Every year, horror fans and aficionados attempt to take on the daunting task of watching a horror movie for each day in the month of October. Aptly named 31 Days of Horror, the challenge usually consists of viewers watching a mixture of their favorite classics, recent releases, and popular genre staples that may be new to them. In celebration of the spooky season, we at MovieWeb have curated our own suggestions for the month, providing a plethora of favorites from our contributing writers and editors. Check out our 31 Days of Horror posts every day this October, and embrace all the freaky found footage, vicious vampires, and stalking slashers you could ever hope for. Today, we kick off Day 26 of MovieWeb’s 31 Days of Horror with the complex and massively horrifying South Korean film The Wailing.

Despite being recognized for creating exhilarating thrillers like I Saw the Devil and The Chaser, the South Korean industry hides numerous masterpieces, one of which being The Wailing, a supernatural horror film that either makes you bored or scared endlessly due to its originality.

The film has a rural ambiance and a lot of folklore mixed in, making it an excellent choice for a spine-chilling horror film to watch over the weekend. With that in mind, let’s take a look at why The Wailing is so highly regarded and often referred to as one of the best Asian horror films.

Na Hong-jin Steps Into the Realm of Supernatural Horror
20th Century Fox

The story of The Wailing unfolds in a small rural South Korean village where a mysterious illness claims the lives of many innocent people following the arrival of a strange Japanese man who resides in the neighboring mountains. Jong-goo, as the investigator on the case, becomes entangled in a series of deaths, but what will he do when his own daughter exhibits similar symptoms? Will he be able to solve the case before it’s too late?

Na Hong-jin is an award-winning South Korean director who has created a handful of thrillers such as The Chaser and The Yellow Sea, but the budding filmmaker was never a veteran in the horror genre. However, he was heavily influenced by his upbringing in a rural area, where he lost many people close to him due to natural causes. The Wailing has become a stupendous classic that is often looked back at, thanks to Hong Jin’s exceptional storytelling, and the horrendous sequences make it all the more appealing to see for horror enthusiasts.

Furthermore, the film does not hold back on violence, as there are multiple grisly moments that keep you in the dark altogether. Despite being his debut horror film, Na Hong-jin really went all out with the setting, story selection, and other elements that make the film thoroughly unsettling and consistently engaging.

Related: 20 Horror-Themed Korean Dramas to Watch This Spooky Season

20th Century Fox

As previously stated, Na Hong-jin wrote the script after going through some really difficult problems, including the loss of several people close to him. While grieving the death of his family and friends, he began asking why. In a way, the film explicitly answers the director’s questions because there is no way to explain why horrible things happen to innocent people, just as Jong-goo’s daughter takes the devil’s bait to become its prey.

The story focuses significantly on the unspeakable tragedies by making Jong-goo a victim of his reasoning, which the devil uses against him to obtain what it desires. While the entire film is full of parallels to real-life events, it doesn’t hinder the story in any way – instead, it enriches the film as a whole. Ultimately, it outlines the harsh reality of human nature, as well as why people stick to logic rather than being concerned about the supernatural phenomena that happen around us.

A Film With an Ambiguous Ending
20th Century Fox

When people claim The Wailing is not for them, it implies they’re either reluctant to accept the fact that it is a slow-burn horror that doesn’t make itself clear until the end or they simply couldn’t comprehend the ending. Despite being two and a half hours long, the film consistently keeps the viewers on their toes by introducing new victims and making them question what is true and what is not.

Furthermore, the narrative mainly relies on its twists and turns, which often deceive the audience into believing something that isn’t real. Although it was overused, it all makes sense and makes the wait worthwhile. The ending of The Wailing is neither closed nor open, as viewers remain perplexed about the events that had them on their toes throughout the film, and its unforeseen ending catches them off guard. While this may sound somewhat redundant for a movie based on folklore, it was a much-needed perspective to appreciate the director’s intent.

Related: 10 Movies With Highly Ambiguous Endings

A Forebodingly Beautiful Cinematography

While The Wailing stands out in virtually every aspect, including horror and humor, which Na Hong-jin brilliants blends, its cinematography deserves a lot of appreciation. The intense atmosphere always lingers around in the film, oftentimes accompanied by storms or heavy rainfalls, as well as locations such as empty highways and dark forests.

While the film’s pacing lends a fine touch of terror, the scenes are sinister, with beautiful imagery and realistic jump scares. The film isn’t overdone or exaggerated, and audiences appreciate its gorgeous cinematography, which elevates The Wailing to new heights.

In a nutshell, The Wailing is a perfect combination of horror and mystery, with a profound story built around multiple coincidences and plot twists that keep viewers on the edge of their seats. If you’ve been looking forward to watching an unconventional horror film that takes every aspect seriously, The Wailing might be the perfect pick for this Halloween.