Before Hope (2026), this is the one film you need to understand Na Hong-jin.
K-Drama & Film
Even 10 years later, people are still arguing about the ending of this film. And there is still no answer.
The Wailing (곡성, Gokseong) never tells you what is right — and that’s exactly why it stays with you. But for Korean viewers, the discomfort runs deeper. There’s a cultural layer that most global audiences barely feel.
Before Hope, this is the film you need to understand Na Hong-jin (나홍진).
Video: The Wailing (곡성) Official Trailer / Source: Well Go USA Entertainment (YouTube)
Basic Info
Title: The Wailing (곡성, Gokseong)
Director: Na Hong-jin (나홍진)
Release Year: 2016
Cast: Kwak Do-won (곽도원), Hwang Jung-min (황정민), Chun Woo-hee (천우희), Jun Kunimura (쿠니무라 준), Kim Hwan-hee (김환희)
Streaming: Disney+ (select regions) / Apple TV, Amazon
Plot (No Spoilers)
A small village in Gokseong, South Korea. After the arrival of a mysterious Japanese stranger, people begin to change. They lose control, harm their families, develop rashes, and die.
Jong-goo, a local police officer, sees the same symptoms appear in his daughter. Desperate, he turns to a shaman named Il-gwang. Around the same time, a mysterious woman known as Moo-myeong appears.
There are three forces in this story: the stranger, Il-gwang, and Moo-myeong.
The film never clearly tells you which one is good — or which one is evil.
The Triangle — Why It Feels Different in Korea
There is a layer in this film that many global viewers miss.
The Stranger (Jun Kunimura) — The Japanese Demon
A mysterious outsider arrives and brings chaos. His role as the source of evil is implied. But casting a Japanese actor in this role was not random.
For Korean viewers, this hits differently. The idea of a Japanese figure entering a Korean village and destroying it carries historical weight. The memory of colonial rule still lingers in the cultural subconscious.
This is not just horror.
It feels familiar.
Il-gwang (Hwang Jung-min) — The Korean Shaman Who May Be Lying
This is where it becomes more uncomfortable. Il-gwang is Korean. A shaman. Someone expected to protect.
But the film suggests he may be working with the stranger.
A Korean figure joining hands with an outside evil to harm other Koreans.
This is not just betrayal in a story.
It carries a deeper, historical unease.
Moo-myeong (Chun Woo-hee) — The One Who Tried to Stop It
Moo-myeong appears to be trying to protect the village.
But by the end, it is unclear whether she succeeds or fails. In fact, it feels closer to failure — as if something native could not overcome what came from outside.
That ambiguity is what lingers.
Korean viewers are left not just confused, but unsettled — in a way that feels unresolved.
Why There Is Still No Answer
Na Hong-jin never intended to give one.
Originally, there were scenes that showed direct confrontation between Moo-myeong and the stranger. They were removed. Showing too much would have weakened the fear.
Even key interactions between Il-gwang and the stranger were intentionally obscured.
Na Hong-jin consulted religious figures across Christianity, Buddhism, and Korean shamanism. The film’s core comes from those conversations about belief, good, and evil.
His conclusion was simple:
Do not give the audience an answer. Let them decide.
“There’s no trick to it. He just threw the bait, and you bit it.”
— A line from the film, and possibly his message to the audience.
Why the Film Feels So Real
Na Hong-jin is known for pushing realism to an extreme.
Actors who work with him often talk about how demanding his sets can be. Not because of scale — but because of how far he goes to make every moment feel real.
There are a few examples that explain why The Wailing feels the way it does.
An Entire Field of Flowers for One Scene
The skull-shaped flowers in the film were grown specifically for production. The art team cultivated an entire field just for this detail. Out of thousands, only a small portion met the director’s standard.
Hwang Jung-min’s Improvisation
In the ritual scene, when Il-gwang throws objects at the musicians, it was not planned. Their shocked reactions are real.
Hwang Jung-min also trained in real shamanic practices before filming. During rehearsals, he reportedly experienced an unusual level of physical endurance — something even he found difficult to explain.
Jun Kunimura’s Final Words
After filming wrapped, Jun Kunimura reportedly shouted something in Japanese at Na Hong-jin. The interpreters chose not to translate it. It is rumored to have been a curse or insult directed at the director.
Kwak Do-won’s Real Fear
Kwak Do-won, who has severe acrophobia, filmed scenes on a cliff without full safety support. He was also bitten by a dog during production. The trembling you see on screen is not acting.
The Question Behind Na Hong-jin’s Films
From The Chaser to The Yellow Sea to The Wailing, the same question repeats.
What happens when something from outside enters?
What if someone inside chooses to follow it?
And what if the one trying to stop it fails?
Hope is the next chapter of that question.
And this time, it goes beyond Korea.
If you’re trying to understand Na Hong-jin before Hope, start here:
Why The Yellow Sea Still Feels Real — Before You Watch Hope
The Chaser (2008) — The Film That Reset Korean Thrillers
Na Hong-jin’s Hope has been selected for the Cannes Competition — watch this first to understand it.
Hope (2026) — Na Hong-jin Returns to Cannes
Your Turn
How did you read the ending of The Wailing?
If you have your own answer, it’s even more interesting — add your take to a debate that’s been going on for 10 years.
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