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. It was released domestically on July 3, 2014.
Plot teaser:
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. He 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:
“Mourning Grave is a smooth ride from start to finish, boasting a smatter of good laughs though failing to offer any real scares. The bar is admittedly low but Oh delivers one of the most satisfying recent entries into the K-horror pantheon. However, he is also the latest filmmaker to shy away from doing something original with the genre, and his film exudes a sense of caution. 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
“With Mourning Grave, director Oh In-chun uses his experience of blending horror and humour (as seen in his 2012 short Metamorphoses) and extends it to also include romance and melodrama; thereby ensuring that 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
“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 some what 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’.” Word from the R.O.K.
