Jang Jae-hyun, a South Korean film director and screenwriter, earned acclaim for his work on blockbuster films such as The Priests (2015), Svaha: The Sixth Finger (2019), and Exhuma (2024).

His career took off when he worked as an assistant director on the period drama Masquerade (2012). Jang Jae-hyun was also praised for his short film 12th Assistant Deacon (2014), which earned him awards such as Best Film at the 13th Mise-en-scène Short Film Festival and the Best Director Award at the 15th Jeonju International Film Festival. Inspired by the success of this short, he decided to make his first feature, The Priests (2015), a supernatural mystery thriller that became a box office hit with over 5.4 million admissions.

His latest project, Exhuma, explores Korean cultural traditions and history through a supernatural lens. The film has taken the world’s cinema by storm and became the highest-grossing South Korean film released in 2024.

During the 26th Far East Film Festival in Udine, Italy, director Jang Jae-hyun and producer Kim Young-min sat down with us for a quick chat about the film, casting and historical importance of Exhuma.

View of the Arts: Your film, Exhuma, dives into the fascinating world of Korean culture and folklore, mixing elements of shamanism and Christianity. How did you approach blending these diverse cultural influences into the narrative?

Jang Jae-hyun: You know, Korea is a small country in which numerous churches, temples and shamanism are present and intertwined together. This is a very general snapshot of a very general Korea.

View of the Arts: This is the question for the producer Kim Young-min: Exhuma is a commercial and critically acclaimed film; so my question is: what do you consider to be the most critical factors in ensuring the success of a film, both artistically and commercially?

Kim Young-min: Both during the filmmaking and after the premiere, we often say that if we give our hearts into a project, [like the one we are talking about now], the film will appeal to the public and critics. This is the best example for a film to be [or try to be] successful.

View of the Arts: How did you deal with the portrayal of characters’ morality in your film, particularly in depicting the generational conflicts prevalent in Korean society?

Jang Jae-hyun: As a filmmaker, I avoid portraying characters with overt morality, instead favouring individuals who show pride and determination in their pursuits. The characters of Hwa-rim and Kim Sang-deok, as well as the others, are staunchly committed to their roles and show conviction in their actions. Their deep-rooted beliefs and devotion reflect a broader societal dynamic in Korea, where generational conflicts often arise. Despite these tensions, each generation contributes significantly to society, defending their way of life and sense of belonging, [like the characters in the film].

View of the Arts: How did you approach incorporating symbolism into Exhuma, particularly when addressing sensitive historical and political issues?

Jang Jae-hyun: Younger generations may not be as concerned about this issue, but older generations often feel a sense of indebtedness to the younger generation regarding the North-South conflict. They recognise that the younger generation will inherit the consequences of past generations’ actions, including the division of the country.

Regarding symbolism, I employed various techniques throughout the film. Exhuma, which means the excavation of a body from the ground, holds significant symbolic meaning. In some beliefs, burning the remains is a ritual to ward off evil spirits and bad luck. However, within the context of the film’s narrative, the grave is situated near the North Korean border. Through the act of burning the remains, we symbolise the hope for reunification.

Furthermore, the imagery of the fox cutting the tiger’s back carries a deep symbolism. The tiger represents Korean land, while the fox symbolises Japan. Korea has a tragic history involving Japan, with some Koreans aligning themselves with the Japanese during that time. The grave discovered by the protagonists contains the remains of a Japanese imperialist. By burning these remnants, I aimed to express a desire for Korean unification, free from the interference of the past and external forces. Exhuma serves as my prayer and hopeful vision for the reunification of both Koreas.

View of the Arts: The cast of the film is truly exceptional. When you were writing the script, did you envision actors like Choi Min-sik and Kim Go-eun for the roles, or did their involvement come about through the casting process?

Jang Jae-hyun: I finished writing the script before casting any of the actors. At that time, I wanted to cast Choi Min-sik and Kim Go-eun, but there was no guarantee of getting the actors. I didn’t know if they would accept or reject me, I was anxious about that [laughs]. Funny thing is, when I was writing Exhuma, I was thinking about Hollywood actors at first. Choi Min-sik’s character would be Al Pacino, for Kim Go-eun’s character, I imagined Kristen Stewart, both speaking Korean [laughs].

View of the Arts: Producer Kim, how did you decide on producing this film, and how was your work with the director Jang and vice versa?

Jang Jae-hyun: I wrote the script and then showed it to Producer Kim. I must say that he is a famous producer in Korea and known for picking up projects based on the quality of the script rather than how much he would have to pay for it. Money comes second, which is [not common in the film industry]. He was fighting hard to get good investors.

Kim Young-min: So, it was director Jang who picked me, not the other way round. I liked his previous works, but when I saw the script, I said to myself “This has to be made”. It was love at first sight, however, there were a few worries while making the film and trying to bring the vision to life. But we did it!

Written and interviewed by Maggie Gogler

Image © View of the Arts

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