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Drama thriller

The Ugly (2025): Cast, Ratings, Box Office & Plot

The Ugly (2025) movie poster

The Ugly is a 2025 drama thriller directed by Sang-ho Yeon, starring Hae-hyo Kwon as Im Yeong-gyu, Jeong Min Park and Shin Hyun-been. It runs 1 hour 42 minutes and earned $7.8 million worldwide on a $160,000 budget. Critics gave it 56% on Rotten Tomatoes and 50 on Metacritic, and IMDb users rate it 6.6/10.

IMDb rating
6.6/10
Rotten Tomatoes
56%
worldwide gross
$7.8M
Echo Score
52
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The Ugly (2025) movie poster
Released
Runtime
1h 42m (102 min)
Director
Sang-ho Yeon
Genres
Drama , Mystery , Thriller
Original language
Korean
Budget
$160K
After the credits
No No extra scene
The story

What Is The Ugly About?

The premise of The Ugly without spoilers. The whole story is in the plot summary further down.

While supervising a documentary crew filming his blind father at work, Im Dong‑hwan receives a call that the remains of his mother, missing for forty years, have finally been found. Determined to learn what happened, he sets out on a twisted odyssey into his family’s traumatic past, confronting buried memories and unveiling dark secrets that reshape his understanding of the people and events that have shaped his life.

The Ugly Themes & Keywords

· 1 tag
  • death of mother
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Cast & crew

The Ugly Cast & Characters

Hae-hyo Kwon leads the cast as Im Yeong-gyu, with Jeong Min Park as Im Dong-hwan and Shin Hyun-been. Directed by Sang-ho Yeon; 5 actors are credited in all.

Also Starring in The Ugly

· 1 more
From the director

More from Sang-ho Yeon

One more film directed by Sang-ho Yeon: Colony.

Full filmography
Ratings

The Ugly Reviews & Ratings

Critics gave The Ugly 56% on Rotten Tomatoes and 50 on Metacritic, and IMDb users rate it 6.6/10. Our Echo Score gives it 52/100, strongest in sensory experience (60) and weakest in story & flow (42).

52 /100

The Ugly Echo Score Breakdown

In summary, The Ugly delivers an intriguing premise but is hampered by uneven storytelling and pacing. Critics acknowledge the film’s thoughtful examination of appearance and its occasional atmospheric twists, yet they repeatedly note a lethargic structure that diminishes engagement. Performances, particularly by Park Jeong‑min, receive praise, while the central narrative feels disjointed. Consequently, the movie offers moments of depth but struggles to sustain momentum, resulting in a mixed overall impression.

Our own 0–100 rating, built from five aspects: art, character, story, the sensory experience and how well a film rewatches.

  • Art & Craft 55

    Regarding art and craft, the film exhibits competent direction and a well‑crafted visual palette, yet the editing contributes to a sluggish rhythm. Critics note occasional atmospheric flair, but the overall pacing undermines the cinematographic strengths. Consequently, the technical execution feels solid but insufficient to elevate the experience.

  • Character & Emotion 55

    When evaluating character and emotion, performances receive commendation, especially Park Jeong‑min’s nuanced dual roles that convey feeling through subtle gestures. Supporting actors are also praised for solid work. However, reviewers criticize the limited development of the central female perspective and the story’s cruelty toward its characters, which weakens emotional resonance.

  • Story & Flow 42

    In terms of story and flow, the narrative is frequently described as lethargic and disjointed. Critics point to a loss of momentum, an unsatisfying conclusion, and a failure to weave intriguing premises into a cohesive plot. While the mystery elements intrigue, the overall pacing and lack of clarity hinder engagement, resulting in a weak storytelling foundation.

  • Sensory Experience 60

    The sensory experience offers a dark, atmospheric tone supported by measured sound design and a restrained score. Reviewers note the effective use of visual mood to underscore thematic concerns about appearance. Nonetheless, the sensory elements are not enough to counterbalance the film’s sluggish pacing, leaving the overall impression uneven.

  • Rewatch Factor 50

    Rewatch factor is limited by the film’s uneven pacing and unresolved narrative threads, which diminish the desire for subsequent viewings. Although the mystery twists and strong central performances provide occasional intrigue, the overall structural weaknesses reduce lasting appeal. Consequently, the movie offers modest replay value for viewers attuned to its thematic depth.

Plot

The Ugly Plot Summary

What happens in The Ugly from start to finish, spoilers included, with a timeline of 15 key events. The opening is below; the full summary is a 2-minute read.

Spoilers ahead

Im Yeong-gyu is a blind seal-engraving master celebrated nationwide as a “living miracle” for creating exquisitely beautiful work, and he runs his workshop with his son, Im Dong-hwan. A television documentary profiles Yeong-gyu’s life and artistry, and through that intimate lens, the son discovers a truth long buried: his mother, Jung Young-hee, who many believed had abandoned the family, was actually dead. Her skeletal remains are unearthed at a construction site, buried for nearly forty years, reopening a past that had been suppressed and forgotten and inviting painful questions about what was left unsaid.

Full summary

The whole story of The Ugly, scene by scene

Read the full summary
Box office

The Ugly Box Office & Budget

The Ugly grossed $7.8 million worldwide on a $160,000 budget, 49 times what it cost. $58,395 came from the US and Canada and $7.7 million (99%) from the rest of the world.

2025 box office

Worldwide gross

$7.8M

49× its budget

US & Canada
$58.4K
International
$7.7M
Budget
$160K
US & Canada 1% Rest of the world 99%
Quiz

How Well Do You Know The Ugly?

10 questions about the story, each with a hint if you get stuck. Pick an answer to see whether you were right.

Question 1 of 10

  1. Question 1: not answered
  2. Question 2: not answered
  3. Question 3: not answered
  4. Question 4: not answered
  5. Question 5: not answered
  6. Question 6: not answered
  7. Question 7: not answered
  8. Question 8: not answered
  9. Question 9: not answered
  10. Question 10: not answered

What is the profession of the protagonist Im Yeong-gyu?

Details

The Ugly Also Known As

7 alternative titles, including “The Ugly - Genesi di un serial killer” and “A csúf”.

Also known as
  • The Ugly - Genesi di un serial killer
  • A csúf
  • 어글리
  • Brzydal
  • 魔鬼赛门
  • The Ugly - O Maniaco
  • El lleig

Seen The Ugly?

FAQ

The Ugly FAQ: Cast, Box Office & Runtime

Runtime, release date, director, cast, box office, ratings, post-credit scenes and language of The Ugly, each answered in a sentence.

How long is The Ugly?

The Ugly runs 1 hour 42 minutes (102 minutes).

When was The Ugly released?

The Ugly was released on September 26, 2025.

Who directed The Ugly?

The Ugly was directed by Sang-ho Yeon.

More films by Sang-ho Yeon

Who is in the cast of The Ugly?

The Ugly stars Hae-hyo Kwon as Im Yeong-gyu, Jeong Min Park as Im Dong-hwan and Shin Hyun-been, among 5 credited actors.

How much did The Ugly make at the box office?

The Ugly grossed $7.8 million worldwide ($58,395 domestic, $7.7 million international) on a budget of $160,000.

How is The Ugly rated?

The Ugly has 6.6/10 on IMDb, 56% on Rotten Tomatoes, 50 on Metacritic and 3.0/5 on Letterboxd.

Does The Ugly have a post-credit scene?

No. The Ugly has no extra scene during or after the credits.

What language is The Ugly in?

The original language of The Ugly is Korean.

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