Two major Korean films are headed to Toronto. Director Yeon Sang Ho’s upcoming mystery thriller The Ugly and the adrenaline-fueled action drama Project Y, starring Han So Hee and Jeon Jong Seo, have both been officially invited to the 50th Toronto International Film Festival (TIFF), where they will screen as part of the prestigious Special Presentations section.
The Ugly marks Yeon’s return to TIFF for the third time, following The Fake and Hellbound. Based on his own 2018 graphic novel, the film centers on Im Young Gyu (Kwon Hae Hyo), a blind master of traditional seal engraving, and his son Im Dong Hwan (Park Jung Min), as they unravel the decades-old mystery behind the disappearance of their wife and mother. The story unfolds as the two come face-to-face with her skeletal remains 40 years later.
Alongside the festival announcement, the film dropped three eerie first-look posters and a gripping trailer. Park Jung Min takes on dual roles, while Kwon Hae Hyo makes his first-ever transformation into a blind character, earning early praise for their powerful performances. The Ugly is slated for theatrical release in Korea this September.
TIFF lead programmer Giovanna Fulvi called The Ugly “a bold new turn in Yeon Sang Ho’s filmography, infused with the same searing energy and moral complexity that defines his work.”
Meanwhile, Project Y will make its world premiere at TIFF, spotlighting the electrifying duo of Han So Hee and Jeon Jong Seo. Directed by Lee Hwan (Young Adult Matters, Park Hwa-young), the film follows Mi Sun and Do Kyung, two women with nothing but each other, as they risk everything to escape a dead-end life by stealing hidden cash and gold bars.
Fulvi praised the film for its “magnetic performances from Han So Hee and Jeon Jong Seo, adrenaline-charged action, and a raw, emotionally charged story of survival rooted in a wounded past,” calling it one of the most anticipated Korean titles of the year.
Project Y is expected to premiere in Korea following its TIFF debut.
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Source: Plus M Entertainment
