The 'Exhuma' Team Reunites for New Occult Film — And the Cast Is Stacked

The production team behind Exhuma, one of Korean cinema's biggest recent hits, is diving back into the occult genre with a new film that has already assembled a formidable cast. The Rock has officially confirmed Sul Kyung-gu, Jeon Jong-seo, and Seo Eun-soo as its leads, with script reading photos released on March 12 to signal the start of production.

A Mountain Rock That Grants Wishes

Directed by Lee Deok-chan and distributed by Ace Maker Movie Works, The Rock is described as an occult mystery centered on a massive, ancient rock hidden deep in the mountains. According to local legend, the rock grants the wishes of those who seek it out. The film will unravel the dark secrets surrounding this supernatural stone, weaving Korean shamanic traditions into a modern thriller framework.

The premise immediately invites comparisons to Exhuma, which mined Korean folk beliefs and burial customs for its horror elements. While The Rock shares the same production DNA and thematic territory, its focus on wish fulfillment and the moral costs of supernatural bargains suggests a distinct narrative approach.

Sul Kyung-gu's First Occult Role

The casting carries its own narrative weight. Sul Kyung-gu, one of Korea's most decorated actors with a career spanning decades of acclaimed performances in films like Peppermint Candy, Oasis, and Public Enemy, will take on his first occult role. He is expected to portray a shaman figure, a dramatic departure that signals the veteran actor's willingness to explore new territory even at the height of his career.

Opposite him, Jeon Jong-seo brings the intensity that has defined her career since her breakthrough in Lee Chang-dong's Burning. Her role is described as forming a tense opposing dynamic with Sul Kyung-gu's character, promising the kind of psychological friction that has become her signature on screen. Seo Eun-soo, known for her versatile work across drama and film, rounds out the central trio.

Production Begins

The script reading photos, released alongside the casting announcement, show the three leads gathered with the production team in a collaborative atmosphere. The film officially began principal photography on March 12, moving quickly from announcement to active production in a sign of confidence from the team.

The combination of Exhuma's production pedigree, a premise rooted in Korean spiritual folklore, and a cast led by three of the industry's most compelling performers positions The Rock as one of 2026's most anticipated Korean film projects. For audiences who responded to the cultural specificity and supernatural tension of Exhuma, this next chapter from the same creative team promises to dig even deeper into the mysteries buried in Korean tradition.