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The Cursed: Dead Man’s Prey
The Cursed: Dead Man’s Prey
	Official teaser poster
Hangul	방법: 재차의
Revised Romanization	Bang-beop: Jaechaeui
Directed by	Kim Yong-wan
Written by	Yeon Sang-ho
Starring	Uhm Ji-won; Jung Ji-so; Jung Moon-sung; Oh Yoon-ah;
Cinematography	Lee Ji-hoon
Edited by	Lee Yeon Jung
Music by	Kim Dong-uk
Production; companies	Climax Studio (formerly known as Lezhin Studio); KeyEast; Studio Dragon
Distributed by	CJ Entertainment
Release date	July 28, 2021;
Running time	109 minutes
Country	South Korea
Language	Korean
Box office	est. US$1.31 million

The Cursed: Dead Man’s Prey (Korean: 방법: 재차의; RR: Bang-beop: Jaechaeui; lit. Method: re) is a 2021 South Korean occult thriller film, directed by Kim Yong-wan and starring Uhm Ji-won, Jung Ji-so and Oh Yoon-ah.^[4] The film written by Yeon Sang-ho is a sequel of the 2020 drama The Cursed. It tells the story of a reporter who pursues the truth of a murder case in which the culprit turns out to be a revived corpse.^[5] It was released in theatres on July 28, 2021.^[6] It marked the final film appearance of Kim Mi-soo before her death in January 2022.^[7]

Cast

Uhm Ji-won as Im Jin-hee, a reporter and author in independent news channel Urban Detective
Jung Ji-so as Baek So-jin, a methodist
Jung Moon-sung as Jeong Seong-jun Detective
Oh Yoon-ah as Byun Mi-Yeong, executive director^[8]
Ko Kyu-pil as Tak Jeong-Hoon, Professor
Kim In-kwon as Kim Pil-sung
Jeon Gook-Hwan as Byun Seung-Il
Kwon Hae-hyo as Lee Sang-In^[9]
Jung Jae-Sung as Kim Min-Seop
Yeon Woo-jin as Kang Young-soo, Detective
Nam Yeon-Woo as Yoo Jung-Hoon, Detective
Lee Seol as Jessy, an independent news channel Urban Detective
Kim Mi-soo as Female Reporter
Jo Han-chul as Park Yong-Ho
Park Jong-Hwan as Min Hyun-Chung, a criminal
Jang Young-Yoo as Male Reporter
Shim So-young as Cleaner^[10]
Park Chan-woo as Park Woo-Chan
Kim Hee-Chang as Chief Investigator
Lee Joong-ok as Chun Joo-bong

Production

On July 16, 2020, it was reported that the drama The Cursed will be adapted into a film with the same cast of Uhm Ji-won and Jung Ji-so. The film to be directed by Kim Yong-wan and written by Yeon Sang-ho will be produced by Climax Studios on the planning of Studio Dragon. Oh Yoon-ah, and Lee Seol were to join the cast.^[11]

The filming began on September 9, 2020, and was wrapped up on December 5.^[12]

Release

The film was released on July 28, 2021, on 838 screens.^[3] It was also selected in 'Korean Cinema Today - Panorama Section' at the 26th Busan International Film Festival and was screened on October 8, 2021.^[13]

The film was invited to the 40th Brussels International Fantastic Film Festival and was screened for Belgian premiere on August 30, 2022.^[14]^[15]

Reception

Box office

According to the integrated computer network for movie theater admissions by the Korea Film Council (KoFiC), the film was in 4th place at the Korean box office by collecting 28,544 audiences on the opening day of its release.^[16]

According to Korean Film Council (Kofic) data, it is in 13th place among all the Korean films released in the year 2021, with a gross of US$1.31 million and 175,578 admissions, as of December 12, 2021^[update].^[3]

Critical response

Kim Seong-hoon of Cine21 wrote that the film based on the 2020 drama The Cursed retains the settings of drama but that the narrative is built on action instead of suspense. Kim opined that scenes of pursuit by resurrected corpses and killing were striking. Kim concluded the review, by writing, "The second half of the film, which reveals the story of redemption, is sharp enough to reveal the bare face of Korean society."^[17]

Son Jeong-bin of Newsis felt that the action in the film is pleasing to the eyes. Son wrote that fantasy settings were attractive, but the story was weak. Son opined that the film being a sequel to the drama The Cursed, could be a deterrent for the audience. Concluding Son wrote, "of course, it is true that the film can be enjoyed without prior knowledge of the drama 'How', but it is also appropriate to point out that the connection between the two works does not give the main character an opportunity to easily immerse himself in it".^[18]

Home media

The film became available for streaming on video-on-demand services from IPTV and digital cable TV on August 12, 2021.^[19]

References

^ Kim Ji-hye (January 13, 2021). "클라이맥스, 영화계 지각변동 예고…2021년 라인업 들여다보니" [Climax, a notice of perception in the film industry... Looking into the 2021 lineup] (in Korean). SBS Enter News. Retrieved June 25, 2021.
^ Park Eun-young (January 13, 2021). "<소울메이트>, <방법: 재차의>, <지옥>, <괴이> 등 클라이맥스 라인업 공개" [<Soulmate>, <Method: Rethink>, <Hell>, <Ghost>, etc. Climax lineup unveiled]. Movist (in Korean). Retrieved June 25, 2021.
^ ^a ^b ^c "KOFIC, KOBIS (Korean Box Office Information System) The Box: All Korean films (2021)". KOFIC. Retrieved September 19, 2021.
^ "The Cursed: Again - (Korean Movie, 2020, 방법: 재차의)". HanCinema. Retrieved June 25, 2021.
^ Mi-hee Han (June 24, 2021). "'블랙 위도우'가 문 여는 여름극장가…바통 이어받는 한국영화들" ['Black Widow' opens a summer theater... Korean films that succeeded the baton]. Yonhap News (in Korean). Naver. Retrieved June 25, 2021.
^ Jeong Yu-jin (June 18, 2021). "'방법: 재차의', 7월28일 개봉 확정…되살아난 시체들과 방법사" ['Method: Again' to be released on July 28th... Resurrected corpses and methods]. News 1 (in Korean). Naver. Retrieved June 25, 2021.
^ "Kim Mi-soo, South Korean actress and model, dies age 29". CNN. January 6, 2022. Retrieved January 22, 2022.
^ Jeon Hyeong-hwa (June 11, 2021). "[단독]CJ ENM, 오컬트 스릴러 '방법: 재차의'로 여름대전 합류" [[Exclusive] CJ ENM joins the summer warfare with the occult thriller 'Method: Again']. Star News (in Korean). Naver. Retrieved June 25, 2021.
^ Kim Bo-ra (July 8, 2021). "'방법: 재차의' 권해효x오윤아x이설, 유니버스 합류한 뉴페이스" ['Method: Again' Kwon Hae-hyo x Oh Yoon-ah x Lee Seol, New Face to join the universe]. Osen (in Korean). Naver. Retrieved July 10, 2021.
^ "The Cursed: Dead Man's Prey - Cast (Korean Movie, 2020, 방법: 재차의)". Hancinema. October 8, 2023.
^ Image reporter (July 16, 2020). "[팝업★]연상호 집필 '방법' 영화화…엄지원X정지소X오윤아X이설 출연" [[Pop-up★] 'The Method' written by Yeon Sang-ho is made into a movie... Uhm Ji-won X Jung Ji-so X Oh Yoon-ah X Lee Seol]. Herald POP (in Korean). Naver. Retrieved June 25, 2021.
^ Jin-ah Kang (December 8, 2020). "영화 '방법: 재차의' 엄지원·정지소 "무사히 촬영 마쳐 감사"" [Uhm Ji-won and Jung Ji-so of the movie 'Method: Again' "Thank you for successfully filming"]. Newsis (in Korean). Retrieved June 25, 2021.
^ "2021 Program". BIFF. September 15, 2021. Retrieved October 9, 2021.
^ Lee Yul (August 26, 2022). "브뤼셀 국제판타스틱영화제 29일 개막…'마녀2' 경쟁부문 진출" [The Brussels International Fantastic Film Festival opens on the 29th... 'Witch 2' entered the competition section]. Yonhap News (in Korean). Naver. Retrieved August 27, 2022.
^ "Selection 2022, The Cursed: Dead Man's Prey". The Brussels International Festival of Fantastic Film. Retrieved August 27, 2022.
^ Kim Ji-won (June 29, 2021). "'모가디슈' 올해 한국영화 오프닝 신기록…'방법' 4위·'정글 크루즈' 5위 출발 [종합]" ['Mogadishu' sets a new opening record for Korean films this year... 4th in 'Method', 5th in 'Jungle Cruise' Departure [Overall]]. Ten Asia (in Korean). Naver. Retrieved June 29, 2021.
^ Kim Seong-hoon (July 23, 2021). "[리뷰] '방법: 재차의' 재차의가 세번의 살인을 저지를 것이라는 예고" [[Review] 'Method: Reconsideration' Prediction that reconciliation will commit three murders]. Cine21 (in Korean). Naver. Retrieved July 23, 2021.
^ Son Jeong-bin (July 28, 2021). "[리뷰]강렬한 액션 사이 허술한 이야기 아쉽네…'방법:재차의'" [[Review] It's a pity that the story is weak between the intense action... 'Method: Again']. Newsis (in Korean). Naver. Retrieved July 28, 2021.
^ Kim Mi-hwa (August 11, 2021). "'방법 :재차의' 벌써 안방으로..12일 VOD 서비스 오픈" ['Method: Again' already on the home screen.. 12th VOD service open]. Star News (in Korean). Naver. Retrieved August 11, 2021.