Seire is a 2021 South Korean supernatural horror film about the father of a newborn baby who attends the funeral of an ex-girlfriend. His encounter with her twin sister is followed by a series of unexplained and discomforting events.
Written and directed by Park Kang [aka Kang Park; 박강] (short: Deal), making his feature film directorial debut.
The movie stars Seo Hyun-woo (The Man Standing Next), Ryu Sun-young (Our Love Story) and Shim Eun-woo (Arthdal Chronicles).
Plot:
Seire is the period of twenty-one days in which people are supposed to take utmost care in their behaviour and strangers are not allowed to visit to protect a newborn baby from bad luck.
The film Seire takes an idea from this folk belief. Woojin, who has just become the father of a newborn baby, hears that Seyoung, whom he had once dated, has died. He goes to her funeral without telling his wife, and comes across Yeyoung, Seoyung’s twin sister. Following this encounter, Woojin and his family experience a series of horrific misfortunes.
Publicity blurb:
“Seire is a creative horror movie. It skillfully adopts the old convention of horror movies and, at the same time, modernises the fear that comes from breaking the taboos of folk beliefs, crossing the border between reality and fantasy vaguely and ominously with bold camera moves and editing.”
Reviews:
“The overall minimalism with the occasional splashes of visually impressive moments appears to be a well-fitted approach for the “new generation” of horror films, along with the combination of a number of art-house elements, including the richness in context and social messages, which Kang seems to have grasped fully in his impressive debut.” Han Cinema
“It’s not easy to get invested in the characters of either Woo-Jin or Hae-Mi, as he comes across as a feckless sort and she comes across as a superstitious nag. With no one to truly root for, Seire becomes pretty much a story to follow to see where it ends up, and in that respect, Park pulls things off well. He also trades quite effectively in ambiguity regarding whether breaking superstition taboos are bringing tragedy to those close to Woo-Jin…” 3.5 out of 5, The Scariest Things
“First-time director Park Kang has a firm command of the tone of his tightly paced story, making the most of a limited budget through striking compositions and shrewd sound design. Park assiduously raises the stakes for Woo-jin and his child but no matter how perceptive you think you may be as a viewer, the film’s gleeful climax will be a welcome and wicked surprise.” Screen Anarchy
“Revelations about Se-young’s death and life gradually emerge as the film progresses, slotting together as oblique jigsaw-puzzle fragments until the whole picture — plus the complexities of Woo-jin’s character and the origins of his long-buried guilt regarding Se-young — finally become clear in the satisfying climax.” Screen Daily
Release:
Seire had its world premiere at the Busan International Film Festival in South Korea on October 10, 2021.
Variety has reported that Seire has been picked up for North American release by Film Movement. Michael Rosenberg, president of the company, said: “From The Host to The Wailing, the horror genre has long been one of South Korean cinema’s most popular exports, and the talented Park Kang offers up an unforgettable new addition.”
Technical details:
1 hour 42 minutes
Trailer:
