The Ugly (2025 film)

The Ugly
Theatrical release poster
Hangul
얼굴
RREolgul
MRŎlgul
Directed byYeon Sang-ho
Screenplay byYeon Sang-ho
Based onThe Ugly
by Yeon Sang-ho
Produced byYang Yoomin Hailey
Starring
CinematographyPyo Sang-woo
Edited byPark Ju-ae
Music byChai Min-joo
Production
company
Wow Point
Distributed byMegabox Plus M
Release dates
  • September 9, 2025 (2025-09-09) (TIFF)
  • September 11, 2025 (2025-09-11) (South Korea)
Running time
102 minutes
CountrySouth Korea
LanguageKorean
Budget₩200 million[1]
(~US$143,600)[2]
Box officeUS$7.7 million[3]

The Ugly (Korean: 얼굴; lit. 'Face') is a 2025 South Korean mystery thriller film written and directed by Yeon Sang-ho. Based on director Yeon's 2018 graphic novel of the same name, the film stars Park Jeong-min in dual roles as Im Young-gyu, a blind yet extraordinarily skilled painter, and his son, Im Dong-hwan, as he unearths long-buried truths surrounding the mysterious death of Dong-hwan’s mother—hidden for four decades.[4][5] The cast also includes Kwon Hae-hyo, Shin Hyun-been, Im Seong-jae, and Han Ji-hyun.

The film premiered at the Toronto International Film Festival on September 9, 2025.[6] It was released in South Korea on September 11, 2025 by Plus M Entertainment.

Premise

Lim Dong-hwan, the son of Lim Yeong-gyu, a visually impaired seal engraving master known as a living miracle, uncovers the truth behind his mother's death after discovering her skeletal remains, thought to have been missing for 40 years.

Cast

Production

The film was made with a production cost of ₩200 million.[1] Actors Kwon Hae-hyo and Shin Hyun-bin, both of whom have previously collaborated with director Yeon Sang-ho, joined about 20 crew members for a three-week shoot that commenced in late July 2024.[7][8] As part of Yeon's experimental low-budget approach, Park Jeong-min appeared in the film without receiving an appearance fee. In addition, the production team minimized expenses by foregoing location filming in favor of hastily built sets.[9]

Release

The Ugly had its world premiere at the 2025 Toronto International Film Festival on September 9, 2025 in Special Presentations.[10][11]

In October 2024, the film was presented at the Asian Contents & Film Market (ACFM), which is held in Busan, South Korea, in conjunction with the Busan International Film Festival.[12]

The film was released on September 11, 2025 in South Korean theaters by Plus M Entertainment after its premiere at the festival.[13][14]

The film is pre-sold to 157 countries worldwide, and is set to be released starting with North America and Taiwan on the 26 September.[15]

It was screened in LEAFF Official Selection of the 10th London East Asian Film Festival on October 26, 2025.[16][17]

Reception

Box office

The film was released on September 11, 2025 on 940 screens.[18] It opened at the top recording 35,020 viewers on its opening day at the Korean box office.[19] The film surpassed one million viewers on October 5, 2025. It recorded 1,000,005 cumulative viewers to achieve the milestone.[20]

As of October 18, 2025, the film has grossed US$7,694,161 from 1,071,202 admissions.[18][3]

Critical response

The review-aggregation website Rotten Tomatoes gives the film a score of 53%, with an average of 5.6/10, based on 30 reviews from critics.[21] On Metacritic, the film received mixed reviews with a weighted average of 50 out of 100, based on 5 reviews.[22]

Kang Hyo-jin’s review of the film for SPOTV News highlights the film’s relentless energy and gripping narrative, which maintains immersion from start to finish. She praised the director Yeon Sang-ho for making a quality film on low budget, writing, "director Yeon Sang-ho achieves a seamless quality, as if he were employing alchemy." According to Kang, the standout element is the dual-role performances by Park Jeong-min and Kwon Hae-hyo, who portray different versions of the character Im Young-gyu with striking clarity and emotional depth. Kang praised their climactic father-son dialogue writing, "The father-son dialogue near the end, in particular, is captivating and the two actors' passionate performances sweep the audience off their feet." Concluding the review, Kang described it as mesmerizing and emotionally charged. In her opinion, the final scene leaves a lasting impression that is expected to resonate with audiences and spark discussion among film enthusiasts.[23]

Tim Grierson reviewing for ScreenDaily at TIFF calls it a "calibrated thriller" that blends murder mystery with deeper themes of beauty and self-worth. He praised Yeon Sang-ho’s shift from genre spectacle to a more intimate, character-driven story, noting the clever use of flashbacks and the emotional weight of Lim Dong-hwan’s search for the truth.[24] Steven Scaife of Slant Magazine rated the film 2 out of 4 stars and said that "The film plays a long game with audiences that frustrates far more than it illuminates."[25]

Brian Tallerico of RogerEbert.com, who gave the film a score of 1.5 out of 4 stars, described it as a "dour, depressing drama, a movie that gets so lost in its lethargic structure that it feels like a chore."[26]

Accolades

Award Date of ceremony Category Recipient(s) Result Ref.
Blue Dragon Film Awards November 19, 2025 Best Film The Ugly Nominated [27]
Best Director Yeon Sang-ho Nominated
Best Actor Park Jeong-min Nominated
Best Supporting Actor Kwon Hae-hyo Nominated
Best Supporting Actress Shin Hyun-been Nominated
Best Screenplay Yeon Sang-ho Nominated
Best Editing Park Ju-ae Nominated
Best Cinematography and Lighting Pyo Sang-woo, Song Hyun-seok Nominated
Best Art Direction Lee Mok-won Nominated
Technical Award Jo Tae-hee (Make-up) Nominated
Korean Association of Film Critics Awards November 6, 2025 Best Actor Park Jeong-min Won [28]

References

  1. ^ a b Rajegi (July 29, 2024). "연상호 연출, 박정민 출연 영화 제작비가 2억원... '얼굴'이 한국 영화 체질 바꿀까" [Directed by Yeon Sang-ho, starring Park Jung-min, the film cost 200 million won... Will 'Face' change the nature of Korean movies?]. Hankookilbo (in Korean). Retrieved July 25, 2025.
  2. ^ Baek, Byung-yeul (August 22, 2025). "'Train to Busan' director takes on micro budget thriller 'The Ugly'". The Korea Times. Retrieved September 5, 2025.
  3. ^ a b "KOFIC, KOBIS (Korean Box Office Information System) The Box office: Korean films of 2025". KOFIC. Retrieved October 19, 2025.
  4. ^ Kim Bo-young (July 28, 2025). "'얼굴' 박정민, 1인 2역으로 스크린 컴백…권해효와 父子 연기" ['Face' Park Jung-min, screen comeback with 2 roles… Acting as father and son with Kwon Hae-hyo]. Edaily (in Korean). Naver. Retrieved July 28, 2025.
  5. ^ Lee Ju-in (August 4, 2025). "'얼굴' 권해효, 인생 첫 시각장애 연기…"배우로서 해야 할 몫"" ["Face" star Kwon Hae-hyo plays a visually impaired character for the first time in his career… "It's my role as an actor."]. Daily Sports (in Korean). Naver. Retrieved August 4, 2025.
  6. ^ D'Alessandro, Anthony (July 21, 2025). "TIFF Galas & Presentations: World Premieres 'Good Fortune', 'Nuremberg', Sydney Sweeney Pic 'Christy', Angelina Jolie 'Couture'; North American Debuts Guillermo del Toro's 'Frankenstein', Dwayne Johnson 'Smashing Machine'". Deadline. Retrieved July 25, 2025.
  7. ^ Lee, Ho-yeon (December 27, 2024). 박찬욱·연상호 '관객 마음' 훔칠까…미리 보는 2025년 한국 영화 5선 [Park Chan-wook and Yeon Sang-ho will steal the hearts of the audience… 5 Korean films to watch in advance in 2025]. ilyo (in Korean). Sunday Newspaper. Retrieved July 22, 2025.
  8. ^ "The Ugly". HanCinema. Retrieved July 25, 2025.
  9. ^ Kim Ji-won (August 22, 2025). "[종합] 박정민 "제작비 작은데 달라긴 짜쳐"…노개런티로 출연했다가 '이병헌과 맞대결'('얼굴')" [[Comprehensive] Park Jung-min: "The production budget is small, so I'm asking for more." After appearing without a guarantee, he faces off against Lee Byung-hun ("Face")]. TenAsia (in Korean). Naver. Retrieved September 11, 2025.
  10. ^ Jo Yeon-kyung (July 22, 2025). "박정민 美쳤다는 '얼굴' 50회 토론토국제영화제 공식 초청" [Park Jung-min's 'Face' That Was Pretty Officially Invited to the 50th Toronto International Film Festival]. JTBC (in Korean). Naver. Retrieved July 24, 2025.
  11. ^ "The Ugly". Toronto International Film Festival. August 12, 2025. Retrieved August 12, 2025.
  12. ^ Michael Rosser (September 30, 2024). "'Train To Busan' director Yeon Sang-ho readies 'The Ugly', Plus M to launch at ACFM (exclusive)". ScreenDaily. Retrieved July 24, 2025.
  13. ^ Yeon Hwi-seon (August 14, 2025). ""추한 건 멸시 당해" 연상호 감독, 박정민·권해효 탈 쓴 '얼굴' 예고부터 문제작" ["Ugly things are despised" Director Yeon Sang-ho's "Face" trailer, featuring Park Jung-min and Kwon Hae-hyo in disguise, is a controversial work.]. OSEN (in Korean). Naver. Retrieved August 14, 2025.
  14. ^ "Plus M Entertainment Confirms Distribution of Director Yeon Sang-ho's New Film <Face>" [플러스엠 엔터테인먼트, 연상호 감독 신작 <얼굴> 배급 확정]. JoongAng Group (in Korean). October 2, 2024. Retrieved July 25, 2025.
  15. ^ Seo Ji-hyun (September 30, 2025). "연상호의 '얼굴', 이번엔 157개국 스크린으로 만난다" [Yeon Sang-ho's "Face" will be screened in 157 countries.]. Sports Seoul (in Korean). Naver. Retrieved September 30, 2025.
  16. ^ "London East Asian Film Festival official selection 2025". London East Asian Film Festival. October 21, 2025. Retrieved October 21, 2025.
  17. ^ Lee Seon-pil (October 21, 2025). "제10회 런던아시아영화제... 하정우 '윗집 사람들' 등 런던 관객과 직접 만난다" [The 10th London Asian Film Festival... Ha Jung-woo's "The People Upstairs" and other films will meet London audiences in person]. OhMyNews (in Korean). Naver. Retrieved October 21, 2025.
  18. ^ a b "The Ugly (2025) at KOFIC, KOBIS (Korean Box Office Information System) Box office: Korean films". KOFIC. Retrieved October 1, 2025.
  19. ^ Kim Na-rae (September 12, 2025). "'귀칼' 독주 끊은 박정민…'얼굴' 박스 오피스 1위 올랐다" [Park Jung-min breaks his "Ghost in the Shell" streak, and "Face" rises to #1 at the box office.]. TV Report (in Korean). Naver. Retrieved September 12, 2025.
  20. ^ Park A-reum (October 6, 2025). "연상호 드디어 웃었다 '얼굴' 100만 관객 돌파 의미있는 행보" [Yeon Sang-ho finally smiles, "Face" surpasses 1 million viewers, a significant milestone.]. Newsen (in Korean). Naver. Retrieved October 7, 2025.
  21. ^ "The Ugly". Rotten Tomatoes. Fandango Media. Retrieved November 26, 2025.
  22. ^ "The Ugly". Metacritic. Fandom, Inc. Retrieved November 26, 2025.
  23. ^ Kang Hyo-jin (September 10, 2025). "[Cine리뷰]'얼굴'값 하네…'돌아온' 연상호가 만든 2억의 기적" [[Cine Review] "Face" is worth it... The 200 million won miracle created by the "returned" Yeon Sang-ho]. SPOTV News (in Korean). Naver. Retrieved September 10, 2025.
  24. ^ Tim Grierson (September 6, 2025). "'The Ugly' review: A murder mystery links past and present in Yeon Sang-ho's calibrated thriller". ScreenDaily. Retrieved September 10, 2025.
  25. ^ Scaife, Steven (September 9, 2025). "'The Ugly' Review: Yeon Sang-ho's Frustratingly Half-Told Tale of Memory and Beauty". Slant Magazine. Retrieved September 10, 2025.
  26. ^ "The Ugly movie review & film summary (2025) | Roger Ebert". www.rogerebert.com. Retrieved November 8, 2025.
  27. ^ Kim Na-yeon (October 21, 2025). "46회 청룡영화상 최종 후보 공개..'어쩔수가없다' 12개 부문 노미" [The 46th Blue Dragon Film Awards final nominees have been announced. "Inevitable" wins 12 categories]. Star News (in Korean). Naver. Retrieved October 21, 2025.
  28. ^ Seong Chan-eul (November 6, 2025). "Although There Was No Award Ceremony, the Award Lineup Is Glamorous... 45th Korean Film Critics Association Awards Winners Announced" (in Korean). cineplay. Retrieved November 8, 2025.
This article is issued from Wikipedia. The text is available under Creative Commons Attribution-Share Alike 4.0 unless otherwise noted. Additional terms may apply for the media files.