“If the circumstances allow, I would do it”: Director Jang Jae-hyun weighs in on Exhuma getting a potential prequel or sequel series

South Korean actors Kim Go-eun and Lee Do-hyun feature in the occult thriller film Exhuma, released on February 22, 2024. Within eleven days of its release, the film garnered more than 6 million moviegoers, prompting gratitude from the director and lead cast to the fans. Director Jang Jae-hyun hinted at a possible prequel or sequel series in his thank you note. He stated:

"Exhuma has surpassed 6 million! I sincerely thank all viewers, I will write the script diligently and quickly." (as translated by Allkpop)

During an interview with the South Korean media outlet Cine21, the director stated:

"I think there is a story that can be made into a fun movie and that the audience can do it if they want. If the circumstances allow, I would do it."

The plot of Exhuma centers around a crew of exorcists, a mortician, and a feng shui expert who accept a sizable payment to move a wealthy family's tomb. With Jang Jae-hyun's latest statement, netizens anticipate the possibility of a sequel or a prequel to the film, highlighting the stars' background arcs.

---

Exhuma becomes the fastest film to surpass 6 million moviegoers in 11 days of its release

Exhuma became the fastest film of the year to reach the 2 million admittance milestone, achieving a total of 2.29 million spectators since its debut on February 22. From February 22 to 25, Exhuma (파묘) generated 8 billion won ($6 million) in movie ticket sales, accounting for almost 75% of all the tickets sold for the previous weekend's movies.

In only four days after its premiere, Jang Jae-hyun's latest film achieved a milestone in the Korean cinema business by drawing in over 2 million viewers. The total number of viewers reached 2,012,203 on February 25, 2024, at 4:30 PM KST, as noted by the Korean Film Council (KOFIC).

As of March 3, 2024, the film drew a cumulative audience of 6,033,190 viewers, according to the Korean Film Council's (KOFIC) integrated computer network tally. The movie broke the record by being the first movie of 2024 to reach the milestones of 4 million, 5 million, and 6 million viewers in a row since March 1, 2024.

The peculiar setting of Exhuma, starring Kim Go-eun and Lee Do-hyun, as a feature-length occult mystery film, has drawn the attention of viewers for its blend of shamanic and geomantic ideas. Director Jang JaeHyun's earlier films, The Priests (2015) and Svaha: The Sixth Finger (2019), have already garnered recognition for breaking new ground in the Korean-style metaphysical genre.

The film focuses on a geomancer, a funeral director, and a shaman who, in return for a substantial sum of money, excavate the tomb of a deceased member of a wealthy family. Director Jang Jae-hyun's film encapsulates the nation's history of struggle and has earned it the moniker "anti-Japanese occult."

---

Netizens praise Kim Go-eun, Lee Do-hyun, and Choi Min-sik's performances in Exhuma

An X user (@blueskypallette) shared a quote from the Cine21 interview, where director Jang Jae-hyun explained that Bong-gil (Lee Do-hyun) called Hwa-rim (Kim Go-eun) a "teacher." The filmmaker clarified that shamanism has a rigid hierarchy in which shamans are referred to as "senior mothers." In the movie, Hwa-rim is also referred to as the "MZ shamans," which stands for "Millenial/GenZ."

Jang Jae-hyun continued that he tried to convey in the movie's gym scene that Bong-gil and Hwa-rim are exercising more to get stronger because they need to be competent to complete a mission.

Jang Jae-hyun said,

"There's a strong hierarchy in shamanism. There's no other purpose for that, others might even be called shamans as "senior mother." They are called MZ shamans because of their looks and appearances. Same with the gym scene. It was a double track. I want to give a feeling that they are building their bodies and gaining physical strength, as there is something physically tough behind them."

Divided mostly into two storylines, the first segment of the film chronicles the happenings while the team carries out the duty of excavating the burial. The stories that are told in the second section center on the group's discovery that the casket they removed is hiding a sinister secret.

Exhuma is the result of Jang Jae-hyun's meticulous work to create incredibly realistic, intricate scenes that represent Korean shamanism, including the customary exhumation procedure and "gut" rites used to placate wandering spirits.

Viewers praised the performances of the lead cast, such as Yumi's Cells's Kim Go-eun, The Glory's Lee Do-hyun, and Choi Min-sik from the Hollywood film Lucy starring Scarlett Johansson.

---

In the meantime, fans eagerly await the official confirmation of the film's second chapter from the director, Jang Jae-hyun.