Director explores factors behind 'Exhuma' box office triumph

By Woo Jae-yeon

SEOUL, March 21 (Yonhap) -- Director Jang Jae-hyun of the megahit supernatural occult "Exhuma" said Thursday he had sought to make an entertaining movie to draw audiences back to cinemas, especially considering the severe blow dealt to the movie industry by the COVID-19 pandemic.

"I wanted to make a fun movie to watch amidst the gloomy atmosphere of the pandemic, more than anything," Jang reminisced about the film's production, during a group media interview in Seoul.

The production took place less than two years ago during the height of the pandemic, according to the director.

The occult thriller is poised to cross the milestone of 10 million moviegoers in the coming days, potentially becoming the first film to achieve this feat this year. Since its release on Feb. 22, the film has already attracted over 9.5 million viewers.

"To be honest, I still feel somewhat bewildered myself," the director said about the popularity, noting his priority was always to attract enough audiences to make his movie break even.

In addition to the interesting plotline, he believes several other factors contributed to the film's success, including the effectiveness of promotional efforts, the excellent chemistry among the cast members and the timing of release, which he described as "perfect."

"After enduring the pandemic, I think people are searching for reasons to return to theaters. That's always on my mind when I'm working on a film," he said.

"When writing the screenplay, I often imagined myself sitting in a theater. I crafted the film with the audience's enjoyment in mind, considering the pleasure they would derive from watching," he said. "I believe audiences may have been longing for a somewhat theatrical experience."

Starring Choi Min-sik, Kim Go-eun, Yoo Hae-jin and Lee Do-hyun, the movie revolves around two shamans, a feng shui expert and a mortician who unite to investigate enigmatic events plaguing a wealthy family living in the United States. Their investigation leads them to unearth the grave of the family's ancestor in a remote Korean village.

Fans of the film coined a nickname for the four ensemble cast, dubbing them "Myo-vengers," a playful blend of the film's Korean title "Pamyo" and the Hollywood blockbuster "The Avengers," highlighting their perfect chemistry and endearing characters.

The director noted a shift in moviegoer behavior, observing that they now tend to watch the same film multiple times to discuss and explore new aspects of it on online forums.

"They revisit and reinterpret the story. And I draw inspiration from their discussions, in return. Personally I feel very happy and encouraged by their engagement. It motivates me to strive for even better with my next project," he said.

The director did not rule out a sequel to the film. "I am looking forward to encountering a great story," he said, expressing his eagerness to create a second installment featuring the "lovely" characters, if the opportunity arises.

"Exhuma" holds particular significance due to the cast members and the emotional depth they bring to the film, the director said.

"I think the heart of the movie lies in the pathos conveyed by the ensemble cast. The movie truly gave rise to the 'Myo-vengers.'"

jaeyeon.woo@yna.co.kr
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