THE UGLY

Dong-hwan, having inherited his blind artisan father Yeong-gyu's seal engraving studio, persuades his father to star in a documentary about his life as a master of the craft who has overcome the limits of his disability. But the shoot takes an unexpected turn when the remains of their wife and mother are discovered after forty years. As Dong-hwan uncovers long-buried family secrets, he also unravels the story of a woman whose face has been erased from collective memory and remembered solely as an "ugly monster."

Renowned director Yeon Sang-ho (Train to Busan, Peninsula) takes an unexpected and artistically successful turn with the intimate drama The Ugly — without losing sight of the dark, socially conscious and entertaining perspective that defines his work. The mystery thriller premiered at the Toronto International Film Festival, tops the box office charts in South Korea, and is now screening nationwide in the US. The Ugly represents something new for Yeon, and will surprise and resonate with the same uncompromising vision that has shaped his impressive career.

Original title: 醜得要命
Director: Yeon Sang-ho
Country: South Korea
Language: Korean
Running time: 102 min
Genre: Thriller, drama
Year: 2025