Yeon Sang-ho tests faith with 'Revelations'

Director and cast discuss their upcoming Netflix thriller at a pre-release press conference in Seoul

From left: Actor Ryu Jun-yeol, Shin Hyun-been, director Yeon Sang-ho, and Shin Min-jae pose during the production briefing for Netflix's "Revelations" at Hotel Naru Seoul in Mapo-gu on Tuesday. (Yonhap)

Alphonso Cuaron was following Yeon Sang-ho's career long before most film fans knew the Korean director's name.

"It started when 'The King of Pigs' went to Cannes," Yeon told reporters during Tuesday's production briefing at a Seoul hotel. "That was 14 years ago."

Now the Oscar-winning auteur has partnered with Yeon as an executive producer on Netflix’s "Revelations," a new film that strips away the fantastical elements of Yeon's previous work to explore the uncertain boundaries of divine inspiration.

"Revelations" follows Pastor Min-chan (Ryu Jun-yeol), who believes he's received a message from God identifying a suspect in a churchgoer's disappearance, and Detective Yeon-hui (Shin Hyun-been), who investigates the case as she battles visions of her dead sister. Shin Min-jae plays Yang-rae, an ex-convict whose guilt or innocence forms the story's central tension.

"It's about people who only see what they want to see and believe what they want to believe," Yeon said. "I tried to create something realistic, intimate — a psychological thriller without the fantasy elements I've used before."

Yeon and screenwriter Choi Gyu-seok adapted their own webtoon but made significant changes along the way. The pastor evolved from a secular character to a devout one, partly at Ryu's suggestion.

"Starting from ordinary faith gives the character somewhere to fall from," Yeon explained. Similarly, the detective transformed from stoic to fragile. "I wanted someone crushed by guilt, who might shatter at any moment."

Ryu described Yeon's directorial approach with admiration.

"I'm constantly questioning things right up until shooting, which must be exhausting," the actor said. "But Yeon actually listens. There were moments when I'd given up on a scene, and he'd suddenly appear and completely reshape it."

Hyun-been nodded in agreement. "Despite the heavy material, he creates this atmosphere where you feel free to explore." She praised the production design's meticulous attention to detail: "They created everything down to tissues branded with the church's name — things that barely appear on camera but make the world feel real."

The film represents Netflix's continued investment in Korean content, part of a larger strategy that includes seven Korean features planned for 2025. For Yeon, it follows his streaming successes "Hellbound" and "Parasyte: The Grey" as he builds an impressive catalog with the platform.

Cuaron's involvement came after Yeon wondered if the acclaimed director might want "another 'Train to Busan,' the 2016 zombie thriller that catapulted Yeon to global recognition. Instead, Cuaron fully embraced Yeon's creative shift.

"Throughout production, he kept returning to our initial conversations about my creative vision," Yeon said. "Even during marketing, he'd ask if the trailer properly conveyed what I intended."

Produced by Korean company Wowpoint, "Revelations" marks another step in Yeon's busy upcoming slate.

He's already lined up "35th Street," a collaboration with Leonardo DiCaprio's production company Appian Way slated for late 2025, and "Face," a lower-budget mystery thriller featuring actor Park Jung-min in dual roles.

For Yeon, “Revelations” represents a distillation of his career. "I started with indie animation and made various films. 'Revelations' feels like I've finally captured my essential colors. If someone hasn't seen any of my work, just watch this one."

"Revelations" will be released globally on Netflix on March 21.