Revenant (2023)

October 29, 2023

Our Take: A slow burn that immerses you into an intricate world of horror. 

On a dark, rainy night, Professor Gu Kang Mo (Jin Seon Kyu) rushes through his front door and barricades himself in his study. As he desperately flips through his notes, we see the silhouette of a shadowy figure in the background. When his mother calls for him to open the door, he appears frightened and hesitant. Against his intuition, he opens the door. Moments later, he's dead, hanging from the ceiling. 

Meanwhile, his estranged daughter, Gu San Yeong (Kim Tae Ri), works multiple part-time jobs while studying to become a low-ranking public officer. Following her father's death, her mother brings her to their old house to say farewell. That night, San Yeong's grandmother gives her a cryptic note and a red hair accessory her father left behind. When she touches the hair accessory, she gets possessed by the same ghost her father was trying to run away from. 

Simultaneously, Professor Yeom Hae Sang (Oh Jung Se) receives a note from Professor Gu telling him to help San Yeong. He comes from a wealthy family and teaches folklore at a university. Since he was young, he could see ghosts. When Hae Sang meets San Yeong, he sees the shadow of the demon that possessed her — the very ghost that killed his mother years ago. As people around San Yeong start dying, she has no choice but to reach out to Hae Sang. Together, they try to get rid of the evil spirit.

In the process, Lee Hong Sae (Hong Kyung) gets entangled with them. He is a lieutenant in the Violent Crimes Investigation department and only cares about getting a promotion. However, as he learns about a series of mysterious suicides, many of them involving San Yeong, he works with Hae Sang and San Yeong to solve the mystery and free her from the ghost.  

Revenant is a character-driven story centering around Gu San Yeong, Yeom Hae Sang, and Lee Hong Sae. Initially, they clash due to personality and lifestyle differences. But, as the show continues, their interpersonal relationships drive the story forward.

For her entire life, San Yeong has been living for other people and picking up after her mom's mistakes. When the malicious spirit possesses her, she is forced to acknowledge her needs and wants, albeit at a hefty price. Kim Tae Ri nails the balance between San Yeong and the evil demon, switching between their different personas at ease. 

Her expressive nature and demeanor contrast with Hae Sang, who is hyper-focused, persistent, and unhinged. Since he was young, he's devoted his life to understanding Korean traditional folklore. After meeting San Yeong, he stakes his life on releasing her from the curse. 

Hong Sae acts as a middle ground between Hae Sang and San Yeong. Though he initially appears to only care about getting a promotion, we gradually see his more humane side through his subtle exchanges with them and other characters. He's also highly observant and empathetic, serving as a pillar of stability for the trio. 

Folklore and shamanism are still prominent today in South Korea and have a deeply rooted history in the country. Revenant takes this national culture and turns it into psychological horror juxtaposed with the supernatural. While the main storyline focuses on San Yeong and the malicious spirit attached to her, other subplots are equally as grisly and unsettling. As Hae Sang and San Yeong work together, they encounter a grandmother who unleashes a horde of wandering spirits onto her village to see her deceased daughter again, a brother who refuses to enter the afterworld until he rescues his sister from his abusive family, and a childhood friend of San Yeong's who covets what others have. Even the spirit within San Yeong occasionally becomes vengeful, drawing strength whenever she experiences dark thoughts or frustrations.

As we get to know the spirits and the people they possess, it becomes clear the ghosts can only take action if their host allows them to. If a person has no resentment or greed, there is not much the ghosts can do. However, if they seek power, fame, or wealth, their greed can lead them astray and turn deadly. As we see this happen over and over again, the pain and terror people inflict upon each other become more frightening than the supernatural.

Still, as selfish as people can be, we all crave love, joy, and acceptance. While chasing material things, it's easy to lose sight of what we have, including our family and friends, health, shelter, and more. As the ghost within San Yeong exploits her weaknesses and gradually takes control of her, she eventually musters up the strength to fight back and stop mistreating herself.

Despite the plethora of folklore the writers can draw from, certain plot elements feel convenient or undeveloped. Though we are always learning more about the ghost who possessed San Yeong and her backstory, the narrative loses steam in the middle and starts going in circles. 

Everything mostly gets wrapped up at the end, but some of the finer details could have been more fleshed out. Many of the characters who pushed the plot forward lack compelling backstories. For example, we never learn about the shaman's motives for creating juvenile ghosts and why she couldn't protect herself, nor do we fully understand what happened to Hae Sang's family. Hae Sang's grandmother is wealthy but doesn't seem to use any of her money. Even until the very end, she has no remorse for her actions. How Gu San Yeong's father got possessed is also unclear. 

Our Verdict

Revenant is a supernatural thriller that reminds us to be kind and patient with ourselves. It is a unique take on historical folklore that diverges from typical Korean dramas. Although some parts of the details could have been better written, Revenant is a fun watch, and Kim Tae Ri carries the drama as Gu San Yeong.