'The Ugly' Director Yeon Sang-ho: "See Park Jung-min’s irritation deepen on screen."

Low-Budget Film Based on a Manga… “Diversifying the Way We Make Movies”

Park Jung-min Takes on First Dual Role: “The Characters Influence Each Other… It Was a New Feeling”

Director Yeon Sang-ho answers questions at the production presentation for the film The Ugly, held on August 22 at Lotte Cinema Konkuk University in Gwangjin-gu, Seoul. 2025.8.22

“The irritation has depth and nuance. You’ll feel it when watching the movie… it’s a deeply nuanced annoyance.”

Director Yeon Sang-ho of The Ugly highlighted actor Park Jung-min’s signature “annoyance acting” as a key element of the film’s appeal.

At the production presentation on August 22, Yeon said with a smile, “It was an honor to witness (Park Jung-min’s annoyance acting) firsthand.”

The Ugly tells the story of blind seal carving master Lim Young-gyu (Kwon Hae-hyo) and his son Lim Dong-hwan (Park Jung-min) as they uncover the long-hidden secrets surrounding the death of Young-gyu’s wife and Dong-hwan’s mother, Jeong Young-hee (Shin Hyun-bin). Yeon Sang-ho originally wrote and illustrated a manga of the same title in 2018, which he has now adapted into a live-action film.

Park Jung-min plays both Dong-hwan and the younger version of his father, Young-gyu—a first for the actor in a dual role.

Park explained, “As the son investigates his father’s younger days, having the actor playing the son also play the father can evoke unique feelings for the audience. Personally, I thought it would be fun to try something I’ve never done before.”

He added, “The two roles influenced each other emotionally. It was a new type of feeling I had never experienced before, so it felt fresh.”

Regarding acting without receiving a fee, Park said, “I felt it was meaningful to contribute to a good film and a good story. I’ve always admired the director,” explaining the reason for his unpaid participation.

Actor Park Jung-min answers questions at the production presentation for The Ugly on August 22 at Lotte Cinema Konkuk University. 2025.8.22

Kwon Hae-hyo, portraying the older Young-gyu, tried acting as a visually impaired person for the first time. He wore special lenses that limited his vision.

Kwon said, “My late father-in-law was visually impaired, so observing him helped me naturally accept the role. Actors respond to each other’s movements and breathing, but since I couldn’t see well, I felt a sense of stability and comfort.”

Yeon Sang-ho said, “The first character that came to mind while making this work was Lim Young-gyu. He is an ironic figure who creates visual art despite being blind. I think he symbolizes Korea’s rapid development.”

The director added that he positioned Jeong Young-hee opposite Young-gyu in the story. Young-hee, who is at the center of the film’s secrets, never appears on screen.

Actor Kwon Hae-hyo answers questions at the production presentation for The Ugly on August 22 at Lotte Cinema Konkuk University. 2025.8.22

Despite a production budget of around 200 million KRW (approx. $150,000), The Ugly has drawn attention as a low-budget film. Filming lasted only three weeks, a quarter of the typical feature film schedule, with a small crew of about 20 people.

Yeon said about the low-budget approach, “If we don’t diversify the way we make films, we won’t be able to keep making them. To create a film with a new spirit, I thought a new form was necessary. I tried making a film in a way I had never done before.”

He added, “With a nimble production, actors and the director could communicate directly, creating the scenes we liked. I’ve never filmed so richly before, and if I had to compare, The Ugly was the most abundant. We spent as much time as needed communicating and creating.”

Director Yeon Sang-ho poses at the production presentation for The Ugly on August 22 at Lotte Cinema Konkuk University. 2025.8.22

The Ugly will have its official premiere in the Special Presentation section at the 50th Toronto International Film Festival in Canada on September 4 (local time). The Special Presentation section showcases globally anticipated films, including Project Y starring Han So-hee and Jeon Jong-seo, and Netflix’s Good News starring Sol Kyung-gu and directed by Byun Sung-hyun.

Yeon said, “I’m honored and excited for the world premiere. But since the story is something Koreans would understand more, there’s also some pressure showing it to a North American audience for the first time.”

The film is scheduled to open domestically on September 11.

 

From left: actors Park Jung-min, Kwon Hae-hyo, Shin Hyun-bin, director Yeon Sang-ho, actors Han Ji-hyun and Lim Sung-jae pose at the production presentation for The Ugly on August 22 at Lotte Cinema Konkuk University. 2025.8.22