‘The Wailing’ Is a Korean Horror Masterpiece You Can’t Brace Yourself For

In the pantheon of Korean possession-horror media, director Na Hong-jin’s 2016 film The Wailing (Goksung) shares an uncanny kinship with another slept-on entry in the genre. Sure, it’s got the usual fixings: a doe-eyed hero, a cynical side character not long for this world, a wise shaman, some sort of demon, and the unlucky family member the protagonist is tasked with saving from spiritual ruin. But like Jang Jae-hyun’s 2024 film Exhuma, The Wailing takes these familiar hallmarks…