Mourning Grave (Hangul: 소녀괴담; RR: Sonyeogoedam; literally. “Girl Ghost Story”) is a 2014 South Korean comedy horror film directed by Oh In-chun. It stars Kang Ha-neul and Kim So-eun.
Though it is the place where his unwanted ability to see ghosts all began, teenager In-su returns to his hometown in order to face his demons. He had tried to stay away, but his ability, which led vengeful ghosts to seek him out, drew too much attention around him and forced him back to his childhood town.
In-su goes to his uncle Seon-il for advice, who also inherited the same supernatural abilities from his great-grandfather, but he is of no help. Beyond his ghostly visions, In-su’s life is also made hell at his new high school, where a gang of bullies cruelly pick on the weaker children. All that In-su has in his life is a mysterious ghost girl who lurks around him.
One day, the bullies at the school begin to be attacked one by one by a girl in a gruesome mask. In-su is able to sense the powerful presence of a ghost’s grudge and discovers a link to a girl who was bullied at school and took her own life as a result. Looking to come to terms with his supernatural affliction and to get to the bottom of the murder mystery, In-su dives into the case…
Reviews:
“Given the prowess he’s demonstrated in his short films, Oh appears to be holding back, careful to deliver something studio friendly on his first big outing. Mourning Grave may harbor modest ambitions but given the current state of K-horrors, it’s refreshing to see one that meets expectations.” Pierce Conran, Twitch
” …this horror/comedy/romance fulfils the almost requisite Korean cinema merging of love, loss and laughter elements in a single narrative. Feeling utterly classic from the first frame to the last, Mourning Grave is frankly one of the best Korean horror films of the past few years.” Paul Quinn, Hangul Celluloid
Buy DVD: Amazon.com
“The film fulfils every criteria needed for a summer blockbuster in Asia with its, love story, Asian style ghosts and humor but it’s these exact traits where the film falters with its inability to break out of the mold making it somewhat predictable yet still a fun ride. Just enough laughs and jumps to keep you interested but lacks the chills to make it a real ‘spine tingler’.”Chocoshrek, Word from the R.O.K.
Release:
Mourning Grave was released domestically on July 3, 2014.
