The Korean mystery thriller The Ugly is already generating excitement ahead of its world premiere at the 50th Toronto International Film Festival (TIFF) in September 2025.
Awards-winning director Yeon Sang-ho (Train to Busan) trades spectacle for intimacy with a chilling story of remembrance and moral ambiguity, about a son’s quest for the truth and a past that refuses to stay buried.
Directed and written by acclaimed director Yeon Sang-ho—internationally best known for Train to Busan and Hellbound—the movie features Park Jeong-min in a challenging dual role, joined by Kwon Hae-hyo, Shin Hyun-bin, Lim Sung-jae, and Han Ji-hyun.
Synopsis | The Ugly
The Ugly traces the very personal and haunting quest of Im Dong-hwan (Park Jeong-min), whose mother disappeared forty years ago—her face not even known to her husband and son. When her remains are eventually unearthed, Dong-hwan, now a grown man, embarks on uncovering the truth about her disappearance with the help of documentary producer Kim Su-jin (Han Ji-hyun). Their search takes them into Cheonggyecheon’s lost world of the 1970s, excavating the lives of ex-garment factory workers and gradually uncovering secrets long hidden behind trauma, societal constraints, and family silence.
Deepening the drama, Kwon Hae-hyo plays Dong-hwan’s father, Im Young-kyu, who is a master craftsman and is also blind, and the emotional core of the story. Less sensational in its plot twists and more concerned with emotional horror, the film is more focused on the unease of memory, loss, regret, and confronting the ugly family truths. Park Jeong-min plays both the son and the young version of his real father in flashbacks with notable range and intergenerational resonance.
Watch the official trailer here for The Ugly
Atmospheric and visually rich, The Ugly trades horror spectacle for psychological and emotional depth—a shift from Yeon’s earlier work. Its TIFF Special Presentations selection places the movie among other celebrated Korean films that debuted at the fest, promising global attention upon its September release in South Korea, followed by an international rollout (watch for streaming updates after its festival debut).
Key Details:
- Director & Writer: Yeon Sang-ho
- Based on: Yeon Sang-ho’s graphic novel Face (2018)
- Genre: Mystery, Thriller
- Runtime: 102 minutes
- Distributor: Plus M Entertainment
- Production: Wow Point
- Main Cast: Park Jeong-min, Kwon Hae-hyo, Shin Hyun-bin, Lim Sung-jae, Han Ji-hyun
- Release: World Premiere at TIFF, Sept 2025 | Korea theatrical release, Sept 2025
- Language: Korean
If you’re drawn to slow-burn mysteries with emotional punch, The Ugly should be high on your list. It’s a film about truth-seeking in the face of painful secrets, featuring nuanced performances and a sense of psychological unease that lingers. With its festival debut and a director known for crossing genres, this is one Korean cinema event to watch for in late 2025.
