Following the success of Exhuma last year, the supernatural thriller genre, once considered niche in Korea, has been bringing fresh and intriguing perspectives. The latest box office success comes from Dark Nuns, a spin-off of the 2015 hit The Priests, which drew a 5.4 million audience. Song Hye Kyo’s choice to venture into this not-so-mainstream genre after her success in The Glory added to the anticipation. So how did this union of the A-list star and the supernatural thriller fare?
Dark Nuns follows two nuns, Junia (Song Hye Kyo) and Michaela (Jeon Yeo Been), as they embark on a dangerous exorcism to save Hui Jun (Moon Woo Jin), a boy possessed by an evil spirit. The film largely mirrors the structure of The Priests: a young soul tormented by evil spirits, a protagonist undervalued by the church, a young assistant helping with the ritual, characters with dark pasts, and a climactic exorcism sequence—merely swapping male characters for female ones.
Nevertheless, the change from priests to nuns brings a fresh perspective. The taboo that “nuns who are not ordained cannot perform exorcisms” and the gender discrimination within the church prove as challenging as the evil spirits themselves. Their defiant stance and solidarity against these barriers resonates particularly well with contemporary social issues.
The ties to the first film are subtly maintained. Junia is revealed to be a disciple of Kim Beom Sin (Kim Yun Seok), the protagonist from The Priests, and Kang Dong Won makes a delightful cameo reprising his role from the predecessor. While watching the first installment isn’t necessary to follow the story, these loose connections enhance the viewing experience.
Song Hye Kyo shines in her role as Sister Junia, carrying the film with a standout performance. From her first appearance smoking at an exorcism site, she establishes her character’s unconventional nature, maintaining a cool and daring presence throughout. Junia represents a rare character in Korean supernatural thrillers—one who won’t hesitate to employ shamanism to save lives, challenge the church’s outdated standards, and stand firm against a demon’s vulgar provocations. One might wonder if this is how Moon Dong Eun from The Glory would have turned out as a nun.
The climactic exorcism sequence is overwhelming. The meticulous set design and direction create an immersive experience. The characters’ struggle to complete the ritual despite the demon’s abuse and threats heightens the tension. Moon Woo Jin particularly impresses as the possessed Hui Jun, displaying remarkable range as he switches between an innocent boy and a cruel demon.
However, the pacing drags until the exorcism highlight is reached. Sister Michaela’s backstory feels disconnected from the main plot, and the conflict between Junia’s emphasis on exorcism and Father Paolo’s (Lee Jin Wook) belief that “everything can be solved through medicine” is barely explored after its initial mention. This leaves both Michaela and Paolo’s characters feeling underdeveloped. While the exorcism scene creates constant tension through its atmosphere and setup, the lack of narrative coherence keeps raising questions, diminishing the satisfaction of the demon’s eventual defeat.
Nevertheless, an ending that hints at another sequel and Song Hye Kyo’s commanding presence make the film entertaining enough. The possibility of weaving these stories into a larger K-supernatural thriller universe holds genuine intrigue. (6/10)
Edited by Hwang Hong Sun
Translated by Kim Hoyeun
Editor Hwang Hong Sun: A Korean movie buff who wishes that the warm messages in good works will warm up this world at least by one degree Fahrenheit.
