Synopsis
Exhuma (Korean title: 파묘, Pamyo) is a South Korean occult horror film coming out in 2024. The film intricately weaves themes of spirituality, historical reckoning, and supernatural horror terror alongside traditions of Korean shamanism. It is directed and written by Jang Jae-hyun. The movie examines the gory world of ancestral curses, shamanistic exorcisms, and the terrifying repercussions of disturbing the corpses.
The plot begins with a rich Korean-American family whose child is suffering from an inexplicable yet debilitating sickness. After receiving no help within the medical framework, the family shifts to shamans for assistance. They reach out to Lee Hwa-rim, a young shaman known for her sharp intuition, featuring Kim Go-eun. In attendance of Hwa-rim is her partner and apprentice, Yoon Bong-gil. He is played by Lee Do-hyun.
According to Hwa-rim’s diagnosis, the source of the illness is the disturbance of some spirit associated with one’s ancestor’s tomb. This is referred to by Koreans as ‘the grave’s call’. This happens when an ancestor’s unresolved suffering or wrongdoings begin to take form as sickness or misfortune to people from their lineage. To mitigate the curse, one solution must be found: exhuming and moving the ancestor’s grave to a cleaner, more spiritually neutral location.
For this job the team brings a geomancer-a practitioner of pungsu-jiri- the Korean version of feng shui. They brought along a seasoned technician, Yeong-geun (played by Yoo Hae-jin), who was proficient in dealing with human remains during sensitive spiritual procedures.
The grave is located in a remote, mountainous area, which is close to the border of North Korea. This places geopolitical significance into the already dangerous area. After digging deeper, the group uncovers something more perilous than a simple family curse. The grave turns out to belong to a collaborator from the Japanese occupation era—a man who not only betrayed his country but made a pact with dark forces to enjoy spiritual power after death.
When disturbed, the spirit of this traitor unleashes a superior form of dark energy. The mountain’s energy balance throws into chaos, while the group begins to experience haunting, traumatic visions, and strange fatalities. A spectral samurai guardian emerges while defending the cursed place, striking those who attempt to tamper with the grave.
As the circumstances change for the worse, Hwa-rim and Sang-deok come to a horrific understanding that the malignant spirit is not only linked to familial tragedy but also to some national trauma. The traitor’s grave was constructed for the sole purpose of serving as a metaphysical device – one intended to infect Korea’s gi (energy) and disrupt its spiritual cohesion. The psychological torment of the situation becomes even more harrowing when factoring in the history of the Japanese occupation, merging the lens of personal, cultural, and political tragedy.
The film builds seize the peak of the narrative with an exorcism deemed “the ritual on the border of life and death – the border of memory and national consciousness.” The vengeance spirit is confronted by the team using ancient magical shaman warfare. With the aid of legendary words of power, paraphernalia, and sheer will, they exorcised the spirit and the damage balance within the area.
Cast and Crew
Director and Writer: Jang Jae-hyun – A filmmaker well-known for occult and spiritual fascination within Korean society, having directed previously The Priests and Svaha: The Sixth Finger. His films often depict the conflict of faith, the relation to violence and Korean traditional religion, spirit cults, and rituals.
Main Cast:
Choi Min-sik as Kim Sang-deok – The sage of geomancy and of age. He is versed in traditional geomantic practices and skilled in spiritual cartography. His expertise aids the team safely navigate through perilous spiritual landscapes.
Kim Go-eun as Lee Hwa-rim – The main antagonist and a powerful, instinctive young shaman. She suffers a confidence crisis and later redeemes herself, and this emotional arc is at the center of the story.
Yoo Hae-jin as Yeong-geun – The embalmer, who, in addition to making people laugh, has handy skills with the dead. Later, he displays valiant albeit frightful characteristics.
Lee Do-hyun as Yoon Bong-gil – Hwa-Rim’s aide and pupil. He is energetic and youthful, often serves as the audience’s proxy, as he is new to the world of shamans and spirits, eager to delve into the realm along with the viewers.
Supporting Cast Includes:
Kim Jae-cheol, Kim Sun-young, and Kim Ji-an, among other veteran actors who portray lower tier roles in horrific but interesting ways.
Classifications, Ratings and Reviews on IMDb
Critically, Exhumed or Exhuma (and its variants) has enjoyed moderately positive reviews across social media. According to an unofficial survey, it has averaged a score of 6.9 out of 10 on IMDb as of 2025. This may indicate a somewhat lukewarm reception from the audience, but most reviews both from general viewers and critics alike commend the film for its cultural depth, as well as its unique approach towards horror.
While audience members described the film as having an intricate supernatural plot, some critics argue that it serves as an exploration of Korea’s traumatic colonial history. They have particularly noted the harrowing performances of Choi Min-sik and Kim Go-eun. In addition to this, viewers also commented the cinematography of Lee Mo-gae which constructed the film’s spectacular views and frightening landscapes of rituals.
However, some analysts and viewers note that the sometimes excessive use of shamanistic language alongside rich historical allusions might be daunting for those not familiar with Korean traditional spirituality or history. The first half of the movie also suffers from slower pacing which can frustrate those wanting nonstop action.
Themes and Symbolism
Exhuma’s ghost story is more than a hallowed narrative. It is an account of recollection and remorse fused and the destructiveness of history left without resolution. Questions emerge wait to be answered such as: Is the past erasable? What results if we try to unearth it pretending there is nothing to face? To what extent do the ancestors’ wrongs burden us now?
The film examines the notion that spiritual turmoil can erupt as a national tragedy alongside pervasive personal suffering. Traditional Korean musical and symbolic elements enhances the apology ethos about indigenous religiosities in contemporary cinema.
Conclusion
Absorbing supernatural terror with shamanism and political allegory, and character-driven storytelling, Exhuma stands out as a remarkable addition to South Korean horror cinema. Jang Jae-hyun continues to traverse the unseen world and, in the process, shows how the past can haunt the present beyond ghosts—as memory, guilt, and land.
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