The movie 'Grave Excavation' (Korean title: ‘파묘’) is a South Korean occult mystery film released on February 22, 2024. Directed and written by Jang Jae-hyun, the film explores eerie events encountered by a geomancer, an undertaker, and a shaman as they undertake the reburial of a suspicious grave.
Plot Summary
A wealthy family residing in Los Angeles suffers from a mysterious hereditary illness. Young shaman Lee Hwa-rim (played by Kim Go-eun) and her disciple Yoon Bong-gil (played by Lee Do-hyun) take on the task of solving the issue. Sensing trouble with the ancestral grave, Hwa-rim enlists the help of South Korea’s top geomancer, Kim Sang-deok (played by Choi Min-sik), and veteran undertaker Go Young-geun (played by Yoo Hae-jin) to proceed with the reburial. However, the grave’s location turns out to be an “accursed land,” leading to unforeseen supernatural phenomena during the excavation process.
Cast
- Kim Sang-deok: Choi Min-sik
- A renowned geomancer with 40 years of experience. Initially hesitant about the reburial, he joins the team and unravels the core mystery.
- Lee Hwa-rim: Kim Go-eun
- A skilled shaman who leads the team to resolve the ancestral grave issue after receiving a request from the United States. She seamlessly blends traditional shamanic practices with modern sensibilities.
- Go Young-geun: Yoo Hae-jin
- A respected undertaker who has worked with Sang-deok for years. While he holds religious beliefs, his professionalism allows him to handle supernatural challenges effectively.
- Yoon Bong-gil: Lee Do-hyun
- A young spiritual practitioner and Hwa-rim’s disciple, assisting her in performing various shamanic rituals during the mission.
Production and Release
‘Grave Excavation’ is Jang Jae-hyun’s third feature film, following his previous works ‘The Priests’ and ‘Svaha: The Sixth Finger’ in the occult mystery genre. The film was officially invited to the Forum section of the 74th Berlin International Film Festival and premiered globally on February 16, 2024. Domestically, it opened on February 22, earning $16.8 million during its opening weekend and becoming a box-office success.
Box Office Performance
As of April 2024, ‘Grave Excavation’ had attracted 10.95 million viewers, making it the highest-grossing South Korean film of 2024. This success reaffirms the potential of the occult mystery genre in Korean cinema.
Additional Information
The title ‘Grave Excavation’ (파묘 in Korean) literally means “to unearth a grave,” symbolizing the central plot of reburial. Notably, the characters’ names correspond to historical figures from Korea’s independence movement, such as Kim Sang-deok (Kim Sang-deok, independence activist and politician) and Yoon Bong-gil (Yoon Bong-gil, a patriotic martyr). These connections deepen the film’s thematic resonance.
‘Grave Excavation’ masterfully combines traditional Korean shamanistic beliefs with modern thriller elements, offering audiences a fresh sense of fear and tension. It stands as a prime example of the diversity and depth of Korean cinema.
