Where to Watch Exhuma (2024): The Hit Korean Horror Film

Exhuma (Korean: 파묘) is a 2024 South Korean supernatural horror film directed by Jang Jae-hyun, featuring an all-star cast that includes Choi Min-sik, Kim Go-eun, Yoo Hae-jin, and Lee Do-hyun. Known for his expertise in occult and spiritual themes, Jang delivers an eerie tale of curses, spiritual possession, and unburied secrets that haunt a family and their descendants. The film has captivated audiences, grossing over $97 million globally, making it the highest-grossing South Korean film of the year and earning it a place among the greatest South Korean horror films of all time.

Plot Overview

Exhuma tells the story of a renowned shaman named Hwa-rim (played by Kim Go-eun), who is called in by a wealthy Korean-American family to lift a curse affecting their newborn son. The family’s patriarch, Park Ji-Yong, believes that the curse stems from the disturbed grave of his grandfather, a man who lived through the Japanese occupation of Korea. The family hires Hwa-rim and her protégé, Bong-gil (Lee Do-hyun), alongside a feng shui master (Choi Min-sik) and an undertaker (Yoo Hae-jin), to relocate the grave and cleanse the curse.

As they begin the excavation, strange and terrifying occurrences unfold. The grave harbors a malevolent spirit, which targets the family members, leading to a series of deaths. The group soon discovers that the curse is tied to deep historical traumas related to Korea's colonial past, and a long-buried secret from the Japanese occupation era begins to unravel. In their final desperate act, the team must confront the restless spirits that were unleashed, using ancient rituals and their knowledge of shamanism to defeat the evil before it can claim more lives.

Cast and Performances

The stellar cast of Exhuma delivers some of the best performances in modern South Korean cinema:

• Choi Min-sik plays the pragmatic yet tormented feng shui master Kim Sang-deok, a role that grounds the film’s tension and historical layers.
• Kim Go-eun is mesmerizing as the shaman Hwa-rim, who leads the spiritual charge in battling dark forces. Her portrayal of a shaman’s internal and external struggle adds layers to the film’s horror.
• Yoo Hae-jin brings depth to the character of Yeong-geun, the undertaker who faces the realities of death daily, yet finds himself terrified of what lies beyond the grave.
• Lee Do-hyun shines as Bong-gil, a young shaman grappling with his responsibilities and the growing terror surrounding the grave.

Thematic Depth and Horror

At its core, Exhuma is more than just a supernatural thriller. It uses horror as a vehicle to explore historical traumas, particularly Korea's painful history under Japanese occupation. The concept of exhumation and its connection to shamanistic practices in Korea adds a cultural richness to the story, with themes of generational curses, spiritual retribution, and the legacy of colonialism running deep.

The film is rooted in Korean spiritualism, particularly the use of Feng Shui and shamanistic rituals, making it stand out in a genre often saturated by Western tropes. The attention to detail in portraying these rituals is chilling, with scenes depicting the "gut" (Korean ritual) and the "Grave’s Call" curse that anchors the narrative. This realism in spiritualism deepens the fear and tension as it unfolds on-screen.

Cinematic Craftsmanship

Director Jang Jae-hyun’s visual storytelling is a standout aspect of Exhuma. Known for his meticulous approach, he avoided heavy reliance on CGI, opting instead for practical effects, real locations, and intricate sets that build a palpable atmosphere of dread. The scenes shot in the remote Korean countryside add to the film’s haunting beauty, capturing a sense of isolation that mirrors the characters' psychological unraveling.

The cinematography masterfully captures the contrast between natural landscapes and supernatural occurrences, emphasizing the looming presence of danger. The use of sound, particularly the unsettling score, heightens the tension, with long silences punctuated by sudden, terrifying bursts.

Critical Reception

Exhuma has been a critical and commercial success, earning a 93% rating on Rotten Tomatoes and widespread praise for its atmospheric horror, performances, and the way it weaves historical context into the supernatural genre.

Critics have praised the film for its nuanced portrayal of shamanism and spiritual practices in Korean culture. Lee Yoon-seo of The Korea Herald noted that the film "achieves a new level of horror" through its attention to the authenticity of these rituals, while Meagan Navarro of Bloody Disgusting called it "a fun horror with a lot on its mind," commending the film for blending cultural themes with traditional horror elements.

Box Office Success

Upon its release on February 22, 2024, Exhuma quickly topped the South Korean box office, grossing over $14 million during its opening weekend. It became the highest-grossing Korean film of 2024, surpassing 10 million admissions within its first month. Internationally, the film has performed well in markets such as Vietnam and Indonesia, breaking records for Korean films in those countries.

The Future of Korean Horror

Exhuma joins a growing list of South Korean horror films that continue to push the boundaries of the genre. Following in the footsteps of The Wailing and Train to Busan, this film proves that Korean filmmakers are adept at merging cultural and historical narratives with spine-chilling horror. By grounding the supernatural in real-world traumas, Exhuma elevates the horror genre, making it both terrifying and thought-provoking.

With Exhuma, Jang Jae-hyun has delivered one of the scariest and most thought-provoking horror films of 2024. Blending occult horror with historical trauma, the film is a rich narrative filled with spiritual intrigue and gut-wrenching terror. Anchored by strong performances, especially from Kim Go-eun and Choi Min-sik, Exhuma is a haunting exploration of what happens when buried secrets refuse to stay underground.