The Ugly (2025)

A strong premise that forgets what made it interesting.

I went into The Ugly (dir. Yeon Sangho) genuinely curious the premise sounded simple, sharp, and full of potential. And to be fair, the cast holds it down. Park Jeongmin and Kwon Haehyo are reliably solid, Han Jihyun fits perfectly as the TV PD, but the real MVP here is Shin Hyunbeen. Most of her performance lives in her body and voice, and somehow you feel everything Jang Younghee feels without even seeing her face. That’s skill.

But somewhere along the way, Yeon Sangho seems to have misplaced the “why.” Why is Younghee hated so much? What’s actually fueling the disgust toward her? Without that context, the whole thing starts to wobble. I kept wondering, were Korea’s beauty standards back then really that brutal? Because honestly, Younghee isn’t ugly give her some powder and she could headline a weekend drama.

If Yeon wanted this film to resonate internationally, he probably should’ve fleshed out that emotional backbone. The movie starts like it has something bold to say, but by the end it just… forgets to say it. Great performances, great setup — but the follow-through? Kinda vanishes into thin air.

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