A mountain that suddenly rolled in… An uncomfortable family is suffocating each other.

It doesn’t necessarily have to be ghosts to be scary and creepy. Netflix’s new work ‘Seonsan’ (written by Yeon Sang-ho, photo), which will be released on the 19th, is a Korean-style occult drama that densely depicts the uncomfortable human relationships formed around the folk subject, Seonsan, and presents the charm of a creeping psychological drama.

Part-time instructor Yoon Seo-ha (played by Kim Hyun-joo) receives news that her uncle, whom she did not even know existed, will inherit the inheritance he left behind after his death. While holding a funeral without a single tear, he meets his half-brother (played by Ryu Kyung-soo), who seems to be possessed by something, and afterwards, people around him die mysteriously.

Surrounding Seonsan, human greed and emotions become entangled and reach extremes. However, Seonsan is just a catfish thrown into a bucket of loaches, and the loaches are already forming an uncomfortable relationship. Even though Yoon Seo-ha knows about her young husband’s affair, she tries hard to ignore it. When she can’t bear it anymore and announces her divorce, her husband refuses, saying he is greedy for her pregnancies. Her half-brother, who hovers around Yoon Seo-ha, says, “I’m entitled to her inheritance too,” and she urges him to give up her prenatal care. Detective Choi (played by Park Hee-soon), who investigates this case, endures the nervous reactions of his junior, Captain Park (played by Park Byeong-eun), who lost the use of his legs due to an incident caused by him. The pavilion-like relationship between these characters collapses with a strong bursting sound with the appearance of Seonsan.

Why did all these events begin at Seonsan, the mountain where our ancestors’ tombs are located? This goes hand in hand with the long-standing custom of Korean society that values ​​familism. Her uncle, her half-brother, and her unfaithful husband, whom she had no contact with, pressure Yoon Seo-ha over ownership of Seonsan for ‘family’ reasons. Detective Choi also has an unspeakable family history with his dead wife and son. In this way, ‘Seonsan’ shows the relationship between characters connected by a very thin blood line in a simple but honest narrative, as if energy flows through the entire mountain. If you listen to the story, you will arrive at your destination without difficulty.

However, there is no ‘one shot’. First of all, most characters are typical. You must have seen it at least once in any work. However, the basic skills of the actors including Kim Hyun-joo, Park Hee-soon, Park Byeong-eun, and Hyun Bong-sik are solid. Each person faithfully fulfills his/her role and provides a ‘taste to behold’. On the other hand, the half-brother’s bizarre character repeats its pattern and becomes more powerful towards the end.

The running time is also appropriate. It can be watched in one go as it consists of 6 parts lasting 40 to 50 minutes. The relatively simple storytelling of ‘Seonsan’ is quite captivating. If you were expecting the stimulation of director Yeon Sang-ho’s “Train to Busan” and “Hell,” which were pleasing to the eye, you may find it somewhat “boring.” This time, Yeon Sang-ho participated as the ‘writer’.

Reporter Jinyong Ahn realyong@munhwa.com