occupies the top spot in theaters with a real-time reservation rate of 50%. This figure has surpassed the blockbuster film DUNE: PART TWO.

Jang Jae Hyuk himself is known for his works in the horror and mystery genres. Prior to EXHUMA, he has produced several films that have also achieved success. Here are some film recommendations from Director Jang Jae Hyuk.

1. 12TH ASSISTANT DEACON (2015)

YouTube screenshot youtube.com/@KCrushofficial

12TH ASSISTANT DEACON is a short film that will be developed into a feature film titled THE PRIEST. In the 25-minute film, Jang Jae Hyun tells the story of deacon Choi (Lee Hak Joo) and pastor Kim (Park Ji Il). They visit Young Shin (Im Sung Mi) who is in critical condition.

Deacon Choi and pastor Kim plan to exorcise the demon inhabiting Young Shin's body. However, it is not easy. The demon in Young Shin's body is very powerful. Despite the efforts of deacon Choi and pastor Kim, Young Shin shows no signs of improvement.

This short film by Jang Jae Hyun won Best Short Film at the Paris Korean Film Festival. Through 12TH ASSISTANT DEACON, Jang Jae Hyun also won the Best Director award at the Jeonju International Film Festival.

If you want to watch a horror film but don't have much time, 12TH ASSISTANT DEACON can be a good choice. You can watch the complete film on the K-Crush YouTube channel.

2. THE PRIEST (2015)

Zip Cinema

Continuing the story of 12TH ASSISTANT DEACON, Jang Jae Hyun returns with the film THE PRIEST in the same year. It can be said that THE PRIEST is a remake of 12TH ASSISTANT DEACON with different cast members. This time, the film is also made with a longer duration.

The story of THE PRIEST begins when a church member named Young Shin (Park So Dam) is involved in a hit-and-run accident. Young Shin then suffers from a mysterious illness after the hit-and-run incident. Believing that his congregation has been possessed by an evil spirit, Pastor Kim (Kim Yoon Seok) plans to perform an exorcism.

In carrying out the exorcism, Pastor Kim needs the help of a deacon. However, all the deacons flee after the exorcism process. Deacon Choi (Kang Dong Won) becomes the 11th deacon chosen to assist Pastor Kim. They only have one day to save Young Shin.

Thanks to THE PRIEST, director Jang Jae Hyun received a nomination from the 37th Blue Dragon Film Awards for Best New Director category. Meanwhile, actress Park So Dam won the Best New Actress award at the 52nd Baeksang Arts Awards.

3. HOUSE OF THE DISAPPEARED (2017)

Rydmical Green

Released in 2017, Jang Jae Hyuk's second work titled HOUSE OF THE DISAPPEARED. This film tells the story of a housewife named Mi Hee (Kim Yun Jin) who experiences a tragic fate. She has to witness her husband being killed right in front of her eyes.

Not enough to lose her husband, Mi Hee is shocked by her son's mysterious disappearance behind a door. These series of events make Mi Hee a suspect in her husband's murder case. 25 years later, Mi Hee returns to her home and meets Pastor Choi (Ok Taecyeon). Mi Hee tries to uncover the mystery surrounding the quarter-century-old incident with the help of Pastor Choi.

4. SVAHA: THE SIXTH FINGER (2019)

Filmmaker R&K

Collaborating with a number of famous South Korean stars, Jang Jae Hyuk released the film SVAHA: THE SIXTH FINGER in 2019. SVAHA: THE SIXTH FINGER focuses on the story of Pastor Park (Lee Jung Jae) as he investigates cults and false sects, one of which is the Deer Mount cult. The cult group is suspected of being involved in serial murder cases.

Deer Mount itself worships Svaha, the six-fingered god. However, in reality, Svaha is not a god but a regular human being. Svaha is the one who orders his followers to take the lives of others for immortality.

SVAHA: THE SIXTH FINGER successfully brought Jang Jae Hyuk as one of the nominees for Best Director at the 55th Baeksang Arts Awards and the 56th Grand Bell Awards.

5. EXHUMA (2024)

Snowbox

The story of EXHUMA focuses on a wealthy couple in Los Angeles who experience a series of inexplicable events. Feeling that their baby is being disturbed by a mystical force, they contact a renowned pair of young shamans, Hwa Rim (Kim Go Eun) and Bong Gil (Lee Do Hyun). Promised a large sum of money, Hwa Rim and Bong Gil promptly respond to the call.

Hwa Rim immediately senses a dark power enveloping the baby of the wealthy couple. She realizes that the dark power is connected to their family ancestors, calling it a call from the grave.

To drive away the perceived threatening dark power, Hwa Rim and Bong Gil must dig up the graves of their family ancestors. Hwa Rim then seeks the help of a feng shui expert and a funeral director, Sang Deok (Choi Min Sik) and Yong Geun (Yoo Hae Jin). After discovering the graves of their clients' ancestors in a remote village in Korea, the four of them begin digging the graves without knowing the great risks that await.

It's no wonder that EXHUMA has been successful at the South Korean Box Office. After all, Jang Jae Hyun's latest film brings a new horror experience with a gripping plot. This film is rumored to explore a horror dimension that has never been seen before in South Korean cinema. In addition, the audience will also be treated to stunning visual design and production.

(kpl/lly)