The Ghost Game
| The Ghost Game | |
|---|---|
 Theatrical release poster | |
| Hangul | 강령: 귀신놀이 |
| RR | Gangnyeong: gwisinnori |
| MR | Kangnyŏng: kwisinnori |
| Directed by | Son Dong-wan |
| Screenplay by | Son Dong-wan |
| Produced by | Bae Soo-hong Kim Young-hwan Baek Ga-eun[1] |
| Starring | Kim Ye-rim Lee Chan-hyeong Seo Dong-hyun Oh So-hyun Kim Eun-bi Park Seo-yeon |
| Cinematography | Lee Jae-hwan |
| Edited by | Kim Ji-won |
Production company | EO Content Group |
| Distributed by | KT Studio Genie |
Release date |
|
Running time | 94 mins |
| Country | South Korea |
| Language | Korean |
The Ghost Game (Korean: 강령: 귀신놀이; RR: Gangnyeong: gwisinnori) is a 2025 South Korean horror film directed and written by Son Dong-wan in his directorial debut.[2] The film starring Kim Ye-rim, Lee Chan-hyeong, Seo Dong-hyun, Oh So-hyun, Kim Eun-bi, and Park Seo-yeon.
The film premiered at 29th Bucheon International Fantastic Film Festival on July 5, 2025.[3]
It was released in theaters on August 6, 2025.[4]
Synopsis
Ja-young is haunted by guilt over her missing older sister. While filming a video for a contest, she and her friends perform a forbidden summoning ritual said to answer any question, but the ritual soon spirals out of control which leads them into terrifying incidents.[5]
Cast
- Kim Ye-rim as Ja-young
- The class president of Class 5, Grade 3 at Gyesang High School.[6]
- Lee Chan-hyeong as Dong-jun
- A student who dreams of dominating South Korea's baseball world and has eyes only for his classmate Ja-young.[7]
- Seo Dong-hyun as Ki-ho
- He is the leader of filming and ritual.[8]
- Oh So-hyun as Ye-eun
- She is the precarious and sensitive relationship between Ja-young and Dong-jun.[8]
- Kim Eun-bi as Mi-yeon
- A top student aiming to enter Seoul National University.[9]
- Park Seo-yeon as Seo-woo
- Ja-young's younger sister.[10]
Production
The film was produced by EO Contents Group, a production company which produced the thriller series Night Has Come.[8]
Principal photography began on September 9, 2024. On the same day, Kim Ye-rim, Lee Chan-hyeong, Seo Dong-hyun, Oh So-hyun, Kim Eun-bi, and Park Seo-yeon were confirmed to appear in this film. It was previously titled Next.[8]
Release
The film was officially invited to the Korean Fantastic in Feature Film section of the 29th Bucheon International Fantastic Film Festival and premiered on July 5, 2025.[11]
It was also officially invited to the Brigadoon Section of the 58th Sitges Film Festival[12] and 31rd Lund International Fantastic Film Festival.[13]
Box office
A preview screening was held on July 25, 2025.[14] The film was exclusively released on CGV theaters on August 6, 2025.[4]
References
- ↑ "강령: 귀신놀이" [The Ghost Game]. KMDB. Retrieved March 19, 2026.
- ↑ Kim Ji-hye (August 1, 2025). "'강령: 귀신놀이', 제58회 시체스국제판타스틱영화제 공식 초청" [[The Ghost Game] Officially invited to the 58th Sitges International Fantastic Film Festival]. SBS Entertainment News (in Korean). Retrieved March 19, 2026 – via Naver.
- ↑ Lee Seung-mi (June 25, 2025). "레드벨벳 예리·이찬형 하이틴 호러 '강령: 귀신놀이', BIFAN 출격" [Red Velvet's Yeri and Lee Chan-hyung's high-teen horror The Ghost Game", invited to BIFAN]. Sports Donga (in Korean). Retrieved March 19, 2026 – via Naver.
- 1 2 Lee Mi-ji (July 1, 2025). "김예림X이찬형 '강령: 귀신놀이', 8월6일 CGV 단독 개봉확정(공식)" [Kim Ye-rim X Lee Chan-hyeong “The Ghost Game," confirmed for exclusive CGV release on August 6 (Official)]. Heraldmuse (in Korean). Retrieved March 19, 2026 – via Naver.
- ↑ Go Jae-wan (July 9, 2025). "레드벨벳 예리→배우 김예림, 스크린 정식 데뷔…하이틴 호러 '강령' 극장가 접수 예고" [Red Velvet's Yeri → actress Kim Ye-rim makes official screen debut… teen horror "The Ghost Game" set to take over theaters]. Sports Chosun (in Korean). Retrieved March 19, 2026 – via Naver.
- ↑ Jang Ah-reum (July 9, 2025). "김예림, 이번엔 하이틴 호러…'강령: 귀신놀이'로 스크린 데뷔" [Kim Ye-rim, This Time Teen Horror… Screen Debut with "The Ghost Game"]. News1 (in Korean). Retrieved March 19, 2026.
- ↑ Oh Seung-hyun (July 10, 2025). "'슬의생'·'경소문' 이찬형, '강령: 귀신놀이' 출연…데뷔 후 첫 호러물" [Lee Chan-hyeong of "Hospital Playlist" and "The Uncanny Counter" to star in "The Ghost Game"… his first horror work since debut]. Xports News (in Korean). Retrieved March 19, 2026.
- 1 2 3 4 Geum Bit-na (September 9, 2024). "이오엔터, 영화 '넥스트' 오늘(9일) 크랭크인...김예림→박서연 출연 확정 [공식]" [E.O Entertainment's film "Next" begins filming today (9th)... Kim Ye-rim to Park Seo-yeon confirmed to appear [Official]]. Maeil Business Newspaper (in Korean). Retrieved March 19, 2026 – via Naver.
- ↑ Lee Mi-ji (July 11, 2025). "김은비, '강령: 귀신놀이'로 첫 영화제 BIFAN 참석 "뜻깊은 시간"" [Kim Eun-bi attends her first film festival BIFAN with "The Ghost Game", "A meaningful time"]. Herald Muse (in Korean). Retrieved March 19, 2026.
- ↑ Jo Seong-jun (September 11, 2024). "레드벨벳 예리 주연 '넥스트', 지난 9일 크랭크인" [Red Velvet's Yeri stars in "Next," began filming on the 9th]. Asia Today (in Korean). Retrieved March 19, 2026.
- ↑ Kim Soo-a (June 11, 2025). "레드벨벳 예리 첫 스크린 '강령: 귀신놀이', 8월 개봉…BIFAN서 먼저 만난다" [Red Velvet's Yeri's first screen debut "The Ghost Game", to be released in August… to be unveiled first at BIFAN]. Xports News (in Korean). Retrieved March 19, 2026 – via Naver.
- ↑ Lee Seung-mi (February 4, 2026). "레드벨벳 예리 주연 '강령', 시체스국제판타스틱영화제 공식 초청" [Red Velvet's Yeri-starring "The Ghost Game" officially invited to the Sitges International Fantastic Film Festival]. Sports Donga (in Korean). Retrieved March 19, 2026.
- ↑ Jo Yeon-kyung (October 21, 2025). "K-호러 '강령: 귀신놀이' 잇따른 해외 영화제 러브콜" [K-horror "The Ghost Game" receives consecutive love calls from international film festivals]. JTBC (in Korean). Retrieved March 19, 2026 – via Naver.
- ↑ Oh Seung-hyun (July 29, 2025). ""우린 여기서 안 죽어"…'강령: 귀신놀이' 6人, 저주가 될 강령술 마주했다" ["We won’t die here"…'The Ghost Game' six face a summoning ritual that will become a curse]. Xports News (in Korean). Retrieved March 19, 2026 – via Naver.