Bunshinsaba

Bunshinsaba (Korean: 분신사바) is a 2004 South Korean horror film directed by Ahn Byeong-ki.

This article is about the 2004 South Korean film. For the 2012 Chinese film, see Bunshinsaba (2012 film).
Bunshinsaba
Poster for Bunshinsaba (2004)
Hangul분신사바
Revised RomanizationBunshinsaba
McCune–ReischauerPunsinsaba
Directed byAhn Byeong-ki
Produced byKim Yong-dae
Written byAhn Byeong-ki
StarringKim Gyu-ri
Lee Se-eun
Lee Yoo-ri
Choi Seong-min
Choi Jung-yoon
Music byLee Sang-ho
CinematographyKim Dong-cheon
Edited byPark Sun-deok
Distributed byBuena Vista
Release date
  • July 30, 2004 (2004-07-30)
Running time
92 minutes
CountrySouth Korea
LanguageKorean

In 2004, it screened at the 8th annual Puchon International Fantastic Film Festival. The film had its American premiere at the 2005 New York Korean Film Festival, and was shown later that year at the 5th annual Screamfest Horror Film Festival.

In 2012 Ahn Byeong-ki directed a Chinese film also titled Bunshinsaba but with an unrelated plot.[1]

Plot

Lee Yoo-jin is a transfer student from Seoul, and along with two of her friends, she is constantly being bullied by a group of classmates. One night, Yoo-jin and her friends decide to place a curse on their enemies by creating a Ouija board on which they write the names of the female bullies. Using the Bunshinsaba curse, her friend warns the others not to open their eyes until the spell is finished. The calling takes effect, and Yoo-jin, somewhat curious, opens her eyes. To her shock and horror, she sees an image of a pale-like dead girl with long hair beside her.

The next morning when Yoo-jin enters the classroom, she discovers the corpse of one of the bullies on top of the desk, with a burned face. Meanwhile, the school hires a volunteer teacher, Lee Eun-ju, as the new art instructor. She starts to call the roll in her class and stumbles on seat number 29 as she mentions the name of a deceased girl, Kim In-sook. The students are terrified when they hear the name, and rush out of the classroom when they see her talking to thin air. The only one left is Yoo-jin, who tells Eun-ju that Kim In-sook doesn't exist. Eun-ju takes another look at the seat and realizes that there's no name at seat number 29. Suddenly, Yoo-jin sees a figure on Eun-ju's back. Investigations soon rise as the other three bullies die in the same manner. Finally, Yoo-jin realizes that the spirit of Kim In-sook is possessing her. She was the one who killed all of those bullies, even though she doesn't remember doing it.

Eun-ju also senses a terrible force and unearthly presence surrounding Yoo-jin. Mr. Han, Yoo-jin's class adviser, decides to help out by consulting his friend on what is causing her to act strangely. Through hypnotism, they are able to see a vision of the past showing how Kim In-sook and her mother Chun-hee were brutally killed by the villagers, and before dying, they placed a curse that for generations to come, whoever left the village would die. As Chun-hee finally takes possession of Eun-ju's body, she exacts punishment on the people who wronged them, slaying the school's principal but sparing Mr. Han's life.

Not long after, Eun-ju gives birth to a girl and within that girl's body is the spirit of Kim In-sook.

Cast

Release

Bunshinsaba was released in South Korea on July 30, 2004.[2][3]

See also

References
  1. Derek Elley (August 7, 2012). "Bunshinsaba". Film Business Asia. Archived from the original on August 13, 2012. Retrieved August 8, 2012.
  2. Kalat 2007, p. 293.
  3. Kalat 2007, p. 294.

Sources
  • Choi, Jinhee; Wada-Marciano, Mitsuyo (2009). Horror to the Extreme: Changing Boundaries in Asian Cinema. Hong Kong University Press. ISBN 9622099734.CS1 maint: ref=harv (link)
  • Kalat, David (2007). J-Horror: The Definitive Guide to The Ring, The Grudge and Beyond. Vertical Inc. ISBN 978-1-932234-08-4.CS1 maint: ref=harv (link)
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