The film Hidden Face, which premiered on the 20th, has garnered significant attention, with film critic Lee Dong-jin's rating drawing particular interest.
As of 6 PM on the 27th, Hidden Face has attracted 430,000 cumulative viewers, ranking second at the Korean box office. While the top spot is held by the musical film Wicked, Hidden Face continues to draw audiences steadily despite strong competition.
A mystery thriller, the film captivates viewers with its nail-biting tension and plot twists throughout. The story begins with Seong-jin (played by Song Seung-heon), a conductor, whose fiancée Su-yeon (Jo Yeo-jeong), a cellist in his orchestra, suddenly disappears, leaving only a video message. Devastated by her disappearance, Seong-jin becomes drawn to Mi-joo (Park Ji-hyun), who attempts to fill Su-yeon's absence in his life.
Despite still being engaged, Seong-jin spends a night with Mi-joo. Meanwhile, the presumed-missing Su-yeon is revealed to be trapped in a hidden room within the house, unable to escape. From her confined space, she witnesses the true nature of Seong-jin and Mi-joo, escalating the film’s tension to new heights.
Hidden Face is a remake of the 2011 film of the same name. The movie features a talented cast, including Song Seung-heon, Jo Yeo-jeong (known for her leading role in the Academy Award-winning film Parasite), Park Ji-hyun, Park Sung-geun, and Cha Mi-kyung.
The film Hidden Face heightened anticipation even before its release with the announcement of bold, explicit scenes involving full nudity. After watching the film, audiences responded positively, saying things like, "A good film even without the nudity; Jo Yeo-jeong and Park Ji-hyun's performances were outstanding," "The acting from the entire cast was great," "The charming actors stood out," "Well-made, though the ending felt lacking," and "A film that delivers catharsis after a long time."
SBS drama Good Partner writer Choi Yoo-na also praised the movie for its compelling storyline and daring premise. Choi found the exploration of hidden desires and the ensuing conflicts among the characters particularly intriguing. She highlighted the film’s ability to delve into the complexity of human emotions, elevating it beyond a typical thriller.
Renowned film critic Lee Dong-jin gave Hidden Face a rating of 3 out of 5 stars, describing it in a short review as "a noisy story with extravagant fun." Notably, Lee's rating for Hidden Face surpassed the 2.0 stars he gave to the box office hit Veteran 2, which attracted 7 million viewers. At the time, Lee had criticized Veteran 2 for its "baffling opening and ending, and occasionally puzzling scenes in between."
